45 of the Newest Animal Species Discovered in 2024

While some are looking for life on other planets, others are looking for life on Earth. There are an estimated 8.7 million organisms alive today, of which only around 1.2 million have been recorded, including 950,000 animal species. The estimates are based on trends in biodiversity data to predict the total number of species at different taxonomic levels. It makes sense then that around 18,000 new species are discovered every year. This gallery-style article explores various species first discovered and, in some cases, first described in 2024. 

Amphibians 

Starting off with our semi-aquatic egg-layers, amphibians include frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians. Over the last 25 years, approximately 3,000 new species of amphibians have been discovered for the first time, including several in 2024. 

1. Xenophrys apatani

Like with many rules, you’ll find exceptions. This species of horned toad wasn’t technically discovered in 2024, but it was classified as genetically distinct from Xenophrys maosonensis for the first time in July, 2024. It is named after the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, a state in northeast India where the species was discovered. 

2. Thao’s tree frog (Zhangixalus thaoae)

I love love. Endemic to northwestern Vietnam, this 3 cm (1 in)-long frog was named after the wife of one of the researchers who discovered it, to thank her for her support of his research activities. Anyone have any tissues? 

3. Phyllobates samperi

This poison dart frog was discovered in the wet forests along the lower San Juan and Dagua river basins in Colombia. And when they say “poison dart,” they mean it. This frog contains extremely potent neurotoxic compounds, which, after contact with the skin, can cause your muscles to seize function. This includes your cardiac muscle fibres. Yikes!

Birds

Birds are so numerous that we take for granted how cool they really are. Cladistically speaking, they are reptiles, since they’re living dinosaurs. Modern birds are classified into the same clade as T. rex, and their closest living relatives are the crocodilians. Not only can most species fly—often thousands of miles, but many can also swim. Further, they can sing, whistle, and mimic sounds, build intricate nests, and perform complex mating dances. Unfortunately, many populations are declining worldwide, with 1,480 species listed as threatened by BirdLife International.

1. Magnusavis ekalakaensis

There are several extinct species on this list, including this one, but hey, they were discovered in 2024. The fossilised remains of this bird were buried in the sediments of the Hell Creek Formation in Montana, USA. “Magnusavis” means “big bird” and “ekalakaensis” refers to the Montana town of Ekalaka, which is a Lakota word meaning “one who wanders,” a fitting name for a bird specimen that has travelled through time. 

2. Northern giant hummingbird (Patagona peruviana)

Do you ever come up with a totally original idea just to find out someone else got the idea first? A similar thing happened with this bird. DNA analysis in 2024 found this species of giant hummingbird to be genetically distinct from the similar Patagona gigas, thereby classifying it as a distinct species, which researchers named Patagona chaski. However, it was already described and classified as distinct in 1893 as Patagona peruviana. I guess iNaturalist wasn’t around in the late 1800s. 

3. Northern silvery-cheeked antshrike (Sakesphoroides niedeguidonae)

A common theme in this article is researchers finding out that animals they thought were of the same species were actually genetically distinct. Such is also the case with this antshrike. It just shows how far we’ve come in the way of DNA analysis. This birdie is endemic to northern Brazilian Caatinga habitats, in a range far more limited than the silvery-cheeked antshrike, which was the species from which it was found to be distinct.

4. Paakniwatavis grandei

An extinct type of water bird, “paakniwatavis” means “water spirit bird.” The holotype specimen (meaning the only specimen that has ever been found) was found in sediments of the Green River Formation near Lincoln County, Wyoming, USA.

5. Shuilingornis angelai

This extinct species of semi-aquatic bird is one of the earliest known examples of its kind. Despite this, it shows fewer aquatic adaptations than several other extinct specimens, giving researchers insight into the evolution and diversity of these adaptations. The holotype was discovered in the sediments of the Jiufotang Formation, Liaoning Province, China. 

Crustaceans

Crustaceans are arthropods that evolved during the Cambrian explosion about 500 million years ago. They are largely aquatic, with a few exceptions having adapted to life on land, such as woodlice and terrestrial crabs. Fascinatingly, the total biomass of crustaceans is staggering, with krill alone having an estimated 379 million tons total biomass, which is even more than that of humans. More than 7.9 million tons of crustaceans are harvested annually for human consumption, comprising mostly shrimp and prawns.

