00:00In 2016, two researchers were exploring the forests of Arunachal Pradesh, in India.
00:06When they discovered, by chance, a magnificent snake camouflaged among the leaves.
00:11An inhabitant then showed them the animal,
00:13and they immediately understood that they were in the presence of an exceptional viper.
00:18This snake, with its pointed muzzle resembling that of the Ipnal viper of Indonesia,
00:23and its orange belly left them stunned.
00:26Returning to the camp, after an in-depth examination,
00:29they understood that they had come across a remarkable discovery.
00:33DNA analysis carried out at the Indian Institute of Sciences
00:37confirmed that it was a totally unprecedented species,
00:40now baptized Trimeresurus arunachalensis.
00:45However, the peculiarities of this snake did not stop there.
00:49Its reproductive organ had characteristics distinct from those of other vipers,
00:54and its scales pattern was quite unique.
00:57While its closest relative had about twenty rows of scales around its body,
01:02this mysterious specimen counted only 17.
01:07The next species is a real case of exception,
01:10known to be the largest jackal ever observed,
01:13with a length approaching 60 cm,
01:16and a thickness comparable to that of the wrist of an adult man.
01:20The only specimen of the Delcourt giant jackal
01:24is currently preserved in France,
01:26but its precise origin remains still partly mysterious.
01:30Originally, it was thought to come from New Zealand,
01:33because some local legends mentioned the existence of a giant lizard living in the forests.
01:38Although this theory is fascinating,
01:40recent DNA studies tend to indicate that this nocturnal species
01:44could actually come from New Caledonia.
01:46However, no definitive evidence has yet been provided on this subject.
01:52In general, nocturnal sharks are slow and imposing creatures,
01:56who prefer deep, cold waters of the oceans.
01:58Their large, flat heads allow them to hide in the sea's darkness.
02:02However, in 2017, a specimen was captured in a fishing port in Taiwan,
02:07then collected on a fish market,
02:09and it did not look like its congeners at all.
02:11First of all, this one-and-three-meter shark
02:14had smaller eyes and a second dorsal fin
02:17reduced in comparison to its congeners.
02:20In addition, it had more teeth in its upper jaw
02:24and less in its lower jaw.
02:26However, the most surprising discovery was that it was a pregnant female
02:31with 33 embryos.
02:33This suggests that there are probably other specimens of this species
02:37hidden in the ocean depths that we have not yet detected.
02:41Here is the Molisquama parini.
02:43It is tiny, measuring barely 14 centimeters in length,
02:47while most deep-sea sharks reach about 2 meters.
02:51However, do not be fooled by its small size,
02:55because this creature is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing secrets of the ocean.
03:00Discovered in 1979 in the deep waters of Chile,
03:03this little shark looks like a real spy gadget,
03:07especially thanks to the mysterious pockets located near its pectoral fins.
03:12These pockets, which represent about 4% of the length of its body,
03:16could either emit light or secrete pheromones.
03:20Thus, this shark could potentially illuminate itself to distract its predators
03:25or attract prey in the darkness of the depths.
03:28And when I talk about depth, it is more than 3,000 meters under the surface,
03:33the equivalent of 7 Empire State Buildings stacked on top of each other,
03:38but underwater.
03:40Since its initial discovery in Chile,
03:42another specimen has been observed in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico,
03:46but no other has been reported since.
03:50However, this pocket shark is not the only bioluminescent animal we will mention today.
03:55This 2.5 cm long cockroach,
03:58scientifically named Luchiormetica lucae,
04:01was initially collected in 1939,
04:03but gained notoriety only decades later, in 2012.
04:07What makes it particularly fascinating are its bioluminescence abilities,
04:12that is, it has areas of its body that light up in the dark.
04:16Unlike the Luchiormetica lucae,
04:18which mainly uses their light to attract a partner,
04:21this cockroach emitted a glow aimed at imitating a toxic colleopter
04:25blinking in order to repel predators.
04:28Unfortunately, the region of Ecuador where this creature was discovered
04:32was severely affected by a volcanic eruption,
04:35causing fear that this luminous specimen would be an impossible discovery to repeat.
