Total number of species on Earth

As of current scientific estimates (2025), here's a breakdown of the total number of species on Earth, including both animals and plants:

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🌍 Estimated Total Species on Earth (All Kingdoms)

Category	Estimated Known Species	Estimated Total (Known + Undiscovered)
Animals	~1.5 million	~7.8 million
Plants	~390,000	~500,000
Fungi	~150,000	~2.2–3.8 million
Protists	~40,000	~600,000+
Bacteria	~18,000	Millions (likely >10 million)
Archaea	~1,000	Likely >1 million

✅ TOTAL ESTIMATED SPECIES ON EARTH (across all kingdoms):
🧬 8.7 million to over 15 million, but only ~2 million species have been formally described by scientists.

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🔬 Breakdown of Known Animal Species

Group	Approx. Known Species
Insects (esp. beetles)	~1 million
Fish	~35,000
Birds	~11,000
Mammals	~6,500
Reptiles	~11,000
Amphibians	~8,000
Mollusks	~85,000
Crustaceans	~70,000
Others (worms, etc.)	~200,000+

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🌿 Breakdown of Known Plant Species

Group	Approx. Known Species
Flowering Plants	~300,000
Ferns and Allies	~10,000
Conifers	~1,100
Mosses & Liverworts	~20,000
Algae (green, red, etc.)	~70,000+

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⚠️ Why the Big Gap Between Known and Estimated?

• Many microbial, deep-sea, and rainforest species are still undiscovered.

• Taxonomy is time-consuming, and new species are found every year (~15,000–20,000 new species annually).

• Some species go extinct before they are even documented.

• Here’s a breakdown of Earth's species by ecosystem — specifically comparing marine (ocean) and terrestrial (land) environments:

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  🌍 Global Species Distribution by Ecosystem

  Ecosystem	Estimated % of All Species	Estimated Number of Species	Notes
  Terrestrial (Land)	~78–86%	~6.8 to 8.5 million	Dominated by insects, plants, and fungi
  Marine (Ocean)	~12–15%	~2.2 million	Includes vast unknowns (deep sea)
  Freshwater	~1–3%	~200,000+	High endemism, vulnerable habitats

  🌐 Total estimated global species: ~8.7 million (some estimates go higher when microbes are included)

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  🐾 Detailed Breakdown by Habitat

  🟢 Terrestrial Ecosystem

  Group	% in Terrestrial	Examples
  Insects	~95%	Beetles, butterflies, ants
  Plants	>95%	Trees, herbs, grasses
  Fungi	Majority	Forest mushrooms, soil fungi
  Vertebrates	~70%	Mammals, birds, reptiles

  • Hotspots: Rainforests (Amazon, Congo), tropical mountains, dry forests

  • Many terrestrial species are endemic (found nowhere else)

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  🔵 Marine Ecosystem

  Group	% in Marine	Examples
  Fish	~60%	Sharks, reef fish, deep-sea fish
  Mollusks	High	Octopus, clams, squids
  Crustaceans	High	Crabs, lobsters, plankton
  Marine Mammals	All	Whales, dolphins, seals
  Corals	Exclusive	Reef builders (Cnidaria)

  • Hotspots: Coral reefs, deep-sea trenches, hydrothermal vents

  • Over 80% of the ocean is unexplored, so actual marine diversity could be far higher

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  🔬 Freshwater Ecosystem (Rivers, Lakes, Wetlands)

  • Hosts 10% of all known animals, despite covering <1% of Earth's surface.

  • Home to:

    • 40% of all fish species

    • Many amphibians and aquatic insects

  • Highly threatened by pollution, climate change, and dams.

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  🧠 Summary

  Ecosystem	Biodiversity	Main Drivers
  Land	🟩 Highest (esp. insects, plants)	Forests, soil life, pollinators
  Ocean	🔵 Vast potential, but less known	Coral reefs, deep sea, microbes
  Freshwater	🟡 Small but critical	High species density, high risk

  
  
• THINK ABOUT THE CREATOR,ONE AND ALMIGHTY ALLAH, WHO CREATED- Total estimated global species: ~8.7 million (some estimates go higher when microbes are included), I PRAISE ALMIGHTY ALLAH MOST MERCIFUL, WHO MADE ALL THE SPECIES, ONLY FOR HUMAN
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