Australian Biological Resources Study

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Numbers of Living Species in Australia and the World

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

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Summary of Updates and Corrections

Executive Summary—Vertebrates

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/02-exec-summary.html#vertebrates

Table

Changed—Australia % Endemic for Fishes from 90% to 24%.

Executive Summary—All Species

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/02-exec-summary.html#allspecies

Table

Changed—Australia % Endemic for Invertebrates from 79% to 39%.

Detailed Discussion—Mammalia

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/03-01-groups-vertebrates.html#mammalia

Table

Added—World Estimate ~5 416.

Detailed Discussion—Pisces

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/03-01-groups-vertebrates.html#pisces

Text

Changed—The estimated percentage of endemic species in Australia is 90%.

Approximately 85% of southern Australia’s fishes are endemic to the region and 11% are also found in New Zealand waters…

To—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…

Table

Changed—Australia Endemic from 90% to 24%.

Detailed Discussion—Insecta

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/03-01-groups-insecta.html#insecta

Text

Inserted new paragraph—The number of described species of Diptera in the World is 153 974 as of July 2006 and as reported on the Diptera Site (Thompson 2006). Detailed numbers of species in other orders is being worked on⁵⁴.

Before—The number of described species in Australia would appear to be around 80 000 (DEH in prep.)…

Detailed Discussion—Other Invertebrates

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/03-01-groups-otherinvertebrates.html#otherinvertebrates

Table

Changed—World Accepted from 2298 for Phylum Loricifera to 22⁹⁸.

Changed—World Accepted from 980100 for Phylum Tardigrada to 980¹⁰⁰.

Detailed Discussion—Fungi (excluding lichens)

http://draft.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/03-01-groups-other.html#fungi

Text

Inserted new sentence—P.M.Kirk (pers. comm.¹²⁶) quotes Ainsworth and Bisby’s Dictionary of the Fungi (9^th edition, 2001) as estimating 80 000 true fungi, c. 960 Protozoan fungi and c. 900 Chromistan fungi.

Before—Groombridge and Jenkins (2002) give figures of c. 30 000 Ascomycota…

Detailed Discussion—Bacteria (Monera) (excluding Cyanobacteria)

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/03-04-groups-others.html#bacteria

Text

Changed—His figures include the Archaea of which there are about 10 species (Corliss 2000).

To—Euzeby’s figures include the Archaea.

References

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/other/species-numbers/08-references.html#references

Text

Added Hoese, D.F. et al. (2006)

Added Thompson, F.C. (2006)