This article, about biodiversity highlights some of the new
species that have been found thus far in 2016.
This articles states that there are likely over 10 million species
living and extinct, whereas we have only described about 2 million of these
organisms. And while every year
scientists are identifying new ones, the number of organisms on Earth keeps
growing. Even the way we define species
can affect the species estimates. For example, the article states that the
number of avian species was thought to be 95% identified, but recent
interrogation into bird species split species into two, which just about
doubles the predicted number of avian species previously thought. In 2016, they highlight some of the species
found, such as a bacterium that can break down plastic, and the giraffe long
thought to be a single species is not considered to be four separate species. A new genus of parasitic flatworm was named
after former president Barack Obama, called Baracktrema
obamai. Another cool species found
was an octopus that is capable of bioluminescence. This article was very insightful to the ever-increasing
list of species that is present on Earth and the expansion of some thought to
previously be only one species.
Source:
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/47785/title/New-Species-of-2016/
Source:
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/47785/title/New-Species-of-2016/