Scientists discover unknown lizard species at lunch buffet (not the Onion)

[n2doc]

By Brian Walker, CNN
November 10, 2010 7:00 p.m. EST

CNN) -- It may be an old menu standby to Vietnamese diners, but it's turned into a smorgasbord of discovery for scientists.

Researchers have identified a previously undocumented species of all-female lizard in the Mekong River delta that can reproduce itself by cloning, and the story of how it was discovered is almost as exotic as the animal itself.

Leiolepis ngovantrii is a small lizard found only in southern Vietnam. A Vietnamese reptile scientist who came across tanks full of the remarkably similar looking reptiles at small diners in rural villages in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province became intrigued when he noticed that all of the lizards appeared to be female.

So the scientist, Ngo Van Tri of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, contacted an American colleague about what he was seeing. His friend -- a herpetologist at La Sierra University in Riverside, California -- immediately dropped everything to come out to assess the find.

"Unfortunately, the owner wound up getting drunk, and grilled them all up for his patrons... so when we got there, there was nothing left."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/11/10/lizard.lunch.discovery/index.html?hpt=C2

[Duke Newcombe]

1. Science...MARCHES ON!!! n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. That is cool

[Poll_Blind]

3. Titilated scientists come late to scorching all-female lizard on lizard action, forced to eat out.

Perfected synopsis.

PB