How many new species have been discovered in the last 500 years?

Question

How many new species have been discovered in the last 500 years?

Answer 1

Thousands of new species have been discovered in the last

500 years.  In one recent year that I checked 600 new species of spiders alone were described.  The official start

of zoological naming is the 10th edition of Systema Naturae

by Linnaeus in 1758.  Many species had been discovered before that, of course.  This is just the start of the official

acceptance of the names and descriptions.  Names given

before that time are ignored.

Answer 2

Define "new".  Does that mean a species has evolved into a new species within the last 500 years, or that they have been around 10,000,000 years & someone finally found them?

I can watch seagulls outside my window hunting bugs at dusk like swallows would.  Is this behavior a sign of evolution, therefore a new species?  OR would someone have to find a slight different shape to their wings or beaks or something?  

I dunno, it would be just too cool to have a new species named after me though.  "Keep an eye open."  ;-)

Answer 3

As others have mentioned, the modern system for classifying species was developed in the past 500 years, so literally every known species falls within that period of discovery. There are currently 1.5-1.8 million known species, so that would be your answer.

Answer 4

Tens of thousands.  I just bought a book on California galls, and the author says that since this area is so poorly studied discoveries are made when areas not previously studied are researched.

There are many species in the rainforests that haven't been identified, either.

Answer 5

The vast majority of research into this field started much less than 500 years ago.  Outside of the common animals found in everyday life, dogs, horses, etc... almost all of the species of animals on the planet have been discovered within the last 500 years.

Answer 6

I dont really know.......but I did find my shoe