21 New Species Discovered in the Last 5 Years

August 25, 2021

From their first day on campus, every student has the opportunity to participate in research. In the last five years, LSU professors and graduate students have made 21 discoveries ranging from new animal species on Earth to stars and phenomena beyond our galaxy.

Discoveries

Total Number of new species discovered: 135

Described by those in parentheses. Only LSU personnel listed.

Fish 

  1. Nandus prolixus (2006 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  2. Photoplagios laterofenestra (2007 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  3. Nuchequula mannusella (2007 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  4. Equulites absconditus (2010 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  5. Milyeringa brooksi (2010 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  6. Halieutichthys bispinosus (2010 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  7. Halieutichthys intermedius (2010 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  8. Profundulus kreiseri (2012 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  9. Typhleotris mararybe (2012 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  10. Roeboides bussingi (2013 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  11. Amblyopsis hooseri (2014) - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  12. Caecieleotris morrisi (2016 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)
  13. Photolateralis polyfenestrus (2019 - Prosanta Chakrabarty)

Amphibians & Reptiles

  1. Rhadinaea myersi (1965 - Douglas Rossman)
  2. Rhadinaea binfordi (1965 - Douglas Rossman)
  3. Adelophis foxi (1968 - Douglas Rossman, Richard Blaney)
  4. Thamnophis exsul (1969 - Douglas Rossman)
  5. Diploglossus agasepsoides (1971 - Richard Thomas)
  6. Typhlops tasymigris (1974 - Richard Thomas)
  7. Helicops yacu (1975 - Douglas Rossman)
  8. Ialtris agyrtes (1976 - Douglas Rossman)
  9. Sibynomorphus oneilli (1979 - Douglas Rossman, Richard Thomas)
  10. Phyllodactylus gemmulus (1996 - David Good)
  11. Pseudocalotes larutensis (2001 - Jimmy McGuire)
  12. Leptotyphlops greenwelli (2005 - Jeff Boundy)
  13. Thamnophis lineri (2005 - Douglas Rossman, Frank Burbrink)
  14. Thamnophis bogerti (2005 - Douglas Rossman, Frank Burbrink)
  15. Thamnophis godmani (2005 - Douglas Rossman, Frank Burbrink)
  16. Platymantis latro (2007 - Christopher Austin)
  17. Platymantis admiraltiensis (2007 - Christopher Austin)
  18. Lipinia inexpectata (2007 - Christopher Austin)
  19. Eutropis tammanna (2008 - Christopher Austin)
  20. Emoia tuitarere (2011 - Christopher Austin , Alison Hamilton)
  21. Paedophryne swiftorum (2012 - Christopher Austin, Eric Rittmeyer)
  22. Paedophryne amanuensis (2012 - Christopher Austin, Eric Rittmeyer)
  23. Tribolonotus choiseulensis (2017- Christopher Austin, Eric Rittmeyer)
  24. Tribolonotus parkeri (2017 - Christopher Austin, Eric Rittmeyer)
  25. Stegonotus derooijae (2017 - Christopher Austin , Sara Ruane, John McVay)
  26. Stegonotus admiraltiensis (2017 - Christopher Austin , Sara Ruane, John McVay)
  27. Stegonotus iridis (2017 - Christopher Austin , Sara Ruane, John McVay)
  28. Stegonotus melanolabiatus (2017 - Christopher Austin , Sara Ruane, John McVay)
  29. Tribolonutus choiseulensis (2017 - Christopher Austin)
  30. Cyrtodactylus crustulus (2020 - Christopher Austin)

