# What's the last animal whose existance has come to your attention? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 28, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466 "2005-12-28T18:43:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/21 "2005-12-29T23:21:16Z")
The [African Dwarf Frog](http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net/Amphibiary/Hymenochirus.html). I was looking for a small critter I could keep in my kickass new Biosphere habitat, in which I set up a rainforest Biome. The African Dwarf Frog cannot live in that, but I didn’t know of it’s existence until I went hunting for small frogs. They’re neat! Sometimes, I send other people running for the encyclopedia when I mention that in grade three, I was in an educational program, in which I appeared as a [rock gunnel](http://www.biomescenter.com/ra_rockgunnel.htm). ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/22 "2005-12-29T23:23:11Z")
The [Foosa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foosa). Never been to Madagascar and I just watched the animated Madagascar movie with my nephews this week. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/23 "2005-12-30T00:21:53Z")
> [@astro](#): > > The colossal squid. They’re M\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*ING COLOSSAL!! > > \ Who dares say no!? \ [Ahem… I say it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=334885&page=1&pp=50) And evidently I say it so loudly that the squid’s PR guy himself took the time to reply, for which I was surprised and grateful. Regardless, the fact remains that “colossal squid” is a Johnny-come-lately designation designed to grab newspaper headlines, and a misleading one at that, as the animal in question is a mere 15 foot-long Villechaize compared with the 37 foot-long giant squid. Admitteldy the former is evidently somewhat weightier, so perhaps “husky squid” might be a more descriptive alternative. For myself, I shall continue to refer to the species by its original designation, the Antarctic cranch squid; not only does it avoid confusion, it’s got a certain onomatopoieic charm as well. 'Coz when it gets ahold of you… _CRANCH!_ Any hoo… regarding the OP. The other day while out hiking I encountered a large, brilliantly colored bug at the edge of the path. Further research proved that it was a [Caterpillar Hunter Beetle](http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/Insects/Fiery%20Searcher/img130.jpg). I thought I was reasonably familiar with the local crawly critters, but I’d never seen one of these before. Of course, it’s understandable that I’d managed to overlook these guys, as they are so well-camouflaged and inconspicuous. :smack: They’re also known by the name “fiery searcher,” for no reason obvious to me, since one doesn’t generally associate iridescent green with “fire” in most Earth-normal atmospheric conditions. Possibly the “fiery” part refers to the sensation of getting bitten by one; they do have some impressively wicked mandibles, no doubt to more effectively pierce the armored leathery hide of caterpillars. Despite the fact that they have two common names already, I feel that these beautiful creatures deserve to be better known. I therefore propose that they be referred to in future as the “colossal junebug.” ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/24 "2005-12-30T01:22:45Z")
> [@Lissa](#): > > The Discovery Channel put me off my Wheaties with a story about a species of frog which incubates its eggs under a layer of skin on its back. When they hatched, wart-like protusions spewed out little frogs, leaving behind craters and dead, hanging skin. > > I would have been a lot happier not knowing that frog existed. A LOT happier. Do you mean the [Surinam toad](http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/amphibians/frogsandtoads/surinamtoad.htm) ? When I was a kid, my dad brought one back from S. America, she was very with tadpole, and we got to watch her babies born. It was kind of icky, but then cool to see the froglets, perfect miniatures of the adults, swimming around the tank. The mom looked pretty beat after that, but healed up quick. In looking for a photo (never found a great one), I learned that there is a Dwarf Surinam toad. Guess those babies are even tinsy cuter. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/25 "2005-12-30T01:44:07Z")
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4501152.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4501152.stm)]This little feller who doesn’t seem to have a name but is known around our house as either “New Mammal” or the evocative “Teufelratte” because my husband misunderstood when I told him it’d been discovered by a team led by one Wuulfraat and christened it Teufelratte on the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/26 "2005-12-30T01:51:33Z")
