Australia, a biodiversity hotspot, recognizes 750 new species

In Australia, unique species abound – from koalas and kangaroos to wombats and emus.

Now, the western laughing frog and a spider named for Tom Hardy are among the 750 new species recognized on the continent.

Melbourne-based wildlife ecologist Euan Ritchie says 750 new species may sound like a lot, but that number is just the tip of the iceberg.

“The reality is we think as much as 70% of Australia’s native species remain ‘to be described’,” Ritchie says.

There are already some 150,000 species on the Australian National Species List, which is the country’s authoritative list of plants, animals and other organisms.

The western laughing tree frog is the 248th species of frog identified in Australia.

“I think everyone loves the laughing frog, which basically has a call that sounds more like a laugh rather than what you might associate traditionally with a frog — more of a croak or ribbit,” Ritchie says.

Citizen scientists helped uncover the species, which though similar to another laughing tree frog, has a longer laugh and less distinct black and yellowish patterning.

Another new addition is the cracking-clay Pilbara Planigale, which resembles a mouse but is, in fact, a marsupial.

“The females have pouches, but they have these extraordinary, pointed, flat heads,” Ritchie says. “And that’s because they live between these cracks in the soil, literally.”

A new species of orb-weaving spider named after the Marvel character Venom — a shape-shifting alien in the Spider Man franchise — also made the list.

The species name, tomhardyi, is a nod to actor Tom Hardy, who plays Venom in the movie.

Many of the new species are invertebrates, like an iridescent marine worm named for famed biologist Sir David Attenborough, Marphysa davidattenboroughi.

But there are bigger things happening here than just identifying species and giving them funny names.

Ritchie says taxonomy — the science of describing what species are and categorizing them — is essential to conservation.

“It’s a little bit like having a library of really valuable books in a house,” Ritchie says. “If you don’t know what books are there, and then maybe there’s a threat to that house — maybe it’s a fire or something — you don’t even know what you’re going to lose. And you’re really in a bad position to conserve those books.”

It’s the same for species, Ritchie says.

“If we don’t know what species we have, where they’re found, we’re actually in a really bad position to manage and conserve those species.”

Ritchie says the work of research and conservation is particularly important now as climate change and habitat destruction threaten Australia’s biodiversity.

On Sept. 8, the Australian government announced 14 new projects, with $2 million in funding, to continue to name and classify native Australian species.

“We are pleased to invest in this critical taxonomy research to protect our vulnerable and threatened species,” says Tanya Plibersek, who serves as Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Water. “Otherwise we wouldn’t know that they exist or the threats they face.”

Majd Al-Waheidi edited this digital story.