Fiery-red coral species discovered in the Peruvian Pacific

Fiery-red coral species discovered in the Peruvian Pacific

 A new coral species, Psammogorgia hookeri,  was collected by scuba divers from rocky ledges at depths to 25 meters in Peru's Paracas National Reserve in 2014. Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the University of Costa Rica have named the coral after Yuri Hooker, a biologist and naturalist at the Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University in Lima, Peru.

The corals' form hand-sized colonies which are slightly smaller than the colonies of their closest relative. The coral was also found attached to mussels at a local fish market.

 The new species is thought to be endemic to the area meaning it is found nowhere else in the world. However Peru’s Coral Reefs have never been systematically and thoroughly studied.

25 new species of coral have been found so far in the Pacific. Most specimens from this area are over 90 years old.

Yuri Hooker says "With logistical support from the Peruvian National Protected Areas Service, we're beginning to discover the amazing biodiversity of corals and marine invertebrates in the Peruvian Pacific"

The discovery of this new species highlights the importance of Peru's still largely unexplored marine protected areas.

Conjoined Whale Twins

"Exceptionally rare" conjoined whale twins have been found dead in a lagoon in Mexico.

On January 5 2014, fishermen on the Ojo de Liebre lagoon in the Baja California peninsula were shocked to find bodies of two conjoined Gray whale calves (Eschrichtius robustus). The pair were 7 – 10 feet long which is shorter than the usual 12 -16 foot full term gray whale calves. With this length they are estimated to be between 8.5 and 10.5 months of age and a result of a still birth as Grey Whale gestation lasts for 13.5 months. The whales had two full heads a tail fins and were joined at a mid-point.  Grey whale conjoined twins are unheard of although there are instances of Minke, Sei, and Humpback whales having conjoined twins.

It was suggested that even if the calves made it to full term they would not have survived due to the positioning of their blowholes which as they were joined at the stomach were pointing to the left and right meaning if alive the twins would not have been able to come up for air to breathe.
A few people are concerned that this unusual occurrence is a result of radiation from the Fukushima disaster, this link explain why that is unlikely. Also marine biologist have been testing marine animals for about a year and found no trace of radiation, there is no evidence to suggest that radiation is effecting cetaceans.
Marine biologists are saying that it is purely natural phenomena as whales are a very secretive species and in depth studies have not taken place.

 Hundreds of grey whales migrate from the Bering Sea between North America and Russia to the warmer waters of Baja California every year. The grey whale undertakes the longest yearly migration of any known mammal, heading south to feed after breeding in the winter in the Bering Sea.

http://news.sky.com/story/1191894/conjoined-grey-whales-found-in-mexico