All species of the day
See all the species of the day fact files published this year below. As the year progresses the newest fact files will be added to the top of the list so you can find them easily.
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Dipsochelys dussumieri (Aldabra giant tortoise) - 19/03/2010
The Aldabra giant tortoise,Dipsochelys dussumieri, originates from Aldabra atoll in the Indian Ocean. One of the largest tortoise in the world, it is claimed the Aldabra giant tortoise can live for over 250 years. Many other species of giant tortoise are now extinct. Climate change and rising sea levels have resulted in the Aldabra tortoise being classified as Vulnerable. Find out more about this species.
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Solanum aculeastrum - 18/03/2010
Solanum aculeastrum is recognised by its bright yellow berry, which is often compared to lemons. It is found across African highlands where it has a range of uses, from hedges to medicinal treatments. Find out more about this species.
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Vandenboschia speciosa (Killarney fern) - 17/03/2010
The Killarney fern (Vandenboschia speciosa) is one of the rarest species of British flora, which has led to it being highly sought after and secrecy surrounding many of its locations. Find out more about the fern's unique biology and its role as a conservation icon.
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Sorolopha bruneiregalis - 16/03/2010
Named after Royal Brunei Airlines, Sorolopha bruneiregalis is known from montane areas in Brunei, Sabah and northern Sulawesi. Find out more about this species.
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Laonastes aenigmamus (kha-nyou) - 15/03/2010
Laonastes aenigmamus is a squirrel-like species that is the living survivor of a family believed to have been extinct for approximately 11 million years. It is largely confined to the Khammouan Limestone National Biodiversity Conservation Area in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and faces a number of threats to its survival. Find out more.
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Simulium (Trichodagmia) rubrithorax - 14/03/2010
Simulium (Trichodagmia) rubrithorax is a common species in the amazon forests of Brazil. Find out more about the disease it can cause and how it can be used as a source of food.
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Conopeum seurati - 13/03/2010
Conopeum seurati is found in estuarine habitats from Northern Europe to as far as New Zealand. Find out more about this bryozoan.
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Danaea kalevala - 12/03/2010
Danaea kalevala is a large fern known from the tropical rainforests of the Lesser Antilles. It takes its species name, kalevala, from a famous Finnish book and epic poem and can live for several centuries depending on the conditions of its habitat. Find out more about this fern.
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Eriocheir sinensis (Chinese mitten crab) - 11/03/2010
The Chinese mitten crab has spread far beyond its native range and is considered one of the world’s worst invasive alien species. Find out more about this 'furry' crab, including why it poses such a threat to native ecosystems and how our scientists are helping to find a way of controlling alien populations.
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Telenomus dignus - 10/03/2010
Telenomus dignus is a parasitoid wasp. Find out more about how Telenomus dignus can aid the pest control of the sugarcane top borer Scirpophaga nivella and so protect the sugarcane crop.
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Nannocharax signifer - 09/03/2010
Nannocharax signifer, is newly described species of African darter fish, discovered by Museum scientists, in the Ouémé River basin, Benin, West Africa. Find out more about how Nannocharax signifer was distinguished from other known Nannocharax species.
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Coelopleurus (Keraiophorus) exquisitus - 08/03/2010
Coelopleurus (Keraiophorus) exquisitus is a sea urchin known only from the waters around New Caledonia. It has a striking pattern and colouration, however given the deep waters in which it lives, a reason for these is currently a mystery. Find out more about this species.
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Solanum lycopersicum (cultivated tomato) - 07/03/2010
Solanum lycopersicum (the cultivated tomato) originated from South America, however today is cultivated worldwide for its fruits. Recent work by scientists has seen the species classified under the genus Solanum, instead its previous genus (Lycopersicon). Find out more about this species.
