The Top 10 New Species of 2011
Pancake Batfish Prosanta ChakrabartyJust discovered: Glowing fungus, ship-eating bacteria, toughest-silk spider and terrible toothed leech This planet is home to some incredibly awesome things, and every year we enjoy hearing about the new creatures that had, until recently, escaped biologists' attention. Among scientists' top 10 new species for 2010: A leech with gigantic teeth, a bioluminescent fungus, a mushroom with gills for breathing underwater and a spider that spins material 10 times stronger than Kevlar. See them all in our gallery. Topping our list of favorites is the "tyrant leech king," Tyrannobdella rex, measuring just 2 inches in length but with a single jaw and massive teeth. This bloodsucker was found attached to the nasal mucous membrane of a person in Peru, scientists said. This monster is followed closely by the Louisiana pancake batfish, a flat, gloopy-looking pale creature that lives in the area covered by last year's Deepwater Horizon...