1. Ornate Sleeper Ray

1. Ornate Sleeper Ray

With powerful suction capabilities, Electrolux addisoni—a species of electric ray—lives up to its scientific name.

Commonly called the ornate sleeper ray, Electrolux crowns the inaugural list of the International Institute for Species Exploration's (IISE's) top ten new species of 2007, which was released in May 2008.

The IISE, at Arizona State University, will release the ranking every year to draw attention to the importance of taxonomy and species exploration.

The winners—chosen from a pool of thousands—were based on peculiar names and unique and surprising attributes, among other criteria.