2024 was full of surprises in the natural world. From finding Van Gogh’s famous painting in nature, the surprising discovery of a blob-headed fish in a human-dominated region, to stumbling upon a new species of vegetarian piranha, the new species list expanded with abundant diversity. 

Interestingly, although new species are discovered every year, scientists have revealed that, until now, only 10% of species on the planet have been formally named and described. While the vast majority remain undiscovered, we take a look at five of the newly named species from 2024.

‘Starry night’ gecko

When a group of scientists from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation in the southern Western Ghats in India saw the back of a lizard, they were pleasantly surprised. Along with realising that this was a new species, the scientists found its colouration reminiscent of celebrated Dutch painter Van Gogh’s iconic painting, ‘The Starry Night’. So, they felt it was right to name the new species, Cnemaspis vangoghi, in honour of the painter.

Males of Cnemaspis vangoghi have a yellow head and forebody. Marked with light blue spots on the back, they are found among rocks as well as buildings and trees occasionally, according to a press release by Pensoft Publishers.

Image credit: Blob-headed fish; © Conservation International, photo by Robinson Olivera

‘Blob-headed’ fish

During a 38-day survey, Conservation International researchers recorded 2,046 species in the Alto Mayo landscape of northern Peru. Among them, 34 seemed exclusive to the Alto Mayo landscape. According to Conservation International, these discoveries are “remarkable” as the region is dominated by human population.

 Out of the 27 new species found in the Peruvian rainforest, one caught the attention: a ‘blob-headed’ fish of the genus Chaetostoma.​​ This fish has an enlarged blob-like head whose function remains a mystery. This unusual species is new to science, the researchers reported.

Vegetarian piranha

Piranha’s exaggerated reputation in the media often puts them among the most dangerous species but their diet, interestingly, also includes seeds and other plant products.  In fact, little is known about their cousins, the vegetarian piranhas.

Last year, scientists discovered a new species of vegetarian piranha in the Brazilian Amazon, which has human-like teeth and eats a plant-based diet. The species was named Myloplus sauron after the famous villain from J.R.R Tolkein’s book, Lord of the Rings. The species has a round body with unique orange and black markings which closely resemble the Eye of Sauron. 

“It looks just like the Eye of Sauron, especially with the red fins and orange patches on its body,” said Rupert Collins, lead author, in a press release by Agence France-Presse. These piranhas were discovered as part of a study to better understand fish biodiversity in the Amazon River.

Image credit: Amphibious mouse; © Conservation International, photo by Ronald Diaz

Amphibious mouse

While discovering the blob-headed fish in the Alto Mayo landscape in northern Peru, the Conservation International researchers have also found an amphibious mouse. According to their report, this amphibious mouse, belonging to the genus Daptomys, has webbed toes that help it swim. 

 The researchers reported that they were found in only one small patch of swamp forest, which is threatened by encroaching agriculture. Considered among the rarest species in the world, this species might not be found anywhere else, making the site a very high conservation priority.

Image credit: Pygmy pipehorse; Cylix nkosi © Richard Smith

Pygmy pipehorse

When local divers in South Africa’s Sodwana Bay told researchers from the California Academy of Sciences about an unfamiliar species, they suspected it was new. When researchers decided to go and explore, they had only one chance to find this species as this area is reputed for difficult diving conditions and harsh weather. To add difficulty this species is also “quite cryptic, about the size of a golf tee,” researcher Richard Smith said in a press release by the California Academy of Sciences. The researchers got lucky and found a female hidden against some sponges about a mile offshore on the ocean floor. 

Yet, a male was added to the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity collection in 1987. However, the specimen has never been identified and named until now. They named the new species nkosi, which means chief in the local Zulu language. The name acknowledges both the crown-like head shape and the KwaZulu-Natal province where it was found. 

Pygmy pipehorses have a prehensile tail but lack the bent-head posture. The new species is the first record of genus Cylix in the African continent.