Science | species Top 10 Newly Discovered Species Including a mushroom named for SpongeBob By Dustin Lushing Posted May 27, 2012 9:17 AM CDT Copied SpongeBob SquarePants has a mushroom in his name. (AP Photo/Nickelodeon, file) Roughly 18,000 new species were discovered last year, and scientists at Arizona State University have compiled a list of their 10 favorites. A sample, from the Arizona Republic: Pterinopelma sazimai: A blue tarantula... that's also iridescent. Spongiforma squarepantsii: A mushroom that resembles a sponge. It's also named for a certain cartoon character. Crurifarcimen vagans: A giant millipede the size of a sausage, discovered in Tanzania. Rhinopithecus strykeri: A monkey with barely any nose, discovered in the mountains of Myanmar. It sneezes every time it rains. Click for the full list. Read These Next China hits an unprecedented economic milestone. Ex-ballerina is now the youngest self-made female billionaire. Paramount just launched a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. SCOTUS appears set to expand Trump's powers again. Report an error