VOA慢速英语--研究人员认为他们发现了新种类的鲸鱼

Researchers Think They Found New Kind of Whales

Researchers believe they have found a previously¹ unknown kind of whale in waters off Mexico's western coast. If others confirm the finding, the new whale would be an important discovery among giant animals.

The team of researchers came upon three unusual whales while following a rare group of beaked² whales on Nov. 17. The whales were near Mexico's distant San Benito Islands, about 500 km south of the U.S. border. Beaked whales usually avoid contact with humans.

Jay Barlow studies sea animals at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. He said, "These animals popped to the surface right next to the boat."

He noted³ that it was a very unusual meeting. "It's very rare to even see a beaked whale, and to find a friendly group of beaked whales, it's even rarer," he said.

Barlow said he and other researchers did not realize they were seeing a possible new kind of whale until later. The group, led by the non-profit Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, saw something different about the whales' teeth when they studied photos they took of the animals. The underwater recordings⁴ of the whales' calls also suggested they were different from all others.

The researchers are now waiting for test results on water they collected near the whales. There could be skin cells in the water from the whales. If so, they will examine the DNA⁵ to confirm whether the whales are a new species⁶.

'Mysteries in the sea'

Beaked whales get that name because of their pointy noses. They live mostly in waters far away from the mainland, such as off the San Benito Islands.

Though up to 5 meters long, they can be hard for scientists to see. That is because they usually swim and eat at depths of around 914 meters. They only come up at times for air. In the deep water, the animals can stay away from their main enemy, killer⁷ whales.

Andrew Read is a marine⁸ biologist at Duke University. He said, "The fact that they were looking for a very rare whale, and that they happen to find something completely different, is remarkable⁹ and wonderful, and just the joy of doing science. That's what we all live for."

Read said that finding a new species is a rare event. Barlow's team has evidence about the whales that looks like a new discovery. Read said the DNA testing would help confirm it.

Barlow was hopeful about the chance of confirming the beaked whales as a new species. That would bring the number of known beaked whale species to 24.

Barlow said the whales are as big as a horse. He noted that it is hard to imagine people not seeing something that big on land, "But there's a lot of mysteries in the sea."

Words in This Story

previously – adv. happening before the present time

species – n. biology : a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants

beaked – adj. (of an animal) having a hard usually pointed¹⁰ part covering the mouth

pop – v. to come from, into, or out of a place suddenly or briefly¹¹

marine – adj. of or relating to the sea or the plants and animals that live in the sea

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 beaked   

adj.有喙的，鸟嘴状的

参考例句：

• A Fox invited a long-beaked Stork to have dinner with him. 狐狸请长嘴鹳同他一起吃饭。 来自互联网
• Most of the other fossils come from rhynchosaurs (parrot-beaked reptiles). 其他大部分化石来自剪嘴龙（嘴像鹦鹉的爬行动物）。 来自互联网

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

5 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

6 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

7 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

8 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

10 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

11 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。