(Image source: California Academy of Sciences)

BY MEGAN NOE

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

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A laughing cicada and an inflatable shark are just two of the 300 new species scientists believe they’ve identified on a recent expedition to the Philippines.

Over the course of six weeks, scientists from the California Academy of Sciences and their Filipino colleagues explored the land and sea of Luzon, the largest of the Philippines’ many islands. Scientists were amazed by the abundance of discoveries from the area MSNBC calls a “hotspot” of diversity.

“Among the suspected new species are dozens of types of insects and spiders, deep-sea corals, sea pens, sea urchins and more than 50 kinds of sea slugs. Scientists say they came across a new kind of cicada that makes a distinctive ‘laughing’ call, a starfish that eats only sunken driftwood, and a deep-sea swell shark that sucks water into its stomach to bulk up and scare off predators.”

And as KGO explains, the discoveries mean a lot more than cool pictures.

“For example, some of the slugs that I study in the ocean are being studied to develop new drugs to fight HIV, AIDS, and cancer. Scientists also hope their research will help the Philippines protect its rich natural resources, which are under constant threat from pollution and habitat destruction.“

While the Philippines is highly diverse, Inquirer News says its species are highly threatened as well.

“[Scientist John McCosker] also expressed alarm that the amount of trash exceeded the amount of life. Trawls would comb the ocean 2,300 meters from the surface for half an hour and come up yielding more plastic than fish. Some barnacles have even started adapting to the plastic, he said.”

Scientists estimate 90 percent of the world’s species remain undiscovered. As The San Francisco Chronicle explains, biological prospecting expeditions like this are key to conservation.

“Much of it is still mysterious, and before it can be protected, scientists must learn in detail what's there so the rare life forms can be given the best chance of survival.”

Over the next months, scientists will use microscopes and DNA sequencing to identify and confirm their discoveries.

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