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Peloneustes philarchus - 06/03/2010
Peloneustes philarchus is a fossil marine reptile from the Middle Jurassic period that lived in warm, shallow seas and had a stream-lined body with large flippers for swimming through water. It is the most common species of fossil pliosaurid found in the UK. Find out more.
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Malagopsis doggeri - 05/03/2010
Malagopsis doggeri is a recently discovered parasitic wasp that takes its name from a pet dog. To date there has only been one specimen collected. Find out more about Malagopsis doggeri.
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Anthosoma crassum - 04/03/2010
Anthosoma crassum is a copepod crustacean and a parasite of fish, particularly sharks. Find out more about how Anthosoma crassum feeds on the tissues and blood of its hosts.
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Aegagrophila linnaei - 03/03/2010
Aegagrophila linnaei is a widespread filamentous green algae that has three different growth forms, including that of 'lake balls', which have led to much interest in countries such as Japan where a 3-day ceremony focuses on the balls. Find out more about this species.
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Elephas maximus (Asian elephant) - 02/03/2010
The Asian elephant, Elephas maximus, is under threat. Current estimates suggest only 30,000-40,000 remain in the wild. Find out more about this species and the important role elephants have played in many cultures for thousands of years.
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Macaca sylvanus (Barbary macaques) - 28/02/2010
Macaca sylvanus (the Barbary macaque) is an Old World species of monkey with ancestry dating back to approximately 7 million years ago. Today Macaca sylvanus is restricted isolated forest fragments in Morocco and Algeria and is regarded as a threatened species. Find out more.
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Seirocrinus subangularis - 27/02/2010
Seirocrinus subangularis pseudoplanktonic sessile, filter feeder that lived attached to a floating tree trunk. Find out more about how Seirocrinus subangularis survived.
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Papilio dardanus (the flying handkerchief, mocker swallowtail) - 26/02/2010
This fascinating butterfly is a master of protective disguise, mimicking inedible butterflies in order to avoid predation. Find out more about Papilio dardanus.
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Macrognathus pavo - 25/02/2010
This species of spiny eel, discovered in a hill stream in Myanmar, has recently been described by Museum fish researcher Dr Ralf Britz, making it new to science. Find out what we know about Macrognathus pavo.
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Phytoseiulus persimilis - 24/02/2010
Phytoseiulus persimilis is a fast-moving and voracious predatory mite that feeds almost exclusively on spider mites.Find out more about Phytoseiulus persimilis
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Xanthoria parietina (golden shield lichen) - 23/02/2010
Xanthoria parietina is a brightly coloured species of lichen found in sunny, exposed places that are nitrogen rich. Find out more about this species.
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Platynereis dumerilii - 22/02/2010
Platynereis dumerilii is a small, tube-dwelling species of marine worm that is regarded as a model organism for scientific research. Studying the eyespots of Platynereis dumerilii, larva is probably the closest scientists can get to figuring out what eyes looked like when they first evolved. Find out more.
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Anopheles janconnae - 21/02/2010
Find out more about Anopheles janconnae, a species of mosquito that transmits malaria to people, discovered in Roraima in Brazil by Museum scientists.
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Pleurochaete squarrosa - 20/02/2010
European populations of Pleurochaete squarrosa are currently spreading in north-western and central Europe, making the species an ideal candidate for the study of distribution of Mediterranean bryophytes in relation to climate change. Find out more.
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Hippochrenes amplus - 19/02/2010
An extinct marine snail, Hippochrenes amplus is one of the earliest fossil species to use the binomial system of naming (genus and species). Fossils can be found in southern England, where its presence represents a shallow subtropical sea that extended over the area 40 million years ago. Find out more.
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Strongyloides stercoralis - 18/02/2010
Strongyloides stercoralis is a nematode worm that causes strongyloidiasis, an often neglected disease that predominantly infects the bowels of humans. Find out more about this species and its interesting lifecycle.
