Overview
- Reviewing roughly 2 million taxonomic records, researchers found annual descriptions exceeded 16,000 from 2015 to 2020, contradicting claims of a slowdown.
- A record 17,044 species were formally described in 2020, including more than 10,000 animals, about 2,500 plants, and roughly 2,000 fungi.
- Projections indicate major groups are vastly undercounted, with up to 115,000 fish, 41,000 amphibians, and more than 500,000 plant species worldwide.
- The rate of new descriptions currently outpaces estimated extinctions, which a separate analysis by the lead author put at about 10 species per year.
- Authors highlight expanding molecular tools for revealing cryptic species and plan to map discovery hotspots and shifts in authorship to guide future efforts.