Rare critters populate Scotland's Cairngorms

[theHandpuppet]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/5069508.stm

New mountain species discovered

A new species of insect has been discovered among more than 1,000 rare creatures catalogued for a survey of the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland.
The results of the study are included in a book launched by Scottish Natural Heritage on Monday.

The tiny black Christii fly measures just 2mm long and lives under the bark of dead aspen trees.

Another 20 plants, invertebrates and fungi species found were also new to Britain and some were new to science.

The book, The Nature of the Cairngorms, also includes 223 species mainly found in the area and some 1,150 species for which the mountains are nationally important.

Professor Des Thompson, SNH uplands adviser and a contributor to the book, said: "Nowhere else in Britain, and some would argue in Europe, will you find so much diversity of wildlife in such a confined area....

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[xchrom]

1. amazing.

in an area that's had curious humans wandering around for so long -- and they still find new critters.

i love that.

[theHandpuppet]

2. For anyone interested in a closer look at the Cairngorms...

Here's a good site: http://cairngorms.co.uk/park/parkmap.htm