‘Long'-tailed creature gets caught in trap in India forest. It's a new species

Under a cover of darkness, an 'elusive' creature with a 'long' tail flew through a mountain forest in northern India — or tried to, at least. But something enveloped it and trapped it.
Scientists checked their net trap and found the 'soft' animal. It turned out to be a new species.
A team of researchers visited over a dozen sites in Uttarakhand and the Western Himalayas between 2017 and 2021 to survey wildlife. The region is 'one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems on Earth,' but sections of it remain 'insufficiently' studied, according to a study published June 5 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.
During their surveys, researchers set up mist nets of various sizes and waited to see what flew into the traps, the study said. They also ventured into 'confined spaces like tunnels and caves' with butterfly nets to see what they could catch.
'Finally in 2021, a few days before the end of my last field season in Uttarakhand, Baseer Baniya returned from our nets with a Collared Scops-Owl bycatch in one cloth bag, and a bat that he couldn't identify in the other,' study co-author Rohit Chakravarty wrote in a June 5 Facebook post.
'As soon as I pulled the bat out of the bag,' Chakravarty knew it was an 'elusive' bat he'd seen twice before and had been searching for for years.
Researchers took a closer look at the unfamiliar-looking bat, analyzed its DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species of mouse-eared bat: Myotis himalaicus, or the Himalayan long-tailed Myotis.
Himalayan long–tailed Myotis bats are considered 'medium-sized,' reaching about 3.5 inches in length and weighing less than an ounce, the study said. They have 'delicate' feet and 'relatively long' thumbs ending in 'a strong but short claw.' Their heads have 'short' ears and 'rather delicate' teeth.
A photo shows the new species' 'dense, soft and relatively long' hair. Overall, the mouse-eared bat's fur is 'dark brown' with some lighter hues mixed in and a paler golden-brown belly.
Himalayan long–tailed Myotis bats were caught in net traps in 'a variety of forested habitats at elevations between' 4,900 to 7,500 feet and 'appears (to be) uncommon,' the study said. Much about the new species' lifestyle remains unknown.
Researchers said they named the new species after the Himalayan mountains where it was first discovered. So far, Himalayan long–tailed Myotis bats have been found in Uttarakhand, India, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, locations nearly 500 miles apart.
Uttarakhand is a province of northern India bordering Nepal and Tibet.
The new species was identified by its DNA, tail length, body proportions, ears, skull shape, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said.
The research team included Uttam Saikia, Rohit Chakravarty, Gabor Csorba, Mostaque Ahmed Laskar and Manuel Ruedi. The team also surveyed about two dozen other bat species.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Miami Herald

4 days ago

• Miami Herald

Chirping in dark misty forest leads to ‘secretive' creature. It's a new species

Walking through a dark misty forest in Madagascar, a team of scientists followed a 'distinct' chirping sound to its 'secretive' source. The calling creature had 'large' hands and 'long' legs. It turned out to be a new species. A team of researchers visited several sites in southeastern Madagascar between 2005 and 2023 as part of ongoing efforts to document the country's biodiversity, according to a study published June 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. During their 2005 visit to a national park, the team found a vaguely unfamiliar-looking frog hiding in a leaf, the study said. Fairly quickly, researchers suspected the 'small' frog was an undescribed species, but they didn't have enough data to know for sure. Finding more specimens proved difficult — so difficult that it took almost 20 years. The team eventually tracked down a second similar-looking frog in 2013 at a different national park and a third frog in 2023 at yet another site, the study said. Researchers finally had enough data to confirm their initial assessment. They'd discovered a new species: Guibemantis sioka. Guibemantis sioka frogs measure less than 2 inches in length, the study said. They have 'slender' limbs, 'long' legs and 'large' hands. Photos show the coloring of the new species. One fully grown frog had a 'dark brown' body with a 'yellow-beige' stripe down its back, researchers said. Another juvenile frog had a reddish hue. Both had wavy markings on their sides. Guibemantis sioka frogs are 'rare and secretive' tree-dwellers, the study said. One frog was 'found calling late in the night during a light rain' while perched over 6 feet up in a tree near a temporary pool of water. Another frog was found 'two hours after dusk on a very misty night.' Researchers said they named the new species after the Malagasy word for 'chirp' because of 'the distinct call' the frogs make, which sound like 'a bird chirping or emitting trills.' So far, Guibemantis sioka frogs have 'only been found at high elevation sites' in southeastern Madagascar, an island off the eastern coast of Africa. The new species was identified by its lifestyle, call sound, hand size, body size, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 6% genetic divergence from other related frog species. The research team included Carl Hutter, Zo Andriampenomanana, Edmund Basham. Frank Glaw, Matteo Masotti, Shea Lambert and Miguel Vences.

