New Species

Crayfish, Crawfish, Crawdad; no matter what you call them, If you live in the southeastern United States, their biodiversity hotspot is in your backyard! Astacologist (crayfish biologist) Dr. Zack Graham joins us on this episode to tell us just how wild these freshwater crustaceans are. He shares just a bit of his knowledge on their biodiversity, interesting behaviors, their impact on American culture, and some of the unique threats they continue to face. At the end of the day, why do crayfish matter? Zack says, “I think at a basic level, humans are just generally curious about what's going on out in nature. And that's what really fuels a lot of my work, just trying to understand what has happened in the past, what's going to happen in the future to these animals that have been living on earth for over 300 million years. They've been here for a very long time. So I think, you know, they kind of have a right to be here and to be protected and to be studied and understood.”A transcript of this episode can be found here: Zack Graham - TranscriptEpisode image credit: Zack GrahamLearn more about Zack’s lab: https://crayfish.westliberty.edu/You can also follow them on facebook: www.facebook.com/wlucrayfishAnd on Instagram: @wlucrayfishlabYou can order Zack’s book here: https://uncpress.org/9781469685731/crayfish-crawfish-crawdad/Learn more about the International Association of Astacology: https://www.astacology.org/default.asp?uid=GuestPeruse the American Crayfish Atlas: https://americancrayfishatlas.web.illinois.edu/And check out some beautiful crayfish photos from Zack’s adventures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/196391561@N03/Be sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and “like” the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

Freshwater shrimps are difficult to study. They’re nocturnal, they live in leaf litter, and yet they are involved in both commercial fishing and the pet trade, making research on their diversity critical. Dr. Prakash Sanjeevi and Maclean Santos have a new strategy for adapting to these challenges: harnessing the power of community. Through educational videos, social media, workshops, and more they provide training to already-interested hobbyists, who in turn help them find rare specimens for papers like this one, in which they redescribe a species that hadn’t been seen in Indian waters for 72 years. “I truly feel that it is not the talent which survives the long term in this research game, It is more of the hard work and it is more about how much you like the species because if you love a species, you will work really hard for the species” says Maclean. Listen in as we discuss the fascinating morphology, biology, and joy provided by these freshwater shrimps.Maclean Santos and Prakash Sanjeevi’s paper “Rediscovery of the genus Atyopsis Chace, 1983 (Decapoda: Atyidae) in mainland India following a 72-year gap” is in volume 5722 of Zootaxa. It can be found here: www.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5722.4.7A transcript of this episode can be found here: Maclean Santos and Prakash Sanjeevi - TranscriptEpisode image credit: Maclean SantosRead their recent paper describing a new species from the same region: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5194.3.5Follow Maclean and Prakash on Instagram:Prakash: @sanjeeviprakash Maclean: @homeaquatMore pictures and information on GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/7839136Be sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and “like” the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPodIf you would like to make a one-time contribution to this podcast, you can do so at https://buymeacoffee.com/newspeciespod

New Species en Español will be a Spanish-language version of the New Species Podcast, hosted by Ivonne Garzón. Subscribe to it here: https://open.spotify.com/user/31jdpbfn26x3w7sa2b76db3z2vxa?si=160a1a8eac644f00Or wherever you get your podcasts.

Donard Geci fell into studying spiders by accident, but now he can’t imagine his life without them. He’s one of the only arachnologists in the Balkans, a hotspot for spiders as well as plenty of other flora and fauna. It’s difficult, he says, “but you have many things to do here because many groups are unexplored.”Trapdoor spiders are masterful architects, and there is so much work to do in order to better understand their relationships to one another. Fortunately, Donard isn’t deterred at all and wants to encourage even more scientists to study the amazing quantity of life found in the Balkans. Donard Geci’s paper “Trapdoor spiders of the family Nemesiidae Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from Kosovo” is in volume 20, issue 2 of Arachnology. It can be found here: www.doi.org/10.13156/arac.2025.20.2.281A transcript of this episode can be found here: Donard Geci - Transcript New Species: Brachythele kosovarica, Nemesia dukagjinicaEpisode image credit: Donard GeciA New Trapdoor Spider with Christian Pertegal: available in english and in spanishAn episode with Alireza Zamani: https://www.newspeciespodcast.net/all-episodes/e28-a-new-species-named-because-of-this-podcast-and-another-after-the-father-of-modern-medicineFirst DNA Barcoding of Dysderidae: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5653.4.2New Eratigena from the Balkans based on an integrative approach: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5636.1.6Find Donard on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donardgeciiAnd on X: https://x.com/donard_geciBe sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and “like” the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPodIf you would like to make a one-time contribution to this podcast, you can do so at https://buymeacoffee.com/newspeciespod

