“Ameronothrus twitter” and Ameronothrus retweet” are the names of the two species with which the Graz biologist and taxonomist Tobias Pfingstl is now in the international top ten newly discovered marine species for the second time, according to the University of Graz. It is also a beautiful example of how social media can inspire science.
Fluffy Sponge Crab, Satan’s Mud Dragon, the Ballerina Sponge, King Ghidorah’s Branching Worm: An average of 2,000 fascinating new marine species are discovered each year. There were 1,700 in 2,022 – including 300 already petrified (fossil) species. Each find has its own story and each species has its own peculiarity – the best of both is reflected in the top ten remarkable marine species of the Belgian LifeWatch Infrastructure.
First sighting on Twitter
The discoveries, which Tobias Pfingstl of the Institute of Biology at the University of Graz called, are also a nod to social media, as they helped describe them: A photo of the find in Japan was published on Twitter in 2021, a Japanese mite expert, contacted Pfingstl, who studies the mite fauna of the coasts of Japan in a joint project with Japanese researchers, and indeed was able to identify them as new representatives of a mite family.
Ameronothrus twitter is a less than 0.5 millimeter oribatid mite found in the coastal intertidal zone – a habitat affected by both marine and terrestrial environmental influences. Horned mites are predominantly terrestrial species and the majority live in soil, leaf litter and tree canopies. However, the superfamily Ameranothroidea has managed to successfully colonize coastal regions worldwide. Related species have adapted well to the cold.
A second new species followed soon after
This species attracted quite a bit of attention after its discovery, and soon another photographer shared photos of a Japanese mite on Twitter, asking, “Is this mite A. twitter?”. It turned out not to be that, but a second new species, described again in 2022 by a team led by Pfingstl and the photographer. They named the newly discovered mite “Ameronothrus Retweet,” in reference to their discovery on Twitter.
Science communication in social media is becoming increasingly relevant for research. Pfingstl also emphasized this: “Social media is increasingly contributing to the discovery of new species. Involving the general public in biodiversity research also raises awareness of species protection,” emphasizes the researcher.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
