The new isopod species has been named Bathynomus vaderi after the most famous Sith Lord in the Star Wars movie series, Darth Vader, whose helmet resembles the marine animal’s head. Bathynomus vaderi. Image credit: Ng et al., doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1223.139335. The newly-discovered species belongs to Bathynomus, the dominant scavenging isopod genus in the tropical and temperate…
Recent satellite images reveal the emergence of potential military structures on several Vietnamese features in the Spratly Islands and the formation of new embankments enclosing six protected areas. They have been seen across Barque Canada Reef, Central Reef, Tennent Reef, Namyit Island, South Reef and Ladd Reef. 09:23 History, money and military: why the South…
Manila should strengthen coordination with Southeast Asian nations on its policy towards China, a retired Philippine naval officer said on Monday, as engagement with Washington alone risks potential stronger resistance by Beijing over the contested South China Sea. “I believe that we made some mistakes … we could have engaged at least most of the…
The risk of conflict in the South China Sea may increase if Donald Trump steps up military activity in the disputed waterway because of the lack of legally binding rules over air and sea encounters, a Chinese maritime affairs analyst has warned. Wu Shicun, founder of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said…
President Xi Jinping has urged Washington to exercise “extreme caution” in handling matters related to Taiwan and avoid fanning “provocative actions” in the South China Sea, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. The ministry on Sunday released an online statement on the talks between Xi and outgoing US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the…
A massive base in the southern part of the South China Sea has made China the country with the fastest response time to emergencies in the region, according to a study by Chinese scientists. “China’s accessibility [to a scene] for search and rescue operations has significantly improved after the incorporation of the Yongshu Reef port,”…
On Sunday Beijing published a set of geographic coordinates for 16 base points around the feature, which it calls Huangyan island, the first time it has done so for parts of the sea claimed by Manila. “Huangyan Dao [island] has always been China’s territory,” the Chinese foreign ministry said. “This is a natural step by…