“The queen especially was not like, like totally not like mad mad, but like mad at him…”That analysis is from Charleigh (age 6 ), who I talked to along with her dad Jesse (older than 6) about the 1998 classic A Bug’s Life! We discussed serious matters such as the number of legs ants have, if insects have blood, and if the movie missed an opportunity by not including a dung beetle (I think they did). Charleigh and Jesse co-host the amazing podcast arthropod adventures, which teaches listeners about arthropods they might see in their backyard. Stay inquisitive and never stop learning with me as I talk to them in this very silly bonus episode!Our ratings:Scientific accuracy 🐜 🐜 🐜Enjoyability 🐜 🐜 🐜 🐜Bonus episodes are typically reviews of creature-feature horror movies by me and a scientist with expertise relevant to the film. If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to more of them for free on Patreon.com/newspeciespodCheck out arthropod adventures wherever you get your podcastsFollow them on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563432847704And instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthropod_adventures_podcast/Check out their merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/jhurlburt33/shop?asc=uLearn more about the Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/One-time podcast support: buymeacoffee.com/newspeciespodBe sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and “like” the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com

Do you ever wonder if your pet could be a new species? Paleontologist Benedikt Kästle took a closer look at his, and it led to a brand new genus and species! Also known as woodlice, these popular pets are easy to keep and easier to enjoy for the way they skitter and roll up. Benedikt explains that his scientific background can help members of the isopod community connect the valuable experience they have from rearing isopods to the broader research community, where much about isopods is still unknown.Benedikt does this both through his instagram account and in his conversations with hobbyists from around the world, and it makes an impact. This new species is one of many that went undescribed for many years. Now its name is known from Martinique to Germany and beyond. Listen to this episode for a story that celebrates the humble roly poly in all its diversity and mystery.Benedikt Kästle’s paper “Description of a new genus and species of terrestrial isopod (Oniscidea, Armadillidae) endemic to Martinique” is in volume 47 issue 29 of Zoosystema. It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5252/zoosystema-2025v47a29A transcript of this episode can be found here: Benedikt Kästle - TranscriptNew Species: Caribodillo martinicensisFollow Benedikt on instagram: @sumerian.demonEpisode image credit: Benedikt KästleBe sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and “like” the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

The genus Adelopsis is one of the many groups of LBB’s, ‘little brown beetles’ that often get left behind or unidentified by researchers. Eduardo Gomyde is a scientist giving them a closer look. “We're not just identifying species,” he explains, “but we are also analyzing and understanding the finer scale of the [features] that help us to differentiate them.”Using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Eduardo and his coauthor carefully examined the tiniest of details. To find these specimens they had to sort through countless vials of “bycatch”, material leftover from other research that gets deposited in museum collections. Listen in as Eduardo describes his work, and learn about the great joy he takes in giving the LBB’s the attention and care they deserve.Eduardo Gomyde’s paper “Revisiting the concept of ‘ultra evolved’ aedeagi of Adelopsis Portevin, 1907 (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae: Ptomaphagini) using scanning electronmicroscopy, with description and redescription of species” is in volume 17 issue 1 of Megataxa.It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.11646/megataxa.17.1.3A transcript of this episode can be found here: Eduardo Gomyde - TranscriptNew Species: Adelopsis boraceia, Adelopsis monticola, Adelopsis vanini, Adelopsis gibber, Adelopsis ilhabela, Adelopsis caeteh, Adelopsis gandarela, Adelopsis sacerdotisEpisode image credit: Eduardo GomydeListen to Eduardo and I discuss the movie Mosquito Man on a free bonus episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/mosquito-man-144374393Be sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

