New newt species discovered in mountains of east China

China

New newt species discovered in mountains of east China

2024-10-07 16:41 Last Updated At：17:07

Chinese researchers from Anhui Normal University have discovered a new newt species on Huanggang Mountain, the main peak of Wuyishan National Park, which spans east China's Jiangxi Province and Fujian Province.

Called "Huanggangshan Fire-bellied Newt," the new species is characterized by the conspicuous black patches on its whole body, a tan-colored dorsal body and a bright orange underside.

According to researchers, nine specimens were collected in a small waterhole from Huanggangshan Mountains in Yanshan County. Through analysis of these samples, the fire-bellied newt has been identified as a new species.

Huang Song, a professor with College of Life Sciences under Anhui Normal University, explained how the team arrived at that conclusion.

"The four variances are in appearance, geographic and ecological factors, mitochondrial genes and nuclear genes. Following the four-difference principle proposed by our team, the newt found in the Huanggangshan area is acknowledged as a new and valid species. Based on its origin, we suggest 'Huanggangshan Fire-bellied Newt' as its name," said Huang.

Wuyishan National Park has a comprehensive forest ecosystem representative of the mid-subtropical zone. It is also dubbed a "kingdom of snakes", "world of insects" and "paradise for birds" by biologists for its rich biodiversity.

So far, more than 7,400 species of wild plants or animals have been observed at the national park.

Since the establishment of the park's Jiangxi section, a total of 11 new species have been found there.

Huang stressed that more such discoveries are bound to be made as long as efforts to conserve and monitor the rich biodiversity in Wuyishan National Park continue.

It takes at least 10 million years for a new species to appear, but these 10 million years are a very short moment in the entire geological history, Huang said.

"In recent years, new species have been discovered in this area of Huanggang Mountains. On the one hand, this is partly due to the high level of biodiversity in the area. On the other hand, the biodiversity there has long been underestimated. The efforts in field surveys need to be strengthened. I believe that more new species will be discovered in this area," Huang noted.

China's engineering machinery exports up 33.4 percent in January-February

China's engineering machinery exports maintained rapid growth in the first two months of this year, rising 33.4 percent year on year to 10.686 billion U.S. dollars, according to the China Construction Machinery Association on Monday.

Even in February, which included the week-long annual Spring Festival holiday, the exports surpassed 5.1 billion U.S. dollars, 50.16 percent higher than the average monthly export value recorded in the entire year of 2025.

Split by regions, China's engineering machinery exports grew across all continents, with Africa recording a 77 percent surge, Oceania registering an increase of 50.6 percent, and Europe seeing a growth of 28.1 percent year on year, respectively.

Meanwhile, the exports to the Belt and Road partner countries totaled 4.638 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 43.4 percent of the total, an increase of 24.6 percent year on year. Computed by product categories, significant growth was seen in the export of engineering machinery parts, crawler excavators, and off-highway mining dump trucks, indicating that high-end and electric models are emerging as new highlights on the export market.