Australian Biological Resources Study
A.D.Chapman
Australian Biodiversity Information Services, Toowoomba, Australia
A Report for the Department of the Environment and Heritage, September 2005
ISBN (printed) 978 0 642 56849 6
ISBN (online) 978 0 642 56850 2
Online html version with updates (April 2007)
Mammals are a quite well known group, however estimates for the numbers of described species still vary considerably, ranging from 4 300 in Biodiversity: the UK Action Plan (Anon. 1994), through 4 630 (Groombridge and Jenkins 2002) to 5 416 (IUCN 2004). Although the UK Action Plan is over ten years old, the figures from it are still quoted extensively. For the purposes of this document, I have accepted the figure of 5 416 which accords well with the most recent figures from the IUCN and with the latest edition of Mammals of the World (Wilson and Reeder in press).
Australian mammal species are quite well known and thus the number of described species is stable at 378 (DEH in prep.). Estimates for the number of species yet to be described in Australia are between 0% and 1%, however, as noted previously, molecular studies may lead to some further splitting. In 2005 to date, one new species and one new subspecies were described. Because mammal species are so well known, the number of Australian endemic species is also well known at 83% (calculated from Walton 1988).
There are 75 listed threatened species in Australia along with 41 subspecies, forms or populations including four undescribed subspecies (DEH 2005a).
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened21 | Australia Threatened22 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| 4 327 | 5 416 | 5 416 | ~5 416 | 378 | 7.0–8.7% | 378–380 | 83% | 1 101 (~20%) | 75 (20%) | 6.8% |
Birds are also a well known group, and the estimate of the number of described species appears quite stable, varying from as low as 9 000 (Tangley 1997), 9 750 (Groombridge and Jenkins 2002), 9 875 (Birdlife International 2005), 9 917 (IUCN 2004) to 9 946 (Gaston and Blackburn 1997). I have accepted the figure of 9 917 which is consistent with the most recent figures from Birdlife International (2005). Total number of species of birds on earth is estimated at around 10 000 (Birdlife International 2004).
Australian species of birds are quite well known and thus the number of described species is stable at between 826 (DEH in prep.) and 828 (ABRS 2005a). This latter figure is thought to include a number (32) of introduced species. Estimates for the number of species yet to be described in Australia is around 0%. Because bird species are so well known, the number of Australian endemic species is also well known at 45% (DEH in prep.).
There are 65 listed threatened bird species in Australia (including one undescribed). There are also 64 listed subspecies or forms (DEH 2005a).
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened23 | Australia Threatened24 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| 9 000 | 9 946 | 9 917 | ~10 000 | 826–828 | 8.3–8.5% | 826–~828 | 45% | 1 212 (~12%) | 65 (8%) | 5.3% |
Reptiles are also a quite well known group, however the estimate of the number of described species varies considerably, ranging from 6 300 (Tangley 1997), 8 002 (Groombridge and Jenkins 2002), 8 163 (IUCN 2004) to 8 300 ( EMBL Reptile Database25). I have accepted the figure of 8 300 from the EMBL Reptile Database.
The only estimate I have received of the total number of species is from the coordinator of the EMBL Reptile Database26. He states that the number of new species described is fairly constant at around 70 per year, and estimates the total number of species at around 10 000.
Australian reptile species are quite well known and thus the number of described species is stable at between 869 (DEH in prep.) and 870 (ABRS 2005a). Estimates for the number of species yet to be described in Australia is around 3.5% which takes the estimated number of species to around 900. Because reptile species are so well known, the number of Australian endemic species is also well known at around 89% (Healey 2001).
The number of threatened species for Australia (DEH 2005a) is 42 species. Eight subspecies are also listed.
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened27 | Australia Threatened28 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| 6 300 | 8 300 | 8 300 | ~10 000 | 869 | 10.5% | ~900 | 89% | 304 (~4%) | 42 (5%) | 13.8% |
Amphibia are also a quite well known group, however the number of undescribed species is quite large with more being discovered every year. The estimate of the number of described species varies from 4 950 (Groombridge and Jenkins 2002) through 5 743 (Frost 2004) to 5 802 (AmphibiaWeb 2005). I have accepted the figure of 5 802 which is consistent with the most recent figures from AmphibiaWeb which maintains an up-to-date estimate. With about 3% new taxa being described every year, the latest estimate of total species is about 7 500 (pers. comm. David B. Wake, Berkeley, 200529).