The Cretaceous insects in the family Umenocoleidae have been difficult to classify, but for Soo Bin Lee they are a window into one of the most interesting periods of our prehistoric world. While closely related to the modern cockroaches in order Blattodea, fossil Umenocoleids have been found and researched across the world and found to be present across a larger portion of geologic time than expected. They’re linked to the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution, an important period of change when angiosperms, or flowering plants, exploded in diversity and prevalence and changed the development of insects as a result. By examining the tiny and delicate wing venation of fossils, Lee and his coauthors were able to uncover and untangle a new chapter in our knowledge of prehistory. Listen in as Lee draws us into the world of prehistoric creatures, environmental change, and the beauty and complexity of wings.Soo Bin Lee’s paper “A new Albian genus and species and two other new species of Umenocoleidae (Dictyoptera) from South Korea” is in volume 166 of Cretaceous ResearchIt can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2024.106013A transcript of this episode can be found here: Soo Bin Lee - TranscriptNew Species: Umenocoleus minimus, Pseudoblattapterix weoni, Petropterix koreaensisBe sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

Los puercoespines, una de las criaturas más adorables y dolorosas a la vez, captan la atención en toda su área de distribución mundial. En este artículo, Héctor Ramírez-Chaves y sus coautores describen una nueva especie de puercoespín de los Andes colombianos. El trabajo los ha llevado a recorrer diferentes ecosistemas y a numerosos museos internacionales. Mientras Héctor describe la increíble biodiversidad de Colombia, también aborda la importancia crucial de su trabajo. "Aún necesitamos estudiar a los roedores aquí en Colombia", afirma. "Hay muchos grupos de especies nuevos que no se han estudiado en absoluto porque no son muy carismáticos, por lo que se los descuida. No se los estudia y son muy importantes para el ecosistema. Por eso, necesitamos más atención en estos pequeños mamíferos".Si no quieres enamorarte de los puercoespines, ¡no escuches este episodio! La alegría de Héctor es contagiosa y la curiosidad de estos misteriosos roedores es irresistible.El artículo de Héctor Ramírez-Chaves, “Una revisión del complejo Puercoespín Quichua Coendou quichua (Rodentia: Erethizontidae) con la descripción de una nueva especie de Colombia”, se encuentra en el volumen 106, número 3, de la revista Journal of Mammalogy.Puede consultarse aquí: https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae140Puede consultar la transcripción de este episodio aquí: Héctor Ramírez-Chaves - Transcripción en españolNueva especie: Coendou vossiCrédito de la imagen del episodio: Omar Daniel León AlvaradoVisite el laboratorio de Héctor en Instagram: @izbd_labY consulte su enlace para ver investigaciones recientes: https://linktr.ee/izbd_labSiga a Nuevas Especies en Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) e Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) y dale a "Me gusta" en la página del podcast en Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).La música de este podcast es "No More (Instrumental)", de HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom).Si tienes preguntas o comentarios sobre este podcast, escríbenos a NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com.Si quieres apoyar este podcast y disfrutar de episodios extra, puedes hacerlo en https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

The moment John Bunker saw the 200+ year old tree, he knew it might be special. He had no idea however, that it was one of America’s oldest surviving apple trees, a French ancestor to many of the apple varieties we know and love today. Combining Todd Little-Siebold’s historical research and Cameron Peace’s genetic work, in this special interview the three of them are able to tell a story of this apple tree that is not unlike the story of many new species discoveries. A transcript of this episode can be found here: Drap d'Or BretagneNew (Old) Species and cultivar: Drap d'Or Bretagne Maine Public Radio feature: https://www.mainepublic.org/maine/2025-06-02/on-verona-island-historians-discover-one-of-the-oldest-living-apple-trees-in-north-americaMOFGA press release:https://www.mofga.org/news/apple-discovery-announcement/Local news article (paywalled): https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/05/04/homestead/gardening/one-of-north-americas-oldest-apple-trees-on-maine-island-joam40zk0w/Learn more about MOFGA: mofga.org (See you at the Common Ground Country Fair!)John’s website: outonalimbapples.com My Fruit Tree Project: myfruittree.orgBe sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

