Friday March 22, 8:30 PM
New marine species discovered in South China Sea during
expedition
An
expedition to the South China Sea to study the marine biodiversity
there has turned out to be a political and scientific milestone for
the region.
Scientists on Exercise Anambas discovered half a dozen new marine
species, and expect hundreds more to be identified in the next few
months.
Five years in the hatching and Exercise Anambas finally gathered
enough funds to set sail for South China Sea in early March.
Funded by their respective Foreign Ministries, 24 marine
biologists from Asean, China and Taiwan spent 10 days gathering
plants and animals from two groups of Indonesian islands -- the
Anambas and the Natuna.
Hopping from island to island, they dived, used traps, nets and
even trawled to collect samples of the rich flora and fauna there.
The scientists are now back at Singapore's Raffles Museum of
Biodiversity Research, which co-organised the expedition with the
Indonesian Institute of Science.
And just one day into sorting out the samples collected, they
have discovered new species of crabs, fish and even the highly
poisonous blue-ring octopus.
Director of Fisheries Museum of Natural History, Thailand, Dr
Anuwat Nateewathana, said: "It's very dangerous if nobody knows
because it can bite fishermen if we touch it. They have venom... can
die in a few hours."
The specimens will be distributed to the scientists to bring back
to their respective countries for research and documentation.
Calling it a major step forward for the region, the scientists
are already talking of an Exercise Anambas II.
Director of Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, Associate
Professor Peter Ng, said: "We can show that we're working together
just for science, beyond the politics and the situation and we want
to advance scientific knowledge for all the countries to benefit.
The waters are all connected, so the information should be shared
among all the countries, regardless of whether they are disagreeing
with the territories in the South China Sea. "
It will be at least two years before some of findings can be
published internationally.
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