19,232 new species in latest inventory

Proving our planet still conceals many of its secrets, the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University yesterday released an inventory of over 19,000 new species discovered by scientists during 2009.

More than half of the species identified are insects, but the list also includes plants, birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, fungus and arachnids.

Here are a few of the Institute's favourite species from that year:

Psychedelic frogfish
(Histiophryne psychedelica)

Image: ©David Hall/seaphotos.com

Attenborough's Pitcher
(Nepenthes attenboroughii)

Image: Alastair Robinson (University of Cambridge)

Aiteng
(Aiteng ater)

Image: Cornelis Swennen (Prince of Songkla University)

Green bomber
(Swima bombiviridis)

©2005 K.J. Osborn

Angona (yam)
(Dioscorea orangeana)

Image: Claude Marcel Hladik (Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle)