Discover China's Newly Identified Species of 2024
Discover the newly identified species from China in 2024. Meet the fascinating organisms that have just come to light, showcasing the country's rich biodiversity and the ongoing efforts in scientific exploration.
TroibNews 
Each year, scientists add hundreds of new species to the biodiversity pool as they strive to explore the natural wonders of our planet.
In 2024, that total climbed to 190, as reported by researchers at the Natural History Museum in London.
Last year’s findings from China included the vampire squid, the horned toad, and even a newly-discovered dinosaur species.
Here are a few notable examples that caught the attention of CN due to their distinct characteristics, scientific significance, and the intriguing stories surrounding their discovery.
**Fossils of New Armored Dinosaur Species Found in Eastern China**
A new armored dinosaur species has been named "Datai yingliangis," following the discovery of two specimens in Jiangxi Province, eastern China.
This find marks a significant contribution to the fossil record of Ankylosaurinae, a prominent group of armored dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous period, according to Xing Lida, an associate professor at China University of Geosciences in Beijing.
The specimens were subadults, measuring between 3.5 and 4 meters in length, and both exhibited characteristic horns on their cheeks.
Remarkably, the dinosaurs were discovered layered on top of each other, which is thought to have occurred due to a rapid burial under aeolian sand deposits. "It is likely related to the social behavior of Ankylosaurs," noted Xing.
The findings have been published in the journal *Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology*.
**New Snake Species Found in Central China**
In central China's Hunan Province, scientists have identified a new snake species distinguished by a bright yellow neck collar.
The newly discovered snake, named Achalinus nanshanensis, is part of the genus Achalinus, colloquially known as odd-scaled snakes. It is endemic to the two counties of Chengbu and Tongdao in southwestern Hunan.
This discovery brings the recognized number of Achalinus species worldwide to 28, as detailed in a recent article in the scientific journal *ZooKeys*.
According to Mo Xiaoyang, one of the article's authors and a professor at Hunan Normal University, Achalinus snakes are cave-dwelling and primarily feed on earthworms, featuring scales that exhibit vibrant colors under light.
**Chinese Researchers Find New Vampire Squid Species**
Chinese scientists have identified a new species of vampire squid, marking only the second-known species of its kind globally.
Qiu Dajun, the lead author of the study, explained that V. infernalis was first described by German marine biologist Carl Chun in 1903 and typically inhabits depths of 600 to 900 meters in the temperate and tropical Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans, where oxygen levels are low.
Despite its name, the squid does not consume blood; rather, its large, bright blue eyes, dark coloration, and velvety, cloak-like webbing connecting its arms contribute to its common name.
The newly identified species has been designated as Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis Qiu, Liu & Huang, sp. nov. The study has been published online in the journal *Zoological Systematics*.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
In 2024, that total climbed to 190, as reported by researchers at the Natural History Museum in London.
Last year’s findings from China included the vampire squid, the horned toad, and even a newly-discovered dinosaur species.
Here are a few notable examples that caught the attention of CN due to their distinct characteristics, scientific significance, and the intriguing stories surrounding their discovery.
**Fossils of New Armored Dinosaur Species Found in Eastern China**
A new armored dinosaur species has been named "Datai yingliangis," following the discovery of two specimens in Jiangxi Province, eastern China.
This find marks a significant contribution to the fossil record of Ankylosaurinae, a prominent group of armored dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous period, according to Xing Lida, an associate professor at China University of Geosciences in Beijing.
The specimens were subadults, measuring between 3.5 and 4 meters in length, and both exhibited characteristic horns on their cheeks.
Remarkably, the dinosaurs were discovered layered on top of each other, which is thought to have occurred due to a rapid burial under aeolian sand deposits. "It is likely related to the social behavior of Ankylosaurs," noted Xing.
The findings have been published in the journal *Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology*.
**New Snake Species Found in Central China**
In central China's Hunan Province, scientists have identified a new snake species distinguished by a bright yellow neck collar.
The newly discovered snake, named Achalinus nanshanensis, is part of the genus Achalinus, colloquially known as odd-scaled snakes. It is endemic to the two counties of Chengbu and Tongdao in southwestern Hunan.
This discovery brings the recognized number of Achalinus species worldwide to 28, as detailed in a recent article in the scientific journal *ZooKeys*.
According to Mo Xiaoyang, one of the article's authors and a professor at Hunan Normal University, Achalinus snakes are cave-dwelling and primarily feed on earthworms, featuring scales that exhibit vibrant colors under light.
**Chinese Researchers Find New Vampire Squid Species**
Chinese scientists have identified a new species of vampire squid, marking only the second-known species of its kind globally.
Qiu Dajun, the lead author of the study, explained that V. infernalis was first described by German marine biologist Carl Chun in 1903 and typically inhabits depths of 600 to 900 meters in the temperate and tropical Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans, where oxygen levels are low.
Despite its name, the squid does not consume blood; rather, its large, bright blue eyes, dark coloration, and velvety, cloak-like webbing connecting its arms contribute to its common name.
The newly identified species has been designated as Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis Qiu, Liu & Huang, sp. nov. The study has been published online in the journal *Zoological Systematics*.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
