How many species exist, really
In: Goldstein, M.I.; Costello, M.J.; Elias, S. (Ed.) (2026). Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene. 2nd Edition. Elsevier: [s.l.]. ISBN 9780443140822. 2400 pp., more
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| Abstract |
A popular myth in the scientific literature is that most species remain to be named. Ignorance of progress in taxonomy, anchoring bias, and a penchant for embellishing statements fuels exaggerations of how many species have been and remain to be named. Almost two million living species are named, which is less than half of all species names, and some currently accepted names will be found to be synonyms. Forty-one taxonomic assessments in 34 studies have concluded that on average 77% of species have been named. Over one hundred marine field studies that reported specimens not identifiable as species, found an average of 60% of species could be named. Yet these studies are less cited than the fewer studies with hyper-estimates based on flawed logic and poor knowledge of operational taxonomy. Considering these taxonomic assessments and the experience of field surveys, a reasonable estimate is that there are about three million species on Earth. |
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