The Discovery of New Species

Scientists are still discovering brand new species of animals and plants. Every year, thousands of new species are found around the world. Some are tiny insects. Others are fish, frogs, or even monkeys. Many are found in jungles, deep oceans, and other hard-to-reach places.

Where New Species Are Found

Many new species are found in tropical rainforests because so many things live there. The deep ocean is another place full of surprises. Scientists also find new species in caves, on mountain tops, and even in cities. Sometimes a new species was hiding in plain sight and just needed a closer look.

How Scientists Name Them

When a new species is found, scientists give it a special scientific name in Latin. They describe what it looks like and where it was found. Sometimes species are named after the person who found them. Other times, they are named after famous people or the place where they live.

Fun Facts

• Scientists discover about 18,000 new species every year.
• A new species of orangutan was discovered in Indonesia in 2017.
• Some new species are found by looking more closely at animals already in museum collections.

Did You Know?

Scientists think there could be 8 million species on Earth, but we have only found and named about 2 million of them so far.