Deep-sea isopods come in all shapes and sizes, and Henry Knauber is excited to see all of them. In this paper, he and his coauthors describe five new species and redescribe another as part of a large expedition to examine the biodiversity of the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench region of the northwest Pacific Ocean. These new species are part of what he calls his “god complex,” a cluster of closely-related cryptic species he has spent much of his scientific career distinguishing and naming after Greek gods and mythical characters. Listen along as Henry describes a paper that is a culmination of years of work, and brings you deep into the sea to examine these amazing creatures in a new way.Henry Knauber’s paper “Across trench and ridge: description of five new species of the Haploniscus belyaevi Birstein, 1963 species complex (Isopoda, Haploniscidae) from the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench region” is in volume 101 issue 2 of Zoosystematics and Evolution. It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.137663A transcript of this episode can be found here: Henry Knauber - TranscriptNew Species: Haploniscus apaticus, Haploniscus erebus, Haploniscus hades, Haploniscus kerberos, and Haploniscus nyx.Episode image credit: Henry KnauberCheck out Henry’s German Science Communication Platform called "Abyssarium" on Instagram: @abyss.ariumAlso take a look at @oceanspecies on instagram for more work like Henry’sRead part of Henry’s master’s thesis on the delineation of the Haploniscus belyaevi species complex: https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2022.2099477A joyful deep-sea specimen encounter: coverage of the first footage of a Colossal Squid and an interview by Science Friday: https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/colossal-squid-video/Be sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

Begonias are known around the world as a plant of beauty and diversity. What can they teach us about the world around us? Through his work on Begonias and other flowering plants found in Northeast India, Professor Dipankar Borah sees the world differently. It’s not just for his own benefit though.“Much of my time is spent making students aware of their surroundings,” He says. “We trek to forests, cook food from the wilderness, and then find joy in the simple yet profound experiences. Through these moments of exploration and laughter, I hope to rekindle their sense of wonder and then help them build the lasting bond with nature.”In this episode, let Dr. Borah invite you with joy and wonder into the world of Begonias. Dipankar Borah’s paper “A new species Begonia ziroensis and a new record of Begonia siamensis from Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India” is in volume 63 issue 1 of the New Zealand Journal of Botany.It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2023.2295439A transcript of this episode can be found here: Dipankar Borah - TranscriptNew Species: Begonia ziroensisEpisode image credit: Dipankar Borah Read more on Dipankar’s Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dipankar-BorahAnd Follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dipu.borah2/Be sure to follow New Species on Bluesky (@newspeciespodcast.bsky.social) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast).Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod

Shantanu Joshi is fascinated with creatures of all kinds, but especially damselflies, the small quick fliers of the order Odonata. In this episode he takes us deep into the forests of Northeast India, a place of immense beauty and interfering colonial history. Undersampling and poor specimen quality are a few reasons the diversity of this area is not well known, and Shantanu and his coauthors are determined to fill in the gaps. As with his project The Odonata of India, Shantanu shares in incredible detail the morphology, ecology, and even behaviors of these two new species, and discusses what their presence means for two unique and isolated habitats.Shantanu’s paper “Description of Protosticta khasia sp. nov. and Yunnanosticta siangi sp. nov., with new records of P. samtsensis from Northeast India” is in volume 5448 of Zootaxa. It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5448.3.2A transcript of this episode can be found here: Shantanu Joshi - TranscriptCheck out Shantanu’s amazing website, Odonata of India: https://www.indianodonata.org/And follow him on Instagram: @odonataofindiaNew Species: Protosticta khasia and Yunnanosticta siangiEpisode image credit: Shantanu JoshiBe sure to follow New Species on Twitter (@PodcastSpecies) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast)Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.comIf you would like to support this podcast and enjoy bonus episodes, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod