List of megafauna recently discovered
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The following is a list of megafauna recently discovered by science (with their respective date of discovery). Some of these may have been known to native peoples or reported anecdotally but had not been generally acknowledged as confirmed by the scientific world, until conclusive evidence was obtained for formal studies.
The definition of megafauna varies, but this list includes some of the more notable examples.
Contents |
[edit] Megafauna believed extinct, but rediscovered
- Pygmy Hippopotamus Hexaprotodon liberiensis (1849)
- Takahē Porphyrio mantelli (1948)
- Chacoan Peccary Catagonus wagneri, (1975)
- Coelacanth Latimeria menadoensis (1938 [1])
[edit] Megafauna previously unknown from fossil record
- Seven-arm Octopus Haliphron Atlanticus [2][3] (1861)
- Vietnam warty pig Sus bucculentus (1892)
- Mountain Gorilla Gorilla beringei (1902)
- Komodo Dragon Varanus komodoensis (1910)
- Glass squid Galiteuthis phyllura (1911)
- Colossal squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni (1925)
- Bonobo Pan paniscus (1928)
- Dana Octopus Squid Taningia danae (1931)
- Vo Quy's pheasant Lophura hatinhensis (1964)
- Megamouth shark Megachasma pelagios (1976)
- Bigfin squid several in the genus Magnapinna (1998)
- Saola / Vu Quang ox Pseudoryx nghetinhensis [4] (1992)
- Nangchen Horse (1993)
- Giant Muntjac Megamuntiacus vuquangensis (1994)
- Riwoche Horse (1995)
- Truong Son Muntjac Muntiacus truongsonensis (1997)
- Leaf muntjac (1997)
[edit] Megafauna initially believed to have been fictitious or hoaxes
- Giant squid Architeuthis dux (1878) (first seen live 2005)
- Okapi Okapia johnstoni (1901)
- Hoan Kiem Turtle Rafetus leloii (1967)
[edit] References
- Karl Shuker (2002). The New Zoo: New and Rediscovered Animals of the Twentieth Century. House of Stratus, Thirsk. ISBN 1-84232-561-2
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