229 new species described by the California Academy of Sciences in 2018

From fish to flowering plants and seahorses to snakes -- spanning five continents and three oceans -- these new discoveries grow Earth's tree of life

Date:  December 5, 2018

Source:  California Academy of Sciences

In 2018, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 229 new plant and animal species to our family tree, enriching our understanding of Earth's complex web of life and strengthening our ability to make informed conservation decisions. The new species include 120 wasps, 34 sea slugs, 28 ants, 19 fish, seven flowering plants, seven spiders, four eels, three sharks, two water bears, one frog, one snake, one seahorse, one moss, and one liverwort plant. More than a dozen Academy scientists -- along with several dozen international collaborators -- described the new species discoveries.

Proving that our vast and dynamic planet still contains unexplored places with never-before-recorded plants and animals, the scientists made their finds over five continents and three oceans -- venturing into river-carved canyons, diving to extreme ocean depths, and scouring misty forests. Their results help advance the Academy's mission to explore, explain, and sustain life on Earth.

"Biodiversity scientists estimate that less than 10 percent of species on Earth have been discovered," says Dr. Shannon Bennett, Academy Chief of Science. "Academy scientists tirelessly explore near and far, from the familiar forests in our backyards to remote locations as deep as 500 feet beneath the ocean surface. Each species discovery may hold the key to groundbreaking innovations in science, technology, or society and helps us better understand the diversity of life that makes up thriving ecosystems. These new discoveries also highlight the critical role we play as stewards of our one, precious planet."

Below are highlights from the 229 new species described by the Academy in 2018:

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