Birds

  1. Wetmorethraupis sterrhopteron (1964 - George Lowery, John O'Neill)
  2. Cacicus koepckeae (1965 - George Lowery, John O'Neill)
  3. Conioptilon mcilhennyi (1966 - George Lowery, John O'Neill)
  4. Grallaria eludens (1969 - George Lowery, John O'Neill)
  5. Nephelornis oneilli (1976 - George Lowery)
  6. Xenoglaux loweryi (1977 - John O'Neill, Gary Graves)
  7. Hemitriccus cinnamomeipectus (1979 - John O'Neill)
  8. Metallura odomae (1980 - Gary Graves)
  9. Grallaria carrikeri (1982 - Tom Schulenberg, Morris Williams)
  10. Grallaricula ochraceifrons (1983 - John O'Neill, Ted Parker)
  11. Thryothorus eisenmanni (1985 - Ted Parker, John O'Neill)
  12. Tangara meyerdeschauensii (1985 - Tom Schulenberg)
  13. Herpsilochmus parkeri (1986 - Tristan Davis, John O'Neill)
  14. Otus petersoni (1986 - John O'Neill)
  15. Nannopsittaca dachilleae (1991 - John O'Neill)
  16. Acrobatornis fonsecai (1996 - Bret Whitney)
  17. Tolmomyias traylori (1997 - Tom Schulenberg, Ted Parker)
  18. Herpsilochmus gentryi (1998 - Bret Whitney)
  19. Myrmotherula fjeldsaai (1999 - Bret Whitney)
  20. Capito wallacei (2000 - John O'Neill, Dan Lane)
  21. Hepsilochmus sellowi (2000 - Bret Whitney)
  22. Zimmerius villarejoi (2001 - Bret Whitney)
  23. Percnostola arenarum (2001 - Bret Whitney)
  24. Thamnophilus divisorius (2004 - Bret Whitney, Robb Brumfield)
  25. Polioptila clementsi (2005 - Bret Whitney)
  26. Cnipodectes superrufus (2007 – Dan Lane, Thomas Valqui)
  27. Scytalopus petrophilus (2010 – Bret Whitney)
  28. Turdus sanchezorum (2011 – John O’Neill, Dan Lane, Luciano Naka)
  29. Capito fitzpatricki (2012 – Glenn Seeholzer, Mike Harvey)
  30. Thryophilus sernai (2012 – Andres Cuervo)
  31. Orthotomus chaktomuk (2013 – Fred Sheldon)
  32. Nystalus obamai (2013 – Bret Whitney, Marco Rego)
  33. Lepidocolaptes fatimalimae (2013 – Luciano Naka)
  34. Epinecrophylla dentei (2013 – Bret Whitney, Gustavo Bravo, Nati Aristizabal)
  35. Myrmotherula oreni (2013 – Bret Whitney)
  36. Herpsilochmus stotzi (2013 – Gustavo Bravo)
  37. Herpsilochmus praedictus (2013 – Bret Whitney, Gustavo Bravo)
  38. Hypocnemis rondoni (2013 – Bret Whitney, Gustavo Bravo, Nati Aristizabal)
  39. Zimmerius chicomendesi (2013 – Bret Whitney)
  40. Tolmomyias sucunduri (2013 – Bret Whitney)
  41. Polioptila attenboroughi (2013 – Bret Whitney, Brian Smith)
  42. Scytalopus gonzagai (2014 – Bret Whitney)
  43. Machaeropterus eckelberryi (2017 - Dane Lane, John O'Neill)
  44. Myrmoderus eowilsoni (2017 - Andre Moncrieff, Oscar Johnson, Dan Lane)
  45. Pycnonotus pseudosimplex (2019 - Subir Shakya, Frederick Sheldon)

Mammals

  1. Peromyscus latirostris (1950 - Walter Dalquest) *now Peromyscus furvus
  2. Chaetodipus lineatus (1951 - Walter Dalquest)
  3. Sturnira nana (1971 - Alfred Gardner, John O'Neill)
  4. Philander mcilhennyi (1972 - Alfred Gardner)
  5. Mimon koepckeae (1972 - Alfred Gardner)
  6. Vampyrops nigellus (1972 - Alfred Gardner) *now Platyrrhinus nigellus
  7. Neusticomys peruviensis (1974 - Alfred Gardner)
  8. Scutisorex thori (2013 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  9. Thomomys nayarensis (2014 - Verity Mathis, Mark Hafner)
  10. Crocidura abscondita (2014 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  11. Bunomys torajae (2014 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  12. Apomys lubangensis (2014 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  13. Apomys iridensis (2014 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  14. Waiomys mamasae (2014 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  15. Hyorhinomys stuempkei (2015 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  16. Crocidura newmarki (2015 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  17. Crocidura munissii (2015 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  18. Crocidura mdumai (2015 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  19. Gracilimus radix (2016 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  20. Crocidura umbra (2017 - Jacob Esselstyn, Terry Demos)
  21. Palawanosorex muscorum (2018 - Jacob Esselstyn, Tom Giarla)
  22. Rhynchomys labo (2019 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  23. Rhynchomys mingan (2019 - Jacob Esselstyn)
  24. Crocidura caudipilosa (2019 - Jacob Esselstyn, Heru Handika)

Parasites

  1. Ophiomegistus spectabilis (2007 - Christopher Austin)
  2. Plasmodium gemini (2009 - Christopher Austin)
  3. Plasmodium megalotrypa (2009 - Christopher Austin)
  4. Plasmodium koreafense (2009 - Christopher Austin)
  5. Plasmodium minuoviride (2009 - Christopher Austin)
  6. Falcaustra tannaensis (2010 - Christopher Austin)
  7. Eimeria zugi (2013 - Christopher Austin)
  8. Eimeria nuiailan (2013 - Christopher Austin)
  9. Eimeria auffenbergi (2013 - Christopher Austin)
  10. Eimeria lipinia (2013 - Christopher Austin)
  11. Eimeria lesson (2013 - Christopher Austin)
  12. Eimeria Melanesia (2013 - Christopher Austin)
  13. Eimeria krausi (2014 - Christopher Austin)
  14. Eimeria greeri (2014 - Christopher Austin)
  15. Eimeria burseyi (2014 - Christopher Austin)
  16. Eimeria goldbergi (2014 - Christopher Austin)
  17. Eimeria boulengeri (2014 - Christopher Austin)
  18. Eimeria niuginiensis (2014 - Christopher Austin)
  19. Eimeria perkinsae (2014 - Christopher Austin)
  20. Eimeria iovai (2017 - Christopher Austin)
  21. Eimeria kirkpatricki (2017 - Christopher Austin)
  22. Eimeria stevejayuptoni (2017 - Christopher Austin)
  23. Eimeria emoia (2017 - Christopher Austin)