Hundreds of New Mammal Species Waiting to Be Discovered, Scientists Say
Voles and mice and bats, oh my!
Undiscovered mammals are likely to be smaller ones like rodents.
There's a lot we don't know about the natural world. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal Monday kicks off with an eye-opening statement: "Only an estimated 1 to 10% of Earth's species have been formally described." While we have identified a lot of mammal species, the paper says there could be hundreds out there still left to discover.
We're not likely to uncover a new species of something big, like an elephant or a lion or a bigfoot. The unknown species are probably small, like rodents and bats. Some may look like already known species, but genetic testing and studies would be able to differentiate them from their doppelgangers.
A team of researchers led by Ohio State University student Danielle Parsons called on a supercomputer to analyze gene sequences from 4,310 mammal species and combined that with information on location, environment and life histories. "Based on our analysis, a conservative estimate would be that there are hundreds of species of mammals worldwide that have yet to be identified," said study co-author and Ohio State biology professor Bryan Carstens in a statement.
While only a fraction of species across the planet have been formally described, mammals are pretty well covered, with Carstens estimating that nearly 80% have already been identified. The biologist chalks this up to human interest in animals that are larger and more closely related to us.
The study did more than just help the researchers estimate the unknown. It also predicted where the undiscovered species are likely to be found. One potential hot spot: tropical rain forests, regions already known to host an abundance and variety of mammals.
The study could encourage scientists to continue to investigate the animal world and to look more deeply at small mammals that may actually be separate species.
Discovering and describing new mammal species isn't just about putting them on record. "That knowledge is important to people who are doing conservation work," Carstens said. "We can't protect a species if we don't know that it exists. As soon as we name something as a species, that matters in a lot of legal and other ways."