What is the most recent estimate for the number of eukaryotic species on Earth?
The most recent rigorous estimate suggests there are between 8 and 8.7 million species of eukaryotes. Only about 14 percent of these had been described by 2011.
Common questions about Species
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Charles Darwin publish On the Origin of Species?
Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in the year 1859. This publication marked a seismic shift in how humanity understood life and evolution.
Who proposed the most widely used definition of a species based on reproductive isolation?
Ernst Mayr proposed the most widely used definition of a species in 1942. This definition relies on reproductive isolation and defines a species as the largest group of organisms that can produce fertile offspring.
How many species of blackberry exist in Britain according to the text?
The blackberry Rubus fruticosus has perhaps 400 microspecies in Britain alone. This number is complicated by hybridization, apomixis, and polyploidy.
What percentage of all species that ever lived on Earth are now extinct?
Over 99 percent of all species that ever lived on Earth are now extinct. This figure represents some five billion species that have disappeared throughout history.