Discovering New Species

For 20 years, divers wondered what was making mysterious circular patterns on the ocean floor off the coast of Japan. In 2014 scientists found the animal that was making the elaborate designs—a new type of pufferfish.

And that’s not just one of the species in the 2015 Top 10 New Species list, the list of the ten most impressive plants and animals discovered during the previous year. The list also includes a cartwheeling spider, a frog that gives birth to live tadpoles rather than laying eggs (as most frogs do), and a sea slug with crazy-cool colours.

Discovering new species isn’t a recent thing. Over the course of history, humans have recognized almost two million plant and animal species in total. Every year, scientists find about 18,000 new species and they say that about ten million more await discovery. However, threats like habitat loss, pollution, and poaching mean some of these species are disappearing before scientists can identify them.

The International Institute for Species Exploration publishes the Top 10 New Species list to raise awareness about newly discovered plants and animals. It also inspires people to care for the planet so that all living things can have better opportunities to live a long and healthy life. That way, humans will have the chance to meet more of the many species that they haven’t found yet.