Australian amphibian species are quite well known and thus the number of described species is stable at 216 (ABRS 2005a, DEH in prep.), although recent information from ABRS30 lists 3 new species taking the number of Australian species to 219. The estimate for the number of species yet to be described in Australia is around 1.8% (DEH in prep.) which takes the estimated number of species (on top of 216 species) to around 220. Because amphibia species are so well known, the number of Australian endemic species is also well known at around 93% (Wong 1999, DEH in prep.).
Recent molecular work has shown considerable divergences between populations of ‘species’31 and thus new species are likely to be split off in the future resulting in further increases in numbers both nationally and globally.
There are 30 listed threatened species in Australia and one subspecies (DEH 2005a).
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum32 | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened33 | Australia Threatened34 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| 4 950 | 5 802 | 5 802 | ~7 500 | 219 | 3.8% | ~220 | 93% | 1 770 (~31%) | 30 (14%) | 1.7% |
Fish are also a reasonably well known group, however the estimate of the number of described species varies considerably, ranging from 25 000 (Groombridge and Jenkins 2002) to 28 900 (FishBase 2005). I have accepted the figure of 28 900 which is consistent with the most recent figures from FishBase as of March 2005. Bill Eschmeyer35 (pers. comm.) estimates that there are probably around 35 000 species in total.
Australian species of fish are quite well known and thus the number of described species is stable at between 4 450 (ABRS 2005a) and 4 500 (DEH in prep.). Estimates for the number of species yet to be described in Australia is around 17% which takes the estimated number of species to around 5 250. According to Williams (2001) the estimated percentage of endemic species in Australia is 90%. This figure would appear rather high, and I suspect may only be referring to fresh-water species. Hoese et al. (2006) in volume 35 of the Zoological Catalogue of Australia (published after the first edition of this work), reported a figure of 24% would appear a more realistic figure.
According to Poore (1995), approximately 85% of southern Australia's fishes are endemic to the region and 11% are also found in New Zealand waters. Poore (1995) also reports that there are 3 400 marine species of fish in Australian waters.
There are 35 listed threatened species in Australia (five of which are undescribed). There are also four listed subspecies or populations (DEH 2005a).
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened36 | Australia Threatened37 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| 25 000 | 28 900 | 28 900 | ~35 000 | 4 450–4 500 | 15.6–18.4% | ~5 250 | 24% | 800 (~3%) | 35 (1%) | 4.4% |
FishBase (Fishbase 2005) lists 69 species of hagfish and 45 species of lamprey. Hickman and Roberts (1994) gave a figure of 70 species. I have accepted the figure of 114 as cited by Fishbase.
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS 2005a) lists five Australian species with about another five species undescribed. Of the five species listed for Australia in FishBase, two are endemic to Australian waters.
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened38 | Australia Threatened39 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| 70 | 114 | 114 | unknown | 5 | 4.4% | ~10 | 40% | 0 | 0 | — |
Very little information could be found on these animals. Three estimates were however found for the number of species worldwide. They included 20 (McCauley n.dat.), 23 (Groombridge and Jenkins 2002) and 36 species (Ponder et al. 2002).
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS 2005a) lists eight Australian species in two genera, with about four being endemic (Richardson 1998).
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened40 | Australia Threatened41 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| ~20 | 23 | 23 | unknown | 8 | 34.8% | ~8 | 50% | 0 | 0 | — |
Estimates of the number of described Tunicates in the world vary, with figures of 1 400–2 000 (Groombridge and Jenkins 2002), 2 000 (Hickman et al. 2004) and 3 000 species (Brusca and Brusca 2003). Recent information (pers. comm. Karen Sanamyan, Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Institute of Geography, June 2005) states that there are 2 426 (±50) described species of ascidian. In addition there are about 70 species of Thaliacea42 and about 60 (ABRS 2005b) or 7043 species of Appendicularia making a total for the Phylum of about 2 566 species.
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS 2005a) lists 536 Australian species without information on endemism, however Kott (1998) included about 280 endemic species in her treatment. Recent figures from ABRS44 suggest that there are now 754 described species in 108 genera in Australia.
| World Described minimum | World Described maximum | World Accepted | World Estimate | Australia Described | Australia Described % of World Described | Australia Estimate | Australia Endemic | World Threatened45 | Australia Threatened46 | Australia Threatened % of World Threatened |
| ~1 400 | 3 000 | 2 566 | unknown | 754 | 29.4% | ~850 | 50% | — | — | — |