How Many Species Are On Earth?

How Many Species Are On Earth?

Scientists at Dalhouse University have a new prediction for the number of eukaryote species residing on Earth. If the numbers are correct, taxonomists have an elephantine amount of work to do to discover and catalogue the unknown organisms.



14.1 of eukaryotes on Earth are catalogued after 250 years of work by taxonomists.



Eukaryotes - organsims composed of cells with organelles contained in a membrane.



Predicted Eukaryotes: 8.7 million



Animalia

953.434 Known

6,816,566 Unknown



Chromista

13,033 Known

14,464 Unknown



Fungi

43,271 Known

567,729 Unknown



Plantae

215,644 Known

82,356 Unknown



Protozoa

8,118 Known

28,282 Unknown



What is Needed to Describe the unknown eukaryotes:



1200 Years

Number of eukaryotic species desribed per year: 6,200



303,000 Taxonomists

Average number of eukaryotes described in a taxonomists's career: 24.8



364 Billion

Estimated cost of desribing a eukaryote $48,500 USD HOW MANY SPECIES ARE ON EARTH? Scientists at Dalhousie University have a new prediction for the number of eukaryote species residing on Earth. If the numbers are correct, taxonomists have an elephantine amount of work to do to discover and catalogue the unknown organisms. 14.1% of eukaryotes on Earth are catalogued after 250 years of work by taxonomists. Eukaryotes - organisms composed of cells with organelles contained in a membrane. PREDICTED EUKARYOTES: 8.7 MILLION 1.2 MILLION KNOWN / 7.5 MILLION UNKNOWN I- 10,000 eukaryotes TAXONOMIC BREAKDOWN: ANIMALIA CHROMISTA FUNGI PLANTAE PROTOZOA 953,434 Known 13,033 Known 43,271 Known 215,644 Known 8,118 Known 6,816,566 12,467 567,729 Unknown 82,356 28,282 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown WHAT IS NEEDED TO DESCRIBE THE UNKNOWN EUKARYOTES: 1200 YEARS 303,000 TAXONOMISTS S. $364 BILLION Number of eukaryotic species described per year: 6,200 Average number of eukaryotes described in a taxonomist's career: 24.8 Estimated cost of describing a eukaryote: S48,500 USD Sources: www.plosbiology.org - "How Many Species Are There On Earth and in the Ocean?" by Camilo Mora, Derek P. Tittensor, Sina Adl, Alastair G. B. Simpson, Boris Worm | "Biology' by Peter H. Raven and George B Johnson, Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing, 1986. Infographic by KAP. Design | kapdesign.ca