> [@Idlewild](#): > > [BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'New mammal' seen in Borneo woods](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4501152.stm)]This little feller who doesn’t seem to have a name but is known around our house as either “New Mammal” or the evocative “Teufelratte” because my husband misunderstood when I told him it’d been discovered by a team led by one Wuulfraat and christened it Teufelratte on the spot. Watche me screw up my coding! [BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'New mammal' seen in Borneo woods](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4501152.stm) -that’s the link! ---
**Author:** ![UselessGit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/74df32/32.png) [@UselessGit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UselessGit)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/27 "2005-12-30T11:14:42Z")
That would be the soon-to-be-extinct Borus Gaurus–the [Gaur](http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/gaur.htm). The word Gaur is the Icelandic equivalent of “Dude”, which is the reason I googled it (looking to make an emblem for FC Gaur). They look very impressive (and smelly) but I can’t say I’ll miss them when their time is up. Natural selection can be a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/28 "2005-12-30T13:28:25Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > So, the last animal you didn’t realize existed? [“Mountain Beavers” or Aplodontia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Beaver) - most notable for having the world’s largest fleas. It’s amusing to me, of course, that Hyraxes and Honeybadgers are on the list, but that’s just my location talking. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/29 "2005-12-30T13:38:59Z")
I suppose the last unknown-to-me species that I can remember running across (via the news), would be the previously-thought-to-be-extinct Ivory Billed Woodpecker of Arkansas. In fact, here’s a recent [update](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10535553/). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/30 "2005-12-30T17:35:22Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > [Honey Badger](http://www.honeybadger.com/) after watching “The Gods are Crazy 2”, one of the coolest animals in Africa. I’ve heard they attack large animals by attacking the scrotum and castrating them. That is one seriously hardcore animal. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/31 "2005-12-30T17:54:51Z")
> [@elelle](#): > > Do you mean the [Surinam toad](http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/amphibians/frogsandtoads/surinamtoad.htm) ? When I was a kid, my dad brought one back from S. America, she was very with tadpole, and we got to watch her babies born. It was kind of icky, but then cool to see the froglets, perfect miniatures of the adults, swimming around the tank. The mom looked pretty beat after that, but healed up quick. Christ in a Cuisinart, do you think I want to look at the picture and see that thing AGAIN? Uh-uh. No, sir. Once was quite enough. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/32 "2006-01-01T00:02:17Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > [“Mountain Beavers” or Aplodontia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Beaver) - most notable for having the world’s largest fleas. Heh! I’ve heard of them before (as Aplodontia, that is, not “mountain beaver”) but given that they’re a rodent, I was picturing something like a gerbil. 30-50cm…okay, I’m not entirely sure how big that is, something like 1’ to 1.5’, but it’s obviously way bigger than a gerbil! Much smaller than a beaver though, go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Roboto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Mr.Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Roboto)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/33 "2006-01-01T17:06:06Z")
Ivory Billed Woodpeckers ``` Beleived extinct, recent sightings in Arkansas have ornithologists celebrating.... ``` ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466/34 "2006-01-01T17:33:01Z")
> [@elelle](#): > > Do you mean the [Surinam toad](http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/amphibians/frogsandtoads/surinamtoad.htm) ? That is awesome! Thanks for the link! I wonder if they have any of these guys at the Shedd Aquarium. The world is so cool. I got a holiday card from the Field Museum with a watercolor of Ivory-billed woodpeckers on it. Makes me happy to look at it. I hadn’t heard of most of the animals in this thread. I think the newest sort of animal I have heard are the species of firefly that engage in [mass synchorny](http://www.miqel.com/text/tfly.html). Holy cow, would I love to see this. It sounds like it goes on in various places, but I heard about them on NPR and the fireflies in question were, IIRC, in Thailand. Definitely southeast Asia, anyway. I know they aren’t the sort of fireflies we have here in Chicago at any rate. (Not that I don’t love them anyway; I never saw a firefly til 2002, so I am still quite enthralled by them.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-last-animal-whose-existance-has-come-to-your-attention/337466.md?page=1)