THE Lost World

An international team of scientists says it has found a "lost world" in the Indonesian jungle that is home to dozens of new animal and plant species.

The research group - from the US, Indonesia and Australia - trekked through an area in the mist-shrouded Foja Mountains, located just north of the vast Mamberamo Basin of north-western (Indonesian) New Guinea.

The researchers spent nearly a month in the locality, detailing the wildlife and plant life from the lower hills to near the summit of the Foja range, which reaches more than 2,000m in elevation.



A summary of the team's main discoveries:

* A new species of honeyeater, the first new bird species discovered on the island of New Guinea since 1939
* The formerly unknown breeding grounds of a "lost" bird of paradise - the six-wired bird of paradise (Parotia berlepschi)

* First photographs of the golden-fronted bowerbird displaying at its bower.
* A new large mammal for Indonesia, the golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus)
* More than 20 new species of frogs, including a tiny microhylid frog less than 14mm long


* A series of previously undescribed plant species, including five new species of palms
* A remarkable white-flowered rhododendron with flower about 15cm across

And a T-Rex!



Fine, just kidding about the LIVE T-Rex but all the rest is true.