New Species of the Mekong

In the last ten years alone, scientists have discovered more than 1,000 species of plants and animals in the Mekong River Region, which includes southeast China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. 1,000 in just the last 10 years!

I've always loved wildlife, and some of these are crazy cool (and crazy creepy):

Dragon Millipede










It's bright pink, has way too many legs and spines - oh, and it secretes CYANIDE.

Gumprecht's Green Pit Viper

Wouldn't you just hate to be climbing a tree, and lift your head up to see one of these? (When I was about 8, I climbed a tree when and came face-to-face with a praying mantis. I ran screaming back into the house. Those things still creep me out.)



Some kind of spider












It's not enough that this thing is huge and hairy, and could probably eat my parents' Yorkshire Terrier. No, no - it has to hunt it's prey by hanging out on bamboo or trees 5-10 ft. above the ground, and then jumping down and ambushing them from above. I'm glad I don't live in the Cambodian jungle.

Tree Frog (Scientific name Chiromantis samkosensis)












Normal tree frog, right? Except for the fact that it has green blood and turquoise bones! Very cool. (No word yet on whether it secretes something like dynamite or bleach.)

Just thought everyone might enjoy a nice wondering at creation. If you want more, you can probably search for "Mekong new species," or something like that.