[Taxacom] How many species have been reported only once

[Jan Bosselaers]

All,

In the African ground spider genus Hortipes (http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/handle/2246/1604), 27 out of 69 species have been described from a single specimen only and an additional 7 from two specimens. Only half of the species (35) were described based on a fair to large number of available specimens. Nevertheless, Hortipes is quite common in the litter layer in subsaharan Africa. Since the publication of the descriptions, a number of the South African "once only" species have been recaptured.

Regards,

Jan

> David,
> 
> Of 5015 species of Western Atlantic gastropods in the Malacolog database www.malacolog.org for which I have compiled locality data, exactly 1500 are known only from the type locality. The database covers all depths, Greenland to Antarctica. There are probably several hundred more species that are know only from the original description, but were reported from more than one locality there. So 30 to 35% are known only from the original description.
> 
> Gary Rosenberg
> Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
> 
> 
> 
>>>> David Patterson <dpatterson at eol.org> 3/19/2010 3:13 PM >>>
> I have heard suggestions that our understanding of 50% and 65% of all species is limited to the information that was included in the original description.  That is, for very many species, there have not been any further publications that add new information. These are the 'once only' species.  If the proportion is as high as this, it bears upon the reliability and effectiveness of the discovery process, how many species there are, and on asymmetry within our discipline.  
> 
> Does anyone know of analyses that explore this matter, or have any data to confirm the proportion of 'once only' species in their sphere of expertise?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> David Patterson
> 
> -- 
> David J Patterson
> Senior Taxonomist, EOL
> CoPI Life Sciences, Data Conservancy
> 
> Biodiversity Informatics
> Marine Biological Laboratory
> Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA.
> 
> (+) (1) 508 289 7260
> dpatterson at mbl.edu
> 
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