Many organisms in need of conservation are still unknown or lumped in with similar species, which potentially interferes with conservation efforts. In a new study published June 1 in the Open Access journal PLOS Biology, Jane Melville of Museums Victoria, and her colleagues present a new return-on-investment approach to best direct efforts to identify new species before they are lost.
Australia is estimated to have 750,000 different species of plants, animals and insects, but about 70% are either undiscovered or have not been formally described in the scientific literature.
The academyâs proposal would see all of Australiaâs species properly documented and recorded over the next 25 years.
The Deloitte Access Economics report says such a mission could deliver between $3.7bn and $28.9bn in economic returns over the next 25 years.
Economic benefits include the discovery of new drugs, improvements to biosecurity with invasive species easier to identify, and new crops developed from hybridisation of newly discovered species.
Associate Prof Kevin Thiele, director of the academyâs Taxonomy Australia organisation, said: âEvery species that is lost â especially those lost before we even find them â is a lost opportunity.
This tiny chameleon has male genitals almost 20 per cent as long as its body and may be the world's smallest reptile. Scientists say it's ""pushing the limits of how small vertebrates can go"".
Doris the lady lizard now appears to be male, stunning scientists
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A small reptile at Melbourne Aquarium appears to have changed its sex from female to male â a discovery which would be a world first, upending what we know about lizards.
In February, aquarium keepers noticed one of their female Boydâs forest dragons â a green-grey lizard with a spiny crest that is native to Queenslandâs tropical rainforests â change colour, grow a larger crest, and stop laying eggs.