04:41Let's continue with the small creatures,
04:43and discover the Minotaur hippocampus,
04:45also nicknamed bull-nosed hippocampus.
04:48It is distinguished by its large neck,
04:50its large head and its relatively small body,
04:53hence its nickname of Minotaur.
04:55The only specimens listed have been found off the coast of Eden, in Australia,
05:00and none have ever been observed living in its natural environment.
05:03This is why we know little about its behavior.
05:06Some research suggests that it would live at depths of about 100 meters,
05:11the equivalent of the height of a 30-story building.
05:14It is thought that this mysterious hippocampus
05:17likes to wrap its prehensile tail around corals,
05:20and could even hide in the sand.
05:22Its yellow-orange color probably allows it to melt in coral reefs,
05:27which makes its observation in the ocean
05:29as difficult as searching for a needle in a haystack.
05:35Now let's move on to the Nariño cat.
05:37In 1989, a unique specimen of this sly and enigmatic feline
05:42was discovered on the slopes of the Galeras volcano,
05:45in southern Colombia.
05:47This little leopard had a short tail,
05:49adorned with seven black rings,
05:51and a black tip as well.
05:53Its characteristic reddish fur
05:55clearly differentiated it from its congeners.
05:57Realizing that it was not an ordinary animal,
06:00researchers began to visit several museums
06:03throughout Latin America
06:05to find similar felines, but without success.
06:08Subsequently, an DNA analysis confirmed
06:11that it was unique in its genus,
06:13having diverged from its closest relatives
06:15about 1.9 million years ago.
06:19The Bogota hummingbird is a remarkable bird
06:22with a bright purple color and black flight feathers.
06:25All this is complemented by a chin
06:27and a crown of a bright green.
06:29For many years,
06:31only one specimen bought in Bogota, Colombia,
06:34in 1909, was known.
06:36And that's about all we had on hand.
06:38We only knew very little
06:40about this fascinating and enigmatic bird.
06:43However, the situation evolved in 2017
06:46when a study deepened
06:48and led to a new DNA analysis.
06:50These results revealed that the Bogota hummingbird
06:53could not represent an entirely distinct species.
06:56It would seem rather that it is a hybrid
06:59from the cross-breeding of two species of hummingbirds.
07:02It is very likely that its mother
07:04was a blue-tailed sylph,
07:06a superb hummingbird
07:08found mainly in the Andes,
07:10in South America.
07:13The hummingbird is considered
07:15as the unicorn of the ornithological world.
07:18It was first described in 1783
07:21by the English doctor John Lassam,
07:24who observed it only once.
07:26Since this unique observation,
07:28there was no doubt that it was a pigeon.
07:31And many researchers were convinced
07:33that it was a separate species.
07:35However, recent DNA studies
07:37have revealed that this bird
07:39could actually be closely linked to the famous dodo,
07:42this dodo bird unable to fly from the island of Morris,
07:45which looked like a big pigeon with an impressive beak.
07:48Whatever it is,
07:50the hummingbird measures about 33 cm in length
07:53and is distinguished by its yellow-stained plumage.
07:56Unlike its terrestrial cousin,
07:58the hummingbird was probably
08:00more arboreal,
08:02feeding on fruit in the trees.
08:04Today, to observe this rare bird,
08:06you have to go to the World Museum of Liverpool,
08:09where the only known specimen is located.
08:12During your stay in England,
08:14do not forget to make a detour through London
08:16to visit the Museum of Natural History.
08:19You will find there the only specimen known
08:21of a hummingbird scientifically designated
08:23under the name of Pteropus brunus.
08:26Hummingbirds, or flying foxes,
08:28are among the largest bats in the world,
08:31with a body length,
08:33that is, without wings,
08:35reaching about 40 cm.
08:38However, this particular bat,
08:40discovered in 1874 on the island of Percy,
08:43looks more like a miniature version of its congeners,
08:46because it measures only 21 cm from head to toe.
08:50So, although it has not been observed
08:52in its natural habitat for some time,
08:55there is no need to worry
08:57if you happen to meet it.
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