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The world still holds its secrets. Hidden under wet rocks, in the ocean\u2019s twilight crevices, and in the minutiae of the genetic code are creatures unknown and unnamed by the human species. Every year, scientists find hundreds of new animals, insects, plants and fungi.<\/p>\n
This year, researchers described a tiny new marsupial, a new Himalayan bat, an ancient tree, a bright blue butterfly, a parrot snake, and a fairy lantern plant, among others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think most people believe that we know most species on Earth,\u201d Mario Moura, a professor at the Federal University of Para\u00edba in Brazil, told Mongabay<\/a>, \u201cbut in the best-case scenario, we know 20% of Earth\u2019s species.\u201d<\/p>\n Some estimate<\/a>\u00a0that only 10% of all the species on the planet have been described.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, many species may be threatened with extinction before they\u2019re even formally named<\/a> \u2014 victims of human activities like development and climate change. Some of these species could be food or medicine for humans, but each plays a unique role in Earth\u2019s interconnected web of life.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re understanding more and more that every species on the planet has a role, and in one way or another, is linked to our well-being through the part they play in ecosystems,\u201d said Boris Worm, a marine conservation biologist who co-authored a study<\/a> that quantifies the number of undescribed species on land and in the ocean. \u201cWe can\u2019t protect them \u2026 if we don\u2019t know them.\u201d<\/p>\n New species are found in many ways. Sometimes a researcher will encounter something unknown on an expedition, especially in the unexplored depths of the ocean or in tropical forests, where hyper-diverse groups of amphibians, insects, fungi and fish abound.<\/p>\n Often, new species are found by taking a closer look at the genetics of existing species. A difference among dried herbarium or natural history specimens, or simply the time and effort to dig deeper, can lead to reclassifying one species into many, as was the case with this year\u2019s new Atlantic manta ray species.<\/p>\n Regardless of the methods, it can take years to verify a species is unique and to publish the results. There are entire academic journals dedicated to their detailed descriptions. Often, the public finds out about these species years after they\u2019re \u201cfound.\u201d<\/p>\n However, although a species may be new to science, that doesn\u2019t mean it has never been seen. In many instances, local and Indigenous guides are the ones who show scientists where to find new species \u2014 species that the locals already have a name for.<\/p>\n \u201cMany species that are new to science are already known and used by people in the region of origin,\u201d writes Alexandre Antonelli, director of science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K., \u201cpeople who have been their primary custodians and often hold unparalleled local knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s our look at some of the new-to-science species described in 2025:<\/strong><\/p>\n Brazilian biologist Silvia Pavan traveled to Peru\u2019s R\u00edo Abiseo National Park in 2018 looking for a rare squirrel species. Instead, her team found a new type of mouse opossum, which they named Marmosa chachapoya,\u00a0living in high-altitude cloud forests. Using DNA testing, researchers confirmed it was a completely new species, different from other known mouse opossums.<\/p>\n The eastern Andes of Peru have many unique species that exist nowhere else, but the steep, densely forested mountains make it extremely difficult to explore.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an area with exceptionally high endemism among small mammals, which has been little studied scientifically,\u201d Pavan says. \u201cThere are undoubtedly other species that still need to be described.\u201d<\/p>\n Scientists have found a stunning new fish species with shimmering blue scales and bright red markings in Kenya\u2019s ancient Gongoni Forest. The killifish, named Nothobranchius sylvaticus (meaning \u201cpertaining to the forest\u201d), is the first known killifish to live in a forest habitat and was found in seasonal swamps along the Mkurumudzi River. Researchers initially collected tiny juveniles in 2017, then used DNA testing to confirm it was not just a new species but an entirely new genetic lineage for Kenya, making it an exceptional discovery.<\/p>\n The 7-million-year-old Gongoni Forest measures just 820 hectares (about 2,030 acres), and the killifish\u2019s extremely limited habitat puts it at serious risk. Water extraction from a nearby titanium mine previously threatened the species, though mining operations ended in 2024. However, farming and human encroachment continue to endanger the swamps where these fish live and breed.<\/p>\n Experts are calling for Gongoni Forest to be officially recognized as a key biodiversity area and urging local communities to help protect it. Since the fish depends entirely on its seasonal swamp habitat and may be difficult to breed in captivity, protecting the forest is critical for the species\u2019 survival.<\/p>\n Botanists found a new tree species in Tanzania\u2019s Udzungwa Mountains. Named Tessmannia princeps, these massive trees grow to heights of up to 40 meters (130 feet) with huge supporting roots. By counting growth rings in fallen wood, researchers estimate some trees could be 2,000 to 3,000 years old, though they plan radiocarbon dating to confirm this.<\/p>\n Scientists found only about 100 mature trees in two small forest reserves surrounded by old farmland.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was already quite a shiver-down-your-back moment because if they didn\u2019t know [the species], it could have been something interesting,\u201d botanist Andrea Bianchi said.