{"id":1132550,"name":"Number of described species","unit":"species","createdAt":"2026-01-06T08:36:46.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-18T08:33:30.000Z","coverage":"","timespan":"2025-2025","datasetId":7305,"columnOrder":0,"shortName":"described_species","catalogPath":"grapher/iucn/2026-01-05/threatened_and_evaluated_species/threatened_and_evaluated_species#described_species","descriptionShort":"The number of identified and named species in each [taxonomic group](#dod:taxonomic_group), as of 2025. Since many species have not yet been described, this is a large underestimate of the total number of species in the world.","type":"int","grapherConfigIdETL":"019b9273-91c4-77af-878c-15448e2bc038","dataChecksum":"10628136885296994695","metadataChecksum":"3564494885772547991","datasetName":"IUCN Red List Summary Statistics Table 1a","datasetVersion":"2026-01-05","nonRedistributable":false,"display":{"unit":"species"},"schemaVersion":2,"processingLevel":"minor","presentation":{"titlePublic":"Number of described species","topicTagsLinks":["Biodiversity"]},"descriptionKey":"- Since many species have not yet been described, this is a large underestimate of the total number of species in the world.\n- For a species to be formally described, it's description must be published in a scientific journal or book.\n- Species descriptions should fulfill several criteria specified by the relevant nomencalture code, including the selection of a type specimen,  a particular specimen formally associated with scientific name and description.\n- The values of the numbers of described species should be used with caution as these are not always be up to date for all taxonomic groups.\n- The source for each taxonomic group can be found in the [IUCN Red List summary statistics, Table 1a](https://nc.iucnredlist.org/redlist/content/attachment_files/2023-1_RL_Table_1a.pdf).\n- The number of described mammals excludes domesticated species like sheep, goats and dromedary camels.\n- The 'mushrooms' taxonomic group includes brackets, rusts, smuts and, jelly fungi.","dimensions":{"years":{"values":[{"id":2025}]},"entities":{"values":[{"id":371979,"name":"All fungi","code":null},{"id":180689,"name":"All groups","code":null},{"id":371146,"name":"All invertebrates","code":null},{"id":371149,"name":"All plants","code":null},{"id":371150,"name":"All vertebrates","code":null},{"id":84169,"name":"Amphibians","code":null},{"id":84175,"name":"Arachnids","code":null},{"id":84167,"name":"Birds","code":null},{"id":84188,"name":"Brown algae","code":null},{"id":84174,"name":"Corals","code":null},{"id":84173,"name":"Crustaceans","code":null},{"id":371147,"name":"Ferns and allies","code":null},{"id":84170,"name":"Fishes","code":null},{"id":84183,"name":"Flowering plants","code":null},{"id":84184,"name":"Green algae","code":null},{"id":84182,"name":"Gymnosperms","code":null},{"id":371978,"name":"Horsehoe crabs","code":null},{"id":84172,"name":"Insects","code":null},{"id":84166,"name":"Mammals","code":null},{"id":51352,"name":"Molluscs","code":null},{"id":84180,"name":"Mosses","code":null},{"id":84187,"name":"Mushrooms","code":null},{"id":292443,"name":"Other invertebrates","code":null},{"id":84185,"name":"Red algae","code":null},{"id":84168,"name":"Reptiles","code":null},{"id":84176,"name":"Velvet worms","code":null}]}},"origins":[{"id":10731,"title":"IUCN Red List Summary Statistics Table 1a","description":"Number of species evaluated in relation to the overall number of described species, and numbers of threatened species by major groups of organisms.","producer":"International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species","citationFull":"International Union for Conservation of Nature. 2025. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. https://www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed on [27 March 2025]","attributionShort":"IUCN","urlMain":"https://nc.iucnredlist.org/redlist/content/attachment_files/2025-1_RL_Table_1a.pdf","dateAccessed":"2026-01-05","datePublished":"2025-10-10","license":{"url":"https://www.iucnredlist.org/terms/terms-of-use","name":"© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources"}}]}