托福阅读：New lizard species discovered

会计考友

新物种的发现是人类的幸运，也是该物种的悲哀，为什么这么说？请大家自己体会……
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  U: E* M( D) R     A new giant species of monitor lizard has been discovered in the forests of the Northern Philippines, scientists have said.
5 Q8 i. H7 B- h5 r0 T( \0 t  {# VThe two-metre (6ft 6in) brightly coloured lizard is a secretive, fruit-eating species which was found in the forests of the heavily populated and largely deforested Luzon Island.
( l* X& _: P6 Q5 @    The discovery of the monitor lizard was described as an "unprecedented surprise" by scientists documenting the find in the Royal Society Biology Letters journal.
8 q$ v1 h' q% ^) N; C    It has become rare to discover previously unknown species of larger animals, they said.
' d6 m1 E2 ?: r5 r8 S1 B- I    The species (Varanus bitatawa) is restricted to the forests of the central and northern Sierra Madre range, where biologists have conducted relatively few surveys of reptiles and amphibians.
6 x; e+ \' f# y9 Q    Genetic tests revealed it was a different species from a closely related monitor lizard, from which it is geographically separated by three non-forested river valleys on the island.
5 n7 X% p, o- T1 L$ k  [4 m& x    The researchers suggested it was a highly secretive species which never left forests to cross open areas.
    The scientists said the monitor lizards, which highlighted the "unexplored nature of the Philippines", could become a flagship species for conservation efforts to preserve the remaining forests of the region.