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Biodiversity

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Australia's Biodiversity (2)

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The taxonomic groups in this chart make up, in total, less than 2% of all Australia's species

The size of each block is proportional to the estimated numbers of species in different groups of organisms (also given as a percentage). The dark section of the pie chart shows the proportion of the estimated species in the group that have not yet been named.

Click on a box to to learn more.

The taxonomic groups in this chart make up, in total, less than 2% of all Australia's species

The size of each block is proportional to the estimated numbers of species in different groups of organisms (also given as a percentage). The dark section of the pie chart shows the proportion of the estimated species in the group that have not yet been named.

Hover over the details to learn more.

Taxon block 2.jpg

17 named species of acorn worms are known from Australian waters. It is likely that there are a handful of un-named species

Around 30 species of proturans are known from Australia. It is likely that a few species remain undiscovered.

Around 40 species of diplurans are known from Australia. It is likely that this is around 3/4 of species.

The taxonomic groups in this area of the chart make up a tiny fraction of Australia's biodiversity - an estimated 110 species (0.02% of estimated species diversity) in 11 groups.

There are 32 known species of horsehair worms or nematomorphs in Australia

There are 45 known species of Gastrotricha (sometimes called hairybacks) known from Australian freshwater and marine environments

There are an estimated 60 species of comb jellies and relatives (Ctenophores) in Australia's marine waters, most of which are un-named.

There are an estimated 80 species of velvet worms (onychophorans) in Australia, 10% of which remain un-named.

100 species of mesozoans are known from Australia; it is considered unlikely that many more remain to be discovered.

There are 48 known species of peanut worms in Australia and it is unlikely that more will be discovered.

There are an estimated 70 species of brachiopods in Australia's marine waters, around 80% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 160 species of acanthocephalan parasites in Australia, only 30% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 240 species of frogs in Australia, around 5% of which have not yet been named.

There are an estimated 300 species of sea spiders in Australian waters, around 70% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 280 species of nemertean roundworms in Australia, only 30% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 500 species of terrestrial, feshwater and marine water bears in Australia, only 20% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 390 species of terrestrial and marine mammals in Australia, 99% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 500 species of cyanobacteria in Australia, around half of which have been named.

There are an estimated 850 species of sea-squirts and relatives (tunicates) in Australia's oceans, around 90% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 830 species of birds in Australia, almost all of which have been named.

There are an estimated 950 species of reptiles in Australia, around 95% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 2000 species of urchins, seastars and their relatives in Australia's oceans, around 75% of which have been named.

There are an estimated 1300 species of rotifers in Australia, around half of which have been named.

Numbers in this chart are derived from this publication by the Australian Biological Resources Study, updated by taxonomist Gerry Cassis and colleagues in a chapter in this book.

Note that some numbers are very uncertain, particularly for hyperdiverse but poorly known groups such as bacteria, nematodes and fungi.

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