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Hydrodictyon reticulatum (water net) - 17/02/2010
Hydrodictyon reticulatum (water net) is a widespread alga common in ponds, lakes and rivers and regarded by many as a nuisance. Find out more about water net, including why climate change is believed to have led to its rapid spread in the British Isles.
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Nummulites gizehensis - 16/02/2010
These fossilised foraminifera have an intricate internal structure of growth chambers that once contained single-celled marine animals. Nummulites species lived 60-25 million years ago and some are valuable in helping geologists to assign relative ages to rock strata. Learn more.
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Nakiwogo virus - 15/02/2010
Nakiwogo virus is a flavivirus that was discovered in Uganda by Museum scientists. Many flaviviruses infect humans, usually through the bite of an infected mosquito. Find out more about this newly-discovered virus.
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Panthera tigris amoyensis (South China tiger) - 14/02/2010
As the Year of the Tiger begins, conservationists are taking the opportunity to highlight the plight of these magnificent animals. Most critically endangered is the South China subspecies, with less than 30 tigers thought to exist in the wild. Learn more about this once abundant animal, including what is being done to try to save it.
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Manunema kithara (nematode worm) - 13/02/2010
This free-living nematode worm was discovered in Kuwait in 2004 and named after an ancient Greek musical instrument. Find out more about Manunema kithara and nematode worms, the most abundant multicelluar animals on Earth.
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Mimus trifasciatus (Floreana mockingbird) - 12/02/2010
Observing mockingbirds such as Mimus trifasciatus provided Charles Darwin with inspiration for his theory of evolution by natural selection. But now it is nearing extinction. Today, on International Darwin Day, find out how one of Darwin's own Floreana mockingbird specimens is being used in efforts to save the species.
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Leiomitrium plicatum - 11/02/2010
This rare tropical moss is only found on a few islands in the Indian Ocean. Find out more about Leiomitrium plicatum.
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Paralecanium expansum metallicum (scale insect) - 10/02/2010
Paralecanium expansum metallicum is a scale insect with a remarkable appearance, like a splash of metal solder on the surface of the leaves it feeds on. Find out more about this species.
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Nannoceratopsis gracilis - 09/02/2010
Nannoceratopsis gracilis belongs to one of the oldest known groups of dinoflagellates, microscopic algae that play a major role in the CO2 cycle. Find out more about this unusual-looking fossil species from the Jurassic.
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Pangio longimanus (miniature eel-loach) - 08/02/2010
Find out more about Pangio longimanus, the miniature eel-loach, which was described scientifically for the first time this month by one of our fish experts. The fish are tiny, growing to less than 23mm.
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Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Wohlfahrt’s wound myiasis fly) - 07/02/2010
Wohlfahrtia magnifica is a carrion breeding species of fly that can bring pain and suffering to its warm-blooded hosts, which include humans. Despite taking just five years to colonise Crete there is no current legislation regarding the control of this species. Find out more about Wohlfahrtia magnifica.
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Lingula anatina - 06/02/2010
This primitive brachiopod has often been referred to as a living fossil (having changed little over time), however recent studies suggest otherwise. Find out more about the interesting Lingula anatina.
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Vigtorniella ardabilia (carpet worm) - 05/02/2010
Discovered in 2009, Vigtorniella ardabilia is a species of annelid worm so similar in appearance to a related species that they are only distinguishable by DNA sequences. Find out more about Vigtorniella ardabilia.
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Solanum stoloniferum - 04/02/2010
Solanum stoloniferum is an edible common wild potato from the USA and Mexico that tastes like sweet chestnut. Find out more about how Solanum stoloniferum is used for food in USA and by the Tarahumara Indians in the Chihuahua, Mexico
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Mantelliceras mantelli - 03/02/2010
Mantelliceras mantelli is an ammonite fossil commonly found in sea cliff exposures in southern England. It has a precise distribution within layers of rock, which can be used to identify layers of the same age. Find out more.