1. Gothus teemo

Teemo is the team leader of the Bandle Scouts in the online multiplayer game League of Legends, and also who this little crab was named after. G. teemo inhabits crevices inside shallow coral reefs in the South China Sea and was discovered for the first time in 2024. Can anyone guess what the researchers do in their free time? 

Fish

Fish are the most diverse group of vertebrates, with more than 34,000 species living in fresh and marine environments all around the globe. They are characterised by cold-bloodedness, fins, and gills to breathe, although some fish do have lungs, like the lungfish (shocker). Fish are also the oldest inhabitants of Earth, having been present here for the last 450 million years, which makes sense considering life on Earth began in the water. 

1. Emmelichthys papillatus

Most new species are found in vastly remote areas deep in jungles and forests or in the dark ocean depths, far away from any human activity. Not this fish. No, specimens were collected from fish markets on the Panay and Cebu islands in the Philippines, and DNA analysis identified one of the samples to be a previously undescribed species. 

2. Grumpy dwarfgoby (Sueviota aethon)

Sporting the same expression I have before my morning cup of coffee, the grumpy dwarfgoby is aptly named. This miniature fish boasts a size of 17 mm (0.67 in), and was discovered off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. 

Insects

There are well over 1 million insect species currently classified, and about 7,000 new species are found every year. Here I list only 8 of those new species, so should we consider this list part one of an 875-part series? 

1. Eunota houstoniana

There are around 62 known species of tiger beetles in Texas, with E. houstoniana being the most recently discovered. This species inhabits saline soils near salt domes and oil extraction sites along the Gulf Coast, and the researchers who discovered it believe it is likely threatened or endangered due to increased urbanisation and agricultural or industrial activities.

2. Excastra albopilosa

It’s seldom you see a furry beetle, so seldom in fact that the entomologist who discovered this little fellow initially thought he was looking at bird poop. When a Facebook group yielded no suggestions as to what kind of bug this was, the researcher took the beetle to the Australian National Insect Collection, who confirmed this was a previously unidentified species. 

3. Chrysonotomyia susbelli

Another insect from Houston, C. susbelli is a small parasitoid wasp that was discovered flying around Rice University campus. It’s as if the critter was just waiting to be discovered. Parasitoid wasps lay their eggs on or in other arthropods so that the eggs can feed upon the host’s tissues. The hatching of larvae typically kills the host. C. susbelli is known to parasitize a type of gall wasp.

4. Crux boudica

The Crux genus comprises only two species, C. boudica and C. heggi, both of which were discovered by Professor Steven Trewick on the South Island of New Zealand. These insects are cave wētā, which are giant flightless crickets residing in caves. The Crux insects may have been previously overlooked because of their relatively small size (0.67–1.10 in or 17–28 mm).

5. Leptanilla voldemort

The researchers clearly didn’t take “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named” seriously when they named this ant after the dark lord himself, Lord Voldemort. When L. voldemort isn’t terrorising Harry Potter, he’s hanging out underground in the Western Australian outback. 

6. Occultastella morgana

Another species of cave wētā discovered by Prof. Trewick in New Zealand. This species was discovered in caves on the uninhabited Snares Islands (Māori: Tini Heke), which is located about 120 miles (200 km) south of New Zealand South Island. Nice, Prof. Trewick! 

7. Cliffside bambootail (Phylloneura rupestris)

This insect may resemble a dragonfly, but it is actually a damselfly, which is a similar, but typically smaller, suborder of flying insects. The cliffside bambootail is endemic to the Western Ghats region of India, where a population of roughly 30 was discovered perching on a steep rocky cliff over a seasonal water stream.

8. Scaralina aethrinsula

Prior to modern DNA analysis technologies, organisms that have very slight variations were often grouped under one species name. Such was the case with S. aethrinsula and three other distinct planthoppers, who were once all grouped under the species name Alphina glauca. All four distinct species are similar in appearance and have similar ranges, stretching from Idaho, USA, to the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. 

Mammals 

Do mammals need an introduction? Characterised by mammary glands (hence the name), which are milk-producing organs, these animals give birth to live young. Mammals evolved around 300 million years ago and include me and you! 

1. Bramiscus micros

As you can imagine, not too many living species of mammals are discovered annually. Partial fossilised skeletons of this extinct giraffid ungulate were discovered in sediments in the Lower–Middle Siwaliks near Punjab, Pakistan. These skeletal fragments include horn-like structures, teeth, and facial bones and are about 14–11 million years old. 

