The father sat across the table from his daughter and her husband. The three were enjoying a lively discussion about recent news of uncontacted tribes, when the father, changing to a different but still relevant subject, asked his daughter and son-in-law, “How many species do you think were newly discovered in 2006?”
The daughter and son-in-law jointly shrugged their shoulders, as if they had rehearsed and choreographed the response.
The father prodded, “Go ahead. Just guess. Take a wild guess.”
The son-in-law offered, “200?”
The father’s smile increased to a grin.
Then the daughter guessed, “500?”
The father chuckled, “Good guesses.”
Then he told them about the report from Arizona State University. They were totally amazed.
The daughter said, in disbelief, “That’s insane!“
According to the report, issued this year, there were 16,969 species (of fauna and flora) discovered in 2006, amounting to roughly 50 new species per day. While most of the species were invertebrates and vascular plants, approximately 200 were mammals (to include fossils). Several hundred more included reptiles, birds and amphibians.
2006 was not atypical.
Every year, like 2006, thousands of new species are discovered. Scientists estimate that the planet is home to between 2 million and 100 million species, with many still deeply hidden behind nature’s curtain, yet to be discovered.
Recent years have seen a handful of discoveries involving undocumented primates: Homo floresiensis – 2004; the Highland mangabey (Lophecebus kipunji) – 2005; the Bili ape – 2002; the Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala) – 2004.
Source: Mongabay.com. Science Daily. Primates.com. BBC News – Science/Nature.