Miami Herald

13-06-2025

• Miami Herald

From the bottom of the sea to the tops of trees: See newly discovered species

The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Unique creatures, odd animals and new species are being discovered across the planet. Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses. Learn more about some recent new species discoveries: 'Long'-tailed creature gets caught in trap in India forest. It's a new species In the dense forests of Uttarakhand, India, researchers discovered a new species of bat named Myotis himalaicus, or the Himalayan long-tailed Myotis. This elusive bat, with its long tail and delicate features, was found during wildlife surveys conducted between 2017 and 2021. The species was identified by its unique DNA and physical characteristics. | Published June 6 | Read More | Five-armed creature — covered in 'axes' — found off Taiwan. See the new species Off the coast of Taiwan, a new species of brittle star, Breviturma securis, was discovered. Known for its axe-shaped patterns on its arms, this creature was found in the intertidal zones and shallow waters. Previously misidentified, this brittle star's true identity was confirmed through DNA analysis. | Published June 10 | Read More | 'Gargantua' deep-sea creature among new species found in Atlantic. See them In the depths of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, researchers found two new species of marine snails, including Peltospira gargantua. These snails, discovered near hydrothermal vents, are notable for their large size compared to their relatives. The discovery was made using remote underwater vehicles. | Published June 11 | Read More | 'Large' creature with spines on its belly found at waterfall. It's a new species In the forests of northern Vietnam, scientists discovered Ohler's spiny frog, or Quasipaa ohlerae. This large frog, with its distinctive spines and heart-shaped tongue, was found near rocky streams. The species was named in honor of a colleague and identified through DNA analysis. | Published June 11 | Read More | 'Large' creature with heart-shaped tongue found in Vietnam. It's a new species Binh's spiny frog, or Quasipaa binhi, was discovered in the forests of central Vietnam. Known for its robust body and heart-shaped tongue, this frog was found near forest streams. The species was named in memory of a colleague and identified by its unique physical features and genetic divergence. | Published June 12 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery and sightings of unusual and intriguing species. Check back for the latest stories.

Miami Herald

09-06-2025

• Miami Herald

Black and white creature — snacking on snails — is new species in French Guiana

In the tropical rainforests of French Guiana, a new species has been hiding in plain sight. Sibon nebulatus, a species of snail-eating snake, is found all the way from Mexico to northeastern Brazil, according to a study published June 6 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. But now, genetic testing has revealed that some snakes mistaken for S. nebulatus were actually a different, cryptic species. Cryptic species are animals that may morphologically, or physically, look the same as another species, but are 'genetically distinct' and have their own evolutionary lineage. The new species was found in French Guiana, researchers said, on the northern edge of the Amazon Rainforest. Sibon nebulatus, or the black and white snail-eating snake, was collected from Mont Itoupé at an elevation of about 2,600 feet, according to the study. The snakes are about a foot long from snout to body, with a seven-inch tail, researchers said. Their heads are distinct from the cylindrical shape of their bodies, and their snouts are short and blunt. The snakes earn their name from their coloration pattern, photos show. The snakes are gray with white bellies and covered in thick black bands that extend the length of their bodies. '(The black and white snail-eating snake) is only known from French Guiana, (where it was so far mistaken with S. nebulatus whereas specimens of S. nebulatus (strictly speaking) were considered to belong to a new species) but it is widespread throughout the territory at the exception of the upper Maroni basin and along the coastal strip of savannas where S. nebulatus occurs,' the study explains. Researchers suspect the snake can also be found in the old growth forests of neighboring Surinam, but no records have been made so far. 'Several specimens have been observed feeding on snails in French Guiana,' researchers said. 'One specimen was observed at (5:30 a.m.) perched at about (20 feet) above the ground on a vine of the genus Bauhinia and disappeared in a cavity in the trunk.' Researchers said the existence of a second species was hypothesized for decades, but it wasn't until more recent records and genetic testing was used that the theory could be proven. French Guiana is on the northern coast of South America, north of Brazil and along the Atlantic Ocean. The research team included Antoine Fouquet, Alejandro Arteaga, Átilas R. De Sousa and Robson W. Avila.