<\/p>\n The trees are considered vulnerable to extinction because so few exist in such a tiny area. Fortunately, the forests where they grow are part of a restoration project that\u2019s reconnecting protected areas, which gives hope for saving this ancient species.<\/p>\n Scientists found a new butterfly species called Francis\u2019s gorgeous sapphire (Iolaus francisi) in Angola\u2019s Namba Mountains. The butterfly has shimmering blue wings bordered in black, with silver underwings decorated with orange and brown patterns. Its identification highlights once again the rich biodiversity of the country\u2019s most threatened habitat<\/p>\n Its caterpillars feed only on mistletoe plants growing high in the mountains\u2019 evergreen forests. These rare forests cover just 591 hectares (1,460 acres) and face serious threats from fires, farming and logging.<\/p>\n The butterfly is one of 13 species found in this region and nowhere else on Earth. Scientists worry these unique forests could disappear before we discover all the species living there. Local communities are working with conservationists to protect the mountains, which provide water for villages below.<\/p>\n A naturalist spotted an unusual plant with whitish-peach flowers at a popular picnic spot in Malaysia\u2019s Hulu Langat Forest Reserve in 2023. Scientists identified it as a new species called Thismia selangorensis, part of a mysterious group of plants known as \u201cfairy lanterns\u201d that live mostly underground. Fairy lanterns can\u2019t make their own food because they lack chlorophyll, so they steal nutrients from fungi instead. They only bloom between October and February, with tiny flowers hidden under leaves.<\/p>\n Fewer than 20 plants of the newly described species have been found, all within a small area of the same picnic site. Scientists classify the species as critically endangered because people could accidentally step on them, and floods could wash them away. The finding reminds us that important scientific finds can happen in ordinary places.<\/p>\n The Ocean Census project has discovered 866 new marine species in less than two years. The findings include remarkable creatures from extreme ocean environments, including a tiny 4-centimeter (1.5-inch) pygmy pipehorse found off South Africa\u2019s coast; a new deep-sea limpet living more than 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) deep near Norway, and a critically endangered guitar shark (family Rhinobatidae) \u2014 actually a type of ray \u2014 along with various corals and starfish.<\/p>\n Scientists estimate that only 10% of marine life has been identified, leaving 1 million to 2 million species still undocumented in Earth\u2019s oceans, which cover 71% of the planet. Using DNA testing, high-resolution cameras and computer technology, researchers are identifying new species faster than ever before.<\/p>\n \u201cThere has never been a better time to be a marine biologist,\u201d said Ocean Census director Oliver Steeds, noting that modern technology allows scientists to learn more in the next decade than in the past 10,000 years \u2014 critical knowledge as oceans change rapidly.<\/p>\n Researcher Rohit Chakravarty caught an unusual bat in 2016 but didn\u2019t realize it was a new species until DNA tests showed it was genetically distinct from other known bats. He spent five years searching for another Himalayan long-tailed myotis (Myotis himalaicus) specimen to confirm that it was a new species. When he finally caught a second bat in 2021, he could study its unique features: an extra-long tail, a heavier body, and a bare eye patch.<\/p>\n Using modern methods combining body measurements, DNA analysis and sound recordings, the team made other discoveries, including finding the East Asian free-tailed bat in India for the first time by playing its calls through a Bluetooth speaker.<\/p>\n The findings highlight the Western Himalayas as a hotspot for rare species because its unique geography, formed when the Indian subcontinent collided with Asia, created a boundary between two ecological zones. Scientists say this remote region likely contains many more bat species unknown to science.<\/p>\n Researchers have found 35 new lizard species in the Caribbean, including one named after fictional spy James Bond. The James Bond forest lizard (Celestus jamesbondi) was found near Goldeneye, Jamaica, where author Ian Fleming wrote his famous novels.<\/p>\n Scientists from Temple University in the U.S. used genetic testing and physical measurements to study hundreds of lizard specimens, including some preserved in museums for 200 years, revealing surprising hidden diversity among forest-dwelling lizards.<\/p>\n The findings are alarming because more than half of these newly identified species may be threatened with extinction. Fourteen might be critically endangered, and three may already be extinct due to habitat destruction and invasive species like the Indian mongoose. The James Bond lizard, a small brown reptile with yellow undersides, is currently common but lives in a worryingly small area.<\/p>\n \u201cThe forest habitats of these species are rapidly disappearing, which means that many will become extinct in our lifetimes \u2014 soon,\u201d said researcher Blair Hedges. Identifying and naming these species is crucial for conservation efforts before their forests vanish completely.<\/p>\n Scientists described a new snake species in Brazil that had been sitting in a museum collection for almost nine years. The parrot snake has bright green and yellow colors and a unique black stripe across its snout that looks like a mustache. That\u2019s why researchers named it Leptophis mystacinus, which means \u201cmustache\u201d in Greek.<\/p>\n The nonvenomous snake grows about 1 meter (3 feet) in length and lives in trees, eating small lizards and birds. It likely lives only in Brazil\u2019s Cerrado, a tropical savanna being destroyed by farms and ranches.