Home / Environment / New Species Discovered: Many Already Face Extinction
New Species Discovered: Many Already Face Extinction
8 Jan
Summary
- Over 200 new plant and fungi species were identified in 2025.
- Many newly named species are already threatened with extinction.
- Human activities are actively eroding nature and accelerating biodiversity loss.
In 2025, scientists described almost 200 new plant and fungi species, yet many of these discoveries are already facing extinction. Experts warn that human activities are severely damaging ecosystems, leading to an "erosion of nature." Without proper classification and scientific understanding, conservation efforts are significantly hampered, risking the collapse of life-sustaining systems on Earth.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and its partners have highlighted ten remarkable new species. Among them is Telipogon cruentilabrum, an orchid from Ecuador with unique pollination tactics, now threatened by habitat destruction from mining and agriculture. Also noted is Purpureocillium atlanticum, a "zombie fungus" from Brazil's Atlantic rainforest that infects spiders.
Other discoveries include Aphelandra calciferi from Peru, named after a film character, and Adonidia zibabaoa, a palm tree from the Philippines adapted to typhoon-prone regions. The list also features a stone-like succulent, Lithops gracilidelineata subsp. Mopane, threatened by illegal collection, and Galanthus subalpinus, a snowdrop species from the Balkans critically endangered by horticultural trade and habitat pressures.
