Entirely New Species of Ruby Seadragon Discovered (VIDEO)

First Posted: Feb 21, 2015 02:19 PM EST
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Scientists have uncovered an entirely new species of seadragon. While researching two known species of seadragons in an effort to understand and protect these fish, researchers uncovered a third, unknown species.

It's not surprising that this oversight occurred. It's only now, with DNA evidence, that scientists are uncovering more and more new species that have previously been overlooked. In this case, the researchers found evidence for the new species while analyzing tissue samples. With photographs and a full specimen, the scientists were able to confirm that the seadragon was indeed a new species.

"We're not in a golden age of taxonomy and these powerful DNA tools are making it possible for more species than ever to be discovered," said Greg Rouse, one of the researchers, in a news release. "That such large charismatic marine species are still being found is evidence that there is still much to be done. This latest finding provides further proof of the value of scientific collections and museum holdings."

The newly identified seadragon is ruby red in color. Now called the ruby seadragon, this species probably inhabits deeper waters than the leafy and common seadragons. The red shading would be absorbed at depth and effectively serve as camouflage.

"It has been 150 years since the last seadragon was described and all this time we thought there were only two species," said Nerida Wilson, one of the researchers. "Suddenly, there is a third species! If we can overlook such a charismatic new species for so long, we definitely have many more exciting discoveries awaiting us in the oceans.

The findings are published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

Want to know more? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.

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