Space Industry and Business News  
FLORA AND FAUNA
Singapore in second major pangolin seizure in a week
 by Staff Writers
 Singapore (AFP) April 10, 2019

Giant sea cumcumber species named after H.P. Lovecraft creature 'Cthulhu'
Washington (UPI) Apr 10, 2019 - Scientists have discovered a new extinct species of sea cucumber thanks an exceptionally-preserved fossil found along the coast of England.

Researchers named the giant sea cucumber, Sollasina cthulhu, after the H.P. Lovecraft monster "Cthulhu."

In the first short story in which H. P. Lovecraft introduces the creature, the famed science fiction writer describes Cthulhu as: "A monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind."

With a body measure just more than an inch across, Sollasina cthulhu was not quite as fearsome. But the primitive sea cucumber's many tentacle-like "tube feet" would have made the creature look larger than it was -- at least to the other small animals on the ocean floor.

Sollasina cthulhu lived some 430 million years ago and used its many tentacles to capture food and scoot along the ocean floor.

To get a better understanding of what the ancient species looked like, scientists ground away at the fossil layer-by-layer, taking a photograph of each layer. Researchers then scanned the photographs and used the digitized layers to reconstruct a 3D model of the miniature monster.

Their computer analysis offered scientists a better understanding of the species' anatomy.

"Sollasina belongs to an extinct group called the ophiocistioids, and this new material provides the first information on the group's internal structures," Imran Rahman, deputy head of research at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, said in a news release. "This includes an inner ring-like form that has never been described in the group before. We interpret this as the first evidence of the soft parts of the water vascular system in ophiocistioids."

Originally, scientists thought ophiocistioids were most closely related to sea urchins, but the latest research -- published this week in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B -- suggests sea cucumbers are Sollasina cthulhu's closest relatives.

"We carried out a number of analyses to work out whether Sollasina was more closely related to sea cucumbers or sea urchins," said Jeffrey Thompson, research fellow at University College London. "To our surprise, the results suggest it was an ancient sea cucumber. This helps us understand the changes that occurred during the early evolution of the group, which ultimately gave rise to the slug-like forms we see today."

Singaporean authorities said Wednesday they had discovered nearly 13 tonnes of pangolin scales worth about $38 million in a shipping container, the second major seizure of the creatures' parts in a week.

Authorities across Southeast Asia are battling to stop the rampant poaching and smuggling of pangolins, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal, which is sought for use in traditional medicine.

In the latest seizure, Singaporean customs and immigration officials on Monday found 12.7 tonnes of the creatures' scales in 474 bags on a container which was labelled as carrying seeds usually used to make tea.

They estimated that around 21,000 pangolins were killed to harvest such a huge quantity of scales, according to a government statement.

The container started its journey in Nigeria and was passing through the city-state -- a major trading hub -- en route to Vietnam, it said.

"The Singapore government adopts a zero-tolerance stance on the use of Singapore as a conduit to smuggle endangered species and their parts," said the statement.

On April 3, officials seized 12.9 tonnes of pangolin scales worth some $38.7 million from a container in Singapore which was also en route to Vietnam from Nigeria.

Under Singaporean law, those found guilty of the illegal import or export of wildlife can be fined up to S$500,000 ($370,000) and jailed for up to two years.

Pangolins, and particularly their scales, are highly prized in China and Vietnam for use in traditional medicine, despite the fact there is no scientific proof of their medical benefits.

Singapore's extensive trade links and efficient ports have lured wildlife smugglers, who use the country as a transit point to ship exotic creatures to customers worldwide, according to animal welfare activists.


Related Links
 Darwin Today At TerraDaily.com

Thanks for being here;
 We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal
 		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly

paypal only


FLORA AND FAUNA
Galapagos home to 53 invasive species, 10 times previous estimates
 Washington (UPI) Mar 29, 2019
 The Galapagos Islands hosts at least 53 invasive species, ten times as many as previously thought. The survey was conducted by a team of scientists with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Williams College and the Charles Darwin Foundation, and published this week in the journal Aquatic Invasions. Researchers began their search for non-native species in 2015 by hanging underwater settlement plates from docks on Santa Cruz and Baltra, two the archipelago's larger islands. Scien ... read more
Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.


Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

FLORA AND FAUNA
Study shows potential for Earth-friendly plastic replacement

 NASA awards contract to Auburn University's National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence

 It's a one-way street for sound waves in this new technology

 Elements can be solid and liquid at the same time, study reveals
FLORA AND FAUNA
US Army selects Hughes for cooperative effort to upgrades NextGen Friendly Forces System

 United Launch Alliance launches WGS-10 satellite for USAF

 United Launch Alliance set to launch WGS-10 for US Air Force

 Raytheon awarded $406M for Army aircraft radio system
FLORA AND FAUNA
FLORA AND FAUNA
China, Arab states eye closer cooperation on satellite navigation to build "Space Silk Road"

 Second GPS III satellite arrives at Cape Canaveral ahead of July launch

 GPS 3 space vehicle 02 "Magellan" arrives in Florida; prepares for July launch

 Russia plans to launch Glonass-M satellite in mid-May
FLORA AND FAUNA
'Flight shame' has Swedes rethinking air travel

 In hidden mountain air base, Albania stores MiGs for sale

 Northrop Grumman to upgrade mission computers on U.S., Bahrain helicopters

 U.S. approves $2.6B sale of 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to India
FLORA AND FAUNA
Ushering in ultrafast cluster electronics

 A new hope of quantum computers for factorizations of RSA with a thousand-fold excess

 Measurement of semiconductor material quality is now 100,000 times more sensitive

 European quantum communications network takes shape
FLORA AND FAUNA
Declassified U2 spy plane images reveal bygone Middle Eastern archaeological features

 Astro-ecology: Counting orangutans using star-spotting technology

 Natural climate processes overshadow recent human-induced Walker circulation trends

 Researchers unveil effects of dust particles on cloud properties
FLORA AND FAUNA
Hong Kong admits world's largest air purifier choked on debut

 Clues emerge in 'missing' ocean plastics conundrum

 Children in South Asia hardest hit by air pollution, says study

 Asia's pollution exodus: Firms struggle to woo top talent








The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.