Comments on: Discovery of new marine species http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: agnot http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79697 agnot Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79697 I love newness. Hope somebody tells these beautiful creatures about their newness! I love newness. Hope somebody tells these beautiful creatures about their newness!

]]> By: Beanolini http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79718 Beanolini Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79718 It's a bit disingenuous to describe this as 'discovery of new species'. As the articles state, it's not that the the beaked whale and dwarf killer whale have never been seen before, just that certain populations have been split off into new taxa, the beaked whale by DNA analysis, and the killer whale by morphology. The dwarf killer whale species were actually proposed in the early 1980s, the new research is just adding evidence for their species status. This is all just part of the ongoing process of taxonomy, it's a little odd to be expected to get worked up about it. The news of the first live sighting of Shepherd's Ziphiid is rather more exciting, though it isn't a 'new species' either, as it was first described in 1937. It’s a bit disingenuous to describe this as ‘discovery of new species’. As the articles state, it’s not that the the beaked whale and dwarf killer whale have never been seen before, just that certain populations have been split off into new taxa, the beaked whale by DNA analysis, and the killer whale by morphology.

The dwarf killer whale species were actually proposed in the early 1980s, the new research is just adding evidence for their species status.

This is all just part of the ongoing process of taxonomy, it’s a little odd to be expected to get worked up about it.

The news of the first live sighting of Shepherd’s Ziphiid is rather more exciting, though it isn’t a ‘new species’ either, as it was first described in 1937.

]]> By: Flying Squid http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79486 Flying Squid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79486 I wish there were more BB posts like this. REAL cryptozoology is given a bad name by the bigfoot and loch ness monster hunters. I cringe every time I see them promoted. It's doing a disservice to hard-working scientists. I wish there were more BB posts like this. REAL cryptozoology is given a bad name by the bigfoot and loch ness monster hunters. I cringe every time I see them promoted. It’s doing a disservice to hard-working scientists.

]]> By: Nelson.C http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79507 Nelson.C Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79507 So this year we lost a dolphin (Yangtze River Dolphin) and gained two whales. So this year we lost a dolphin (Yangtze River Dolphin) and gained two whales.

]]> By: V http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79547 V Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79547 and in other news, someone found a pig. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8SOFBPO0&show_article=1&lst=1 and in other news, someone found a pig.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8SOFBPO0&show_article=1&lst=1

]]> By: dagfooyo http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79803 dagfooyo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79803 Sure, everybody's excited about the new species, but what about the dwarves? Now there's an entire species of whale whose purpose is to KILL them! Poor Gimli! Sure, everybody’s excited about the new species, but what about the dwarves? Now there’s an entire species of whale whose purpose is to KILL them! Poor Gimli!

]]> By: cczaphod http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79572 cczaphod Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79572 Nice story, but what do they taste like? Nice story, but what do they taste like?

]]> By: Flying Squid http://boingboing.net/2007/11/07/discovery-of-new-mar.html#comment-79580 Flying Squid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-79580 Chicken of the Sea of course. Chicken of the Sea of course.

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