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Nectophrynoides asperginis (Kihansi spray toad) - 02/02/2010
The Kihansi spray toad is currently extinct in the wild due a number of factors, including the fungal disease chytridiomycosis and the construction of a dam in the confined area it made its habitat. Captive breeding is underway in two United States zoos with the hope of reintroduction into the wild. Find out more.
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Thatcheria mirabilis (Japanese wonder shell) - 01/02/2010
Also known as the Japanese wonder shell, Thatcheria mirabilis can be found in deep waters from 60 to 400 metres. Find out more about this interesting and once highly sought after species, including how it reportedly provided inspiration for a famous museum's design.
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Wodnika striatula (Zechstein shark) - 31/01/2010
Wodnika striatula (Zechstein shark) is a rare, extinct fossil shark that lived 257 million years ago. The Museum has a well-preserved complete specimen in its collections.
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Danionella priapus - 30/01/2010
This miniature fish from India is new to science. One of our researchers described it scientifically for the first time in a paper published in October 2009. Find out what is known so far about Danionella priapus.
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Pipreola riefferii (green-and-black fruiteater) - 29/01/2010
Find out more about Pipreola riefferii, the green-and-black fruiteater (chachapoyas).
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Varanus prisca (giant monitor lizard) - 28/01/2010
Varanus prisca was the largest lizard ever to live on land and is closely related to the Komodo dragon. Find out more about this sharp-toothed predator.
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Allolobophora chlorotica (green worm) - 27/01/2010
Learn more about the green worm, Allolobophora chlorotica, an earthworm that comes in 2 colours, green and pink. Find out what you can do to help scientists discover more about this species.
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Xylophis captaini (Captain’s wood snake) - 26/01/2010
Today is Republic Day in India. Learn about the iridescent Captain's wood snake, Xylophis captaini, recently discovered in India by Museum scientists and their Indian collaborators.
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Ophion obscuratus - 25/01/2010
Parasitoid wasps lay their eggs on a host, usually another insect, which their larvae feed on and eventually kill. Some are very useful commercially as biological controls of pest species. Find out more about Ophion obscuratus, a nocturnal parasitoid wasp that can be found across Britain.
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Hippopotamus madagascariensis (dwarf hippopotamus) - 24/01/2010
Hippopotamus madagascariensis is one of three extinct species of dwarf hippopotamus described from Madagascar. Find out more about the dwarf hippopotamuses of Madagasgar and how they are believed to have evolved from the large hippopotamus common in Africa today.
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Raphus cucullatus (dodo) - 23/01/2010
The dodo is one of the most famous extinct species in the world, telling a cautionary tale about the consequences human actions can have. Discover what what we know about how this flightless bird lived, and what caused it to go extinct.
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Hepialus humuli (common ghost moth) - 22/01/2010
Widespread across most of Europe and Great Britain, the ghostly courtship flight of the silvery white males has earned this species its common name, the ghost moth. Males on islands in the North Atlantic show extraordinary variation in their wing colouring. But why?
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Schistosoma mansoni (trematode flatworm) - 21/01/2010
This trematode flatworm is one of the major causes of schistosomiasis, a widespread disease that damages internal organs and affects millions of people worldwide. Find out more about Schistosoma mansoni, its lifecycle and how it can cause schistosomiasis.
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Ocypus olens (devil’s coach horse) - 20/01/2010
The devil's coach horse beetle is a nocturnal predator recognised by its threatening posture. It has a rather foul defense mechanism, producing an unpleasant smelling chemical and even excreting fecal fluid. Find out more about the UK's largest rove beetle and why it is a beneficial insect.
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Chamaedorea ernesti-augusti (fishtail palm) - 19/01/2010
The fishtail palm is a favourite accompaniment to floral arrangements. However, it has become endangered due to destruction of the rainforests it grows in and harvesting to meet floricultural industry demands. Find out more about this Central American plant.
