How Many Animal Species?
People often ask me how many different species of animal there are.
The answer can only be approximate as new species are still being discovered but here are some numbers of known species:
Earthworms - 4,000
Leeches - 500
Flatworms - 25,000
Molluscs - 100,000 including:
Slugs and snails - 77,000
Squids and Octopuses - 650
Bivalves - 20,000
Echinoderms - 7000 including:
Starfish - 1,500
Sea Urchins - 950
Brittle stars - 2,000
Feather stars and sea lillies - 625
Sea cucumbers - 1,150
Insects over 1,000,000 including:
Butterflies - 20,000
Moths - 145,000
Flies - 90,000
Ants - 11,844
Bees and wasps - 120,000
Dragonflies - 5,000
Cockroaches - 4,300 (only three are native to britain - The Dusky, The Lesser and The Tawny)
Beetles - 370,000
Arachnids 82,000 including:
Spiders - 40,000 (600 British)
Scorpions - 1,500
Pseudoscorpions or false scorpions - 2000 (25 British)
Whip Scorpions - 100
Tail-less Whip Scorpions - 136
Sun Spiders or Wind scorpions 900
Ticks and Mites - 32,000
Harvestmen - 4,500 (23 British)
Millipedes - 8,000
Centipedes - 3,000
Woodlice - 3,500 (37 British)
Crabs - 5,700
Lobsters and Crayfish - 400
Shrimps and Prawns - 2,000
Barnacles - 1,000
Sharks - 370
Skates and Rays - 340
Bony Fish - 24,500
Frogs and Toads - 3,500
Newts, Salamanders and Mudpuppies - 360
Turtles and Tortoises - 240
Lizards - 3,750
Snakes - 2,700
Crocodiles - 14
Alligators and Caimans - 7
Gharial - 1
Birds - 9,700 Including:
Ostrich - 1
Emu - 1
Rheas - 2
Kiwis - 3
Penquins - 16
Gulls and Terns - 95
Auks - 22
Ducks, Geese and Swans - 150
Grebes - 20
Owls - 135
Pigeons and doves - 300
Parrots, Cockatoos and Lories - 330
True Woodpeckers - 200
Toucans - 38
Kingfishers - 86
Bee Eaters - 24
Hornbills - 45
Hummingbirds - 315
Starlings and Mynahs - 106
Crows - 120
Warblers - 339
Thrushes - 304
Finches - 155
Sparrows - 35
Nuthatches - 21
Treecreepers - 14
Tits - 62
Mammals - 4,260 Including:
Kangaroos and Wallabies - 56
Wombats - 3
Koala - 1
Rodents - 1600
Elephants - 2
Big Cats - 7
Small cats - 28
Dogs - 35
Bears - 7
Mongooses - 27
Pandas - 2
Racoons - 6
Skunks - 13
Otters - 12
Badgers - 8
Hyaenas - 4
Bats - 960
Shrews - 246
Armadillos - 20
Sloths - 5
Anteaters - 4
Aardvarks - 1
Rabbits and Hares - 44
Whales and Dolphins - 76
Seals - 19
Fur Seals and Sea Lions - 14
Walrus - 1
Manatees and Dugong - 4
Rhinos - 5
Tapirs - 4
Horses - 2
Wild Asses - 2
Zebras - 3
Camels and Llamas - 6
Wild Pigs - 9
Giraffe 1
Lemurs - 22
Gibbons - 9
Hippos - 2
Deer - 41
Great Apes - 4 (Human, Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Orang-utan).
Big Bugs
Martin the bug man brings bugs, insects and other animals to your school. Colchester essex ipswich london. Big large colourful exotic bugs praying mantis beetle roach©
Dan Ambrose & Martin Rapley 2005