‘Barking’ lizards and a deep-sea ‘Chewbacca’? See these and other new species

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Unique creatures, odd animals and new species are being discovered across the planet. Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.

Take a look at some recent new species discoveries:

‘Large’ desert creature with silver eyes found in Namibia. It’s a new species

In the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, researchers discovered a new species of barking gecko, known as Ptenopus sceletus, during nighttime surveys. These geckos are notable for their “ghostly” appearance and loud calls that can be heard from hundreds of feet away. The discovery is one of five new gecko species in the region. | Published Sept. 4 | Read More |

Deep-sea sub finds ‘Chewbacca’-like creature in Pacific Ocean. See new species

A new species of coral, Iridogorgia chewbacca, was discovered near the Mariana Trench and the Hawaiian Islands, characterized by its long, spiraling structures and iridescent appearance. Named for its resemblance to the “Star Wars” character Chewbacca, this coral species was first observed in 2006 but only recently described due to additional findings by a research team. The coral’s wide distribution across the Pacific Ocean remains a mystery to researchers. | Published Sept. 5 | Read More |

Large ‘assassin’ creatures that paralyze their prey are new species in Vietnam

In the evergreen forests of Vietnam, researchers identified two new species of assassin bugs, Epidaus batxatensis and Epidaus konkakinhensis. These “large” bugs are known for their predatory behavior, using long legs and piercing mouthparts to inject poison into their prey. | Published Sept. 8 | Read More |

Trawlers catch deep-sea predator with ‘very large’ eyes. It’s a new species

Off the coast of Dongsha Island in the South China Sea, researchers discovered a new species of fish, Zenion boops, also known as the bigeye armoreye dory. This deep-sea predator, characterized by its large eyes and tiny teeth, was found during bycatch surveys with shrimp trawlers. | Published Sept. 8 | Read More |

Red-eyed sea creature with ‘fang-like’ teeth found on reef. It’s a new species

In the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Australia, scientists discovered a new species of goby fish, Pascua marecoralliensis, during coral reef surveys. This small fish, with its distinctive red eyes and “fang-like” teeth, was found using a unique tent-like trap method. | Published Sept. 9 | Read More |

This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 10:26 AM with the headline "‘Barking’ lizards and a deep-sea ‘Chewbacca’? See these and other new species."