Researchers at the University of Arizona in the US estimate that the biodiversity in certain groups, such as fish, is much greater than previously thought.
According to the study published in the journal Science Advances, 15 percent of all known species have been discovered in the last 20 years, even though Carl von Linné began identifying species as early as the 18th century.
Data on more than two million species were analysed, showing that between 2015 and 2020 more than 16,000 new species were documented annually.
Our good news is that the rate of discovery of new species far exceeds the rate of extinction, which we have estimated at about ten per year, says Professor John Wiens.
Researchers expect the pace of discoveries to increase further.
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