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Diploria labyrinthiformis (grooved brain coral) - 18/01/2010
This species of brain coral lives in shallow water habitats. Like other corals with calcium carbonate skeletons, it is at risk from ocean acidification. Learn more.
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Malacosteus niger (stoplight loosejaw) - 17/01/2010
Find out about one of the most bizarre fishes ever discovered, the stoplight loosejaw. Quite monstrous in appearance, it has some unusual abilities.
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Bradypus tridactylus (pale-throated three-toed sloth) - 16/01/2010
Find out more about Bradypus tridactylus
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Solanum melongena (aubergine) - 15/01/2010
More commonly known as the aubergine or eggplant, Solanum melongena is used in cooking throughout the world. Learn about the history, the unusual flowering process and the conservation status of Solanum melongena.
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Panulirus argus (Caribbean spiny lobster) - 14/01/2010
Famous for their migratory marches and other interesting behaviour, including being fussy when choosing a den-mate, the Caribbean spiny lobster has been affected by intensive fishing. Find out more about Panulirus argus.
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Manis javanica (Malayan pangolin) - 13/01/2010
Pangolins are scaly, shy, nocturnal animals that provide an important role as natural pest controllers. However, significant trade in the pangolin has seen it become an endangered species. Find out more about this unique animal and the threats it faces.
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Phyllonoma ruscifolia - 12/01/2010
Phyllonoma ruscifolia is a keystone species notable for the unique positioning and formation of its flower clusters. Find out more about the Near Threatened Phyllonoma ruscifolia.
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Dendrolimus pini (pine-tree lappet moth) - 11/01/2010
Find out more about the widespread Dendrolimus pini, including how it came to be discovered in Britain and the impact it is having on forestry trees.
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Lycopodium clavatum (wolf paw clubmoss) - 10/01/2010
Lycopodium clavatum resembles some of the earliest plants to live on land. It is used to make Lycopodium powder, which has a range of uses including an explosive used by the film and entertainment industries. Find out more about this plant and the conservation issues it faces.
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Fasciola hepatica (common liver fluke) - 09/01/2010
Fasciola hepatica (the common liver fluke) infects the livers of a range of mammals, including man. Find out more about this parasitic worm and why it is proving difficult to control.
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Eucidaris metularia (sea urchin) - 08/01/2010
This sea urchin has survived the last 150 million years with little change. Find out more about Eucidaris metularia.
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Brahmaea (Acanthobrahmaea) europaea (European owl moth) - 07/01/2010
Find out more about Brahmaea europaea, the European owl moth, a relict species that has survived from the Tertiary period.
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Myophorella lusitanica (bivalve) - 06/01/2010
Find out more about Myophorella lusitanica, a bivalve described from the Late Kimmeridgian to Early Tithonian (Late Jurassic) of Portugal.
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Aleurodicus dispersus (spiralling whitefly) - 05/01/2010
The spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus, is a widespread pest that is costing millions of dollars in lost yield in agricultural crops across the tropics. Its widespread distribution is an example of failed quarantine procedures. Find out more about the spiralling whitefly and what is being done to manage its impact.
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Pseudomicrothorax dubius (ciliate) - 04/01/2010
This blue-green micro-organism could have some beneficial uses as biological control against harmful cyanobacteria or as a biological indicator of organic water pollution. Its way of eating prey resembles someone slurping up spaghetti. Find out more.
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Turbo marmoratus (great green turban shell) - 03/01/2010
Find out more about the large marine snail Turbo marmoratus, whose numbers in the wild have been depleted due to fishing for its attractive shell.
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Daidal acanthocercus (proto-mantis shrimp) - 02/01/2010
Find out more about Daidal acanthocercus, an extinct proto-mantis shrimp from the Carboniferous period.
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Bombus distinguendus (great yellow bumblebee) - 01/01/2010
Find out about the UK's great yellow bumble bee, Bombus distinguendus, how its numbers are declining and what can be done to help.
