Thousands of species were discovered or "newly described" in the past year, according to the annual "State of Observed Species" report produced by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists.
From among those thousands, 10 were selected for special recognition. It took an extra flair--like a jellyfish named after its victim, a shocking pink millipede, a 75-million-year-old dinosaur--to make the list.
Electrolux addisoni is the largest known member of the electric ray family and made the list because it carries the name of a maker of vacuum cleaners--due to the "vigorous sucking action" it makes while feeding in the Western Indian Ocean.
Photo by Arizona State University
