A ball spider, a David Attenborough worm and a laughing frog: 750 new species discovered in Australia

A laughing frog, a ball spider, and a sea worm named after Sir David Attenborough... These strange creatures are among 750 animals, plants, and other organisms that have been included in the list of new species in Australia.

According to experts, the national list is expanding every year. After all, the diversity of the nature of this continent amazes researchers from year to year, The Guardian writes.

The National Species List is a taxonomic database that formally describes Australia's native plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms. Experts explain that taxonomy is the science of describing, naming, and recording life on Earth. Taxonomists look for differences in appearance, genetics, behavior, and location to identify species that are new to modern science.

"Many people may be shocked to learn that 70% of our native species remain unnamed and hidden to science. Australia is a global biodiversity hotspot with more than 150,000 native species, but taxonomists are naming approximately two species new to science every day," said Minister for Environment and Water Resources Tanya Plibersek.

Another species recently added to the list is the ball spider (Venomius tomhardyi), named after Tom Hardy's Marvel character Venom.

"It is vital that we continue to support surveys and taxonomic research across this vast continent. As many more species have yet to be formally described by science," added Yuan Ritchie, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science at Deakin University.

The updated list also includes the rainbow marine worm (Marphysa david attenborough), named after Sir David Attenborough.

Euan Ritchie emphasized that Australia is known for its unique and rich biodiversity. For example, the ghost sand dragon Ctenophorus tjakalpa. This sand-loving lizard got its name tjakalpa from the Maralinga Tjarutja people of the southern part of the Great Victoria Desert because it looks like small dragons living in sand dunes.

Yuan Ritchie also said that the vast majority of Australia's animals are invertebrates. Research on wildlife and museum collections showed that the more scientists looked, the more they realized that most invertebrate species had not yet been formally described.

The blue-ringed velvet worm Planipapillus absonus lives its blue life under logs in a eucalyptus forest in eastern Victoria and New Zealand.

Tanya Plibersek emphasized that many new species of animals, plants, and fungi have been described and classified as part of projects funded by the Australian Biological Resources Research national taxonomy research grant program. The 14 projects will share $2 million to name and classify native Australian species during 2024-25.

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