<\/p>\n More than half of the Cerrado has already disappeared, threatening many unique species. Scientists worry this snake could go extinct before we learn much about it, especially since predators like snakes are important for controlling pest populations and keeping ecosystems healthy.<\/p>\n Scientists in Peru found three new frog species in the Andes Mountains during expeditions between 2021 and 2024. The researchers hiked for hours at night through dangerous, remote areas with steep cliffs and unpredictable weather, searching with headlamps for amphibians.<\/p>\n They found Pristimantis chinguelas, which has bumpy skin and makes high-pitched sounds; P. nunezcortezi, which has black spots on its legs; and P. yonke, the smallest, at less than an inch long.<\/p>\n All three frogs live in areas threatened by farming, cattle ranching and fires. The scientists recommend listing them as \u201cdata deficient\u201d because we need more information about their populations to determine their conservation status, but add they\u2019re likely endangered due to habitat loss in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re small and unassuming, but these frogs are powerful reminders of how much we still don\u2019t know about the Andes,\u201d study lead author Germ\u00e1n Ch\u00e1vez, from the Peruvian Institute of Herpetology (IPH), said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scientists have confirmed a third species of manta ray gliding through the ocean, naming it Mobula yarae after Yara, a water spirit from Indigenous Brazilian mythology.<\/p>\n For years, experts believed there were only two manta ray species, but a recent study proves this Atlantic species is genetically and physically distinct from the other two. The newly described manta ray looks similar to its cousins but has unique V-shaped white shoulder patches and a lighter-colored face.<\/p>\n Lead researcher Nayara Bucair from the University of S\u00e3o Paulo spent years analyzing thousands of photos, videos and museum specimens from Brazil, the U.S. and the Bahamas.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was when we received the first genetic results that I realised and was certain that this was a different species,\u201d Bucair told Mongabay by email. \u201cDeep down, we\u2019d all known it was a new species for years, but that day, I felt a sense of relief, certain that we could make progress.\u201d<\/p>\n Mobula yarae lives only in the western Atlantic and stays closer to shore, making it more vulnerable to human activities, pollution and disease than other manta rays that roam wider ocean areas.<\/p>\n Banner image:<\/strong> A new parrot snake from Brazil, Leptophis mystacinus. Image courtesy of Diego Santana.<\/p>\n Liz Kimbrough <\/strong>is a staff writer for Mongabay and holds a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Tulane University, where she studied the microbiomes of trees. View more of her reporting here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Photos: Top new species from 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n FEEDBACK<\/strong>: \u00a0Use this form<\/a> to send a message directly to the author of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Mobula_yarae_and_diver_by_Arturo_Benavides.jpg\")
Atlantic manta ray (Mobula yarae) with a diver off the coast of Mexico. Originally identified as the giant oceanic manta ray (M. birostris), it was later reidentified as\u00a0M. yarae following\u00a0Bucair et al., 2025<\/a>. Photo by Arturo Benavides.<\/p>\n![\"Marmosa](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PNRAB-Marsupial-Pedreo-Peloso-en-Paven-et-al.-2025-1.png\")
Marmosa chachapoya is a newly described species of mouse opossum and a new marsupial. Image courtesy of Silvia Pavan.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Killifish-1-IMG_6399.jpg\")
Researchers find a new killifish species, Nothobranchius sylvaticus, in an ephemeral swamp in the Gongoni Forest Reserve in Kenya. Image by Dirk Bellstedt<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tessmannia-princeps-Fabaceae-Udzungwa-Mountains-Tanzania-e1743037341919.png\")
Bole of a very large individual of Tessmannia princeps, showing the numerous buttresses. Image by Andrea Bianchi.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fairy-lantern.jpg\")
The newly described Thismia selangorensis. Image courtesy of Gim Siew Tan.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2-Guitar-Shark_Rhinobatos-sp.-The-Nippon-Foundation-Nekton-Ocean-Census-_-Sergey-Bogorodsky-\u00a9-2025.j.jpeg\")
Discovered along the coasts of Mozambique and Tanzania, this newly identified guitar shark belongs to a distinctive group of animals that share characteristics of both sharks and rays. Image courtesy of the Nippon Foundation\u2013Nekton Ocean Census\/Sergey Bogorodsky.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Myotis-himalaicus_RohitChakravarty-1536x1024-1.jpg\")
The Himalayan long-tailed myotis is a newly described bat species from India\u2019s Uttarakhand state, with a tail almost as long as its body. The photographer (and bat researcher) caught this bat first in 2016, but didn\u2019t suspect that it was a new species at the time. Image by Rohit Chakravarty.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/james-bond.png\")
The James Bond forest lizard (Celestus jamesbondi) was found near Goldeneye, Jamaica, where author Ian Fleming wrote his famous spy novels. Image courtesy of S. Blair Hedges<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-28-at-5.12.22-PM.png\")
A new parrot snake from Brazil, Leptophis mystacinus. Image courtesy of Diego Santana.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-1.19.50-PM.png\")
Pristimantis chinguelas is one of three new frog specie named in Peru. Photo courtesy of Germ\u00e1n Ch\u00e1vez.<\/p>\nAtlantic manta ray (Mobula yarae) with a diver off the coast of Mexico. Originally identified as the giant oceanic manta ray (M. birostris), it was later reidentified as\u00a0M. yaraefollowing\u00a0Bucair et al., 2025<\/a>. Photo by Arturo Benavides.<\/p>\n\n
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