Animal Kingdom's Newest Family Members

PSYCHEDLIC GECKO

A psychedelic gecko recently discovered is lighting up southern Vietnam with its brightly colored coat. It is one of 208 new species found by scientists in the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia in December 2011. The animals were found in a biodiverse region that is being threatened by habitat lost, deforestation and climate change. (MSNBC)

SUNDA CLOUDED LEOPARD

The Sunda clouded leopard was spotted in 2009, but it wasn't until 2011 that a photo of the mystifying creature was released to the public. The Sunda clouded leopard is one of the most mysterious species of cats known to science. Notable for their cloud-shaped patches of fur and large canine fangs, the elusive wild cat is genetically distinct from their relatives. Perhaps the most interesting fact about the species is that it has two different types, both of which are classified as endangered. (CSMonitor)

NEW ANTARCTICA OCTOPUS

For the first time ever, researchers used a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to explore the East Scotia Ridge. In January 2012, they discovered tons of new species of sea anemones, barnacles, starfish, yeti crab, and this special little octopus. This unidentified pale octopus was found nearly 2,400 meters deep on the seafloor. The new species were found in hydrothermal vents, which are home to animals found nowhere else on the planet. They don't get their energy from the sun, but from breaking down chemicals. (British Antarctic Survey)

WALSTON'S TUBE-NOSED BAT

In October 2011, scientists discovered a new bat species named after Joe Walston, a man who works to save bats and other wildlife in Southeast Asia. Walston's tube-nosed bat is small, brown and white. It has a very distinctive nose that resembles another recently discovered fruit bat named Yoda. The tube-nosed bat can be found in the forests of northeastern Cambodia. (Discovery)

PURPLE CRAB

Four newly discovered species of freshwater crab were discovered in the Philippines in April 2012. These bright purple crabs are found only in small, lowland-forest ecosystems and burrow under boulders and roots in streams, feeing on dead plans, fruits and small animals in the water at night. (AFP)

CRYPTIC WOOD WHITE BUTTERFLY

A beautiful and delicate butterfly dubbed the cryptic white wood was found flying around Northern Ireland in July 2011. Scientists determined that it is unique from its relative butterfly species in that it has far more chromosomes and is genetically 70,000 years older than the wood white or the Real's wood white. The cryptic wood white was discovered by Spanish and Russian scientists who found the new species in central Europe. (The Guardian) 

RAINBOW LIZARD

In February 2012, Scientists found a new colorful species of lizard with striking iridescent rainbow skin, a long tail and very short legs deep in the rainforest of northeast Cambodia. These creatures are so difficult to find because they spend so much time of their life underground. (AFP)

RAINBOW TOAD

The last time anyone spotted the long-legged rainbow toad was in 1924. The rare species was believed to be lost until July 2011. Scientists spent months scouring mountain forests for the species until finally, they stumbled on the beautiful creature. Unversiti Malaysia Sarawak discovered three of them during a late-night search in the high branches of a tree in Borneo. (BBC)

PSEUDOSCORPIONS

Unless you've been living in a cave, you probably haven't run across this new species of poisonous, nearly blind pseudoscorpion. The half-inch-long Cryptogreagris steinmanni was discovered recently in high-altitude caverns near Glenwood Springs, Colo. Pseudoscorpions are essentially scorpions that lack a stinging tail. However, the new species does have long, venom-tipped pincers that likely help it nab agile prey, such as springtails, in the gloom. Most likely, the new pseudoscorpion lives only in Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves, the study's authors say. (National Geographic)

PHILIPPINES FROGS

Two new species of frog were discovered in the Philippines in April 2012. One was a mottle brown frog with red eyes and a broad yellow stripe running down its back. The other was a yellow-green one that was the size of a human thumb. The Philippines have an extremely diverse plant and animal life, but the species are all battling extinction due to deforestation in the tropical country. (AFP)

AUBURN TRAPDOOR SPIDER

Researchers in Auburn, Ala. discovered the creepy, crawly creature right under their feet in March 2012. After discovering the spider, they named it in honor of Auburn University's tiger mascot. Trapdoor spiders are close relatives of tarantulas and funnel web spiders, but with less hair on their bellies and legs. (MSNBC)

CHIKILIDAE FAMILY 

In February 2012, researchers digging through mud in northeast India discovered a new family of legless amphibians in a rare scientific breakthrough. The interesting-looking family of burrowing, tailless creatures was identified by scientists that had been working for five years in remote Indian states. The creatures are about eight inches long and live up to 25 centimeters deep into the earth. The new family, the 10th from the caecilian group of amphibians, has been called Chikilidae after the name used by the local Garo tribal language. (AFP)