英语杂谈：15 New Species

Researchers working for the World Wildlife Fund have warned that the effects of climate change pose a serious threat to rare species of wildlife discovered within the past year in Southeast Asia, including a fanged¹ frog and a leopard²-striped gecko.

 

At a news conference in Bangkok, WWF researchers said that in 2008, scientists discovered 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles³, 14 amphibians⁴, 2 mammals and 1 bird species within the greater Mekong Region of Southeast Asia, which spans through China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. They say rising seas, saltwater intrusion and extreme climate events caused by climate change threaten the species diverse habitat.

 

It's feared that many species will struggle to adapt to the new conditions. This is bad news for global biodiversity, and in fact a study a few years ago that was cited in the 2007 IPCC report suggested that about 30 percent of species existing now could face extinction⁵ as a result of climate change by the end of this century.

 

Among least year's discoveries was a fanged frog, found in eastern Thailand. The frog lies in wait along streams for prey⁶ including birds and insects. Scientists believe it uses its fangs⁷ during combat with other males. Another unusual discovery was the leopard gecko. It has orange-brown cat-like eyes, and leopard stripes down the length of its body.

 

In some cases, species are found in remote, difficult-to-access locations, and the Cat Ba leopard gecko is one of those examples. I mean it's found on a small island off the coast of Vietnam and is an example of how a species can adapt to very specific local conditions.

 

The discoveries have been published in various journals over the period, and the WWF compiled the findings to publicize what it says could otherwise go unnoticed. The WWF called for efforts to ensure the new species are protected, by preserving their habitat and the river networks that are a foundation of the region's ecosystem⁸.

 

1 fanged   

adj.有尖牙的，有牙根的，有毒牙的

参考例句：

• The piercing wind fanged his ears. 刺骨的寒风吹得他耳朵疼痛。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The fanged dagger, with spikes protruding from the handle. 手柄有突出尖状物的有尖牙状的匕首。 来自互联网

2 leopard   

n.豹

参考例句：

• I saw a man in a leopard skin yesterday.我昨天看见一个穿着豹皮的男人。
• The leopard's skin is marked with black spots.豹皮上有黑色斑点。

3 reptiles   

n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 amphibians   

两栖动物( amphibian的名词复数 )； 水陆两用车； 水旱两生植物； 水陆两用飞行器

参考例句：

• The skin of amphibians is permeable to water. 两栖动物的皮肤是透水的。
• Two amphibians ferry them out over the sands. 两辆水陆两用车把他们渡过沙滩。

5 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

6 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

7 fangs   

n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座

参考例句：

• The dog fleshed his fangs in the deer's leg. 狗用尖牙咬住了鹿腿。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Dogs came lunging forward with their fangs bared. 狗龇牙咧嘴地扑过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。