2. Buronius manfredschmidi

It’s always exciting when a close relative of ours is discovered and added to the fossil record. B. manfredschmidi is the smallest known hominid, weighing an estimated 10 kg (22 lb), and was discovered in Bavaria, Germany. 

Molluscs

Molluscs are the second-largest phylum of animals, after Arthropoda, with around 76,000 known living species. Further, the fossil record of molluscs includes up to 100,000 different species. Clearly, these numbers keep growing, as several new Mollusc species were discovered in 2024. 

1. Akritogyra crenulata

This little sea snail was discovered living on the Waters Shoal, which is a submerged mountain off the coast of Madagascar. It has a translucent, milky-white shell that is only 1.05 mm (0.04 in) in diameter and 0.85 mm (0.03 in) in height, about the size of a grain of sand. Yeah – I’m not surprised that this mollusc has only just been discovered. 

2. Alvania pettinellii

Another micro sea snail, this species reaches about 1.57 mm (0.06 in) in height and 0.92 mm (0.03 in) in width and was discovered off the coast of Kenya.

3. Emarginula lentiginosa

The researchers who discovered A. crenulata also discovered four new species in the same genus, Emarginula, all on Waters Shoal. These sea snails are called limpets, which are a type of aquatic snail, and more specifically, slit limpets, meaning they have a slit in their shell. E. lentiginosa has a height of about 4.3 mm (0.16 in). 

4. Emarginula nodulicostata

All Emarginula species differ slightly in terms of colouration, size, and shape. E. nodulicosata has a height of about 2.25 mm (0.08 in) and is the smallest Emarginula found. 

5. Emarginula retrogyra

The largest new species of Emarginula at a height of about 6.7 mm (0.26 in), E. retrogyra is also the darkest in colour, sporting greenish-brown concentric bands and occasional greenish-brown spots.

6. Emarginula salebrosa

 The final specimen of this genus, E. salesbrosa has a height of 4.7 mm (0.18 in) and a relatively thick shell.

7. Manawatāwhi pāua (Haliotis pirimoana)

Moving on to the other side of the Southern Hemisphere, Manawatāwhi pāua is an edible sea snail endemic to the waters off the coasts of the Three Kings Islands (Manawatāwhi), King Bank, and New Zealand. “Pāua” is the Maori name for abalone. 

Planarians

They may look a little derpy, but planarians have an incredible superpower: the ability to regenerate any missing body part. In fact, it’s estimated that these flatworms need as little as 1/279th of itself to regenerate back into a complete organism over the course of a few weeks. For this reason, they are being widely studied in the field of stem cell biology. Planarians include hundreds of species found in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial habitats. 

1. Amaga pseudobama

A. pseudobama was discovered in a commercial nursery in North Carolina, USA. Land planarians are often mistaken for slugs, but slugs are molluscs and are more closely related to snails. Further, planarians are carnivores and commonly feed on molluscs, among other small animals. 

Pseudoscorpions

Pseudoscorpions are essentially spiders wearing a scorpion costume, since they are arachnids. They are tiny, at 0.08–0.31 inches (2–8 mm) in length, and often go unnoticed even though they occur worldwide. When they are spotted, they’re often mistaken for ticks or small spiders, but they’re actually beneficial for humans as they feed on unwanted bugs in the house, including clothes moth larvae, ants, mites, and small flies. 

1. Larca boulderica

This cave dweller is the size of a sesame seed, bar its pincers. L. boulderica was discovered by a researcher and his family in Mallory Cave, Boulder, Colorado, USA, while they were out searching for arthropods. 

Reptiles 

The study of reptiles (and amphibians) is called herpetology, which comes from the Greek word “herpetón,” meaning “creeping animal.” Does that mean Minecraft Creepers are canonically reptiles? Sorry, that’s a niche joke. Anyway, the key difference between reptiles and amphibians is that amphibians have an aquatic larval phase (period after hatching), whereas reptiles are typically lifelong terrestrial animals, with some exceptions like sea snakes. 

1. Coapilla arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia cunemica)

This lizard made their public debut in photos taken of trees in the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, in 2014. Spotting the peculiar lizard, researchers spent over 350 hours over 5 expeditions searching the limbs and canopies of about 20 trees in the area of the photos. Eventually, the “alligator”-like lizard species was found high up (about 19 m or 64 ft) in the canopy, and identified to be a new species. 

2. Bothriechis hussaini

“Eyelash viper” used to refer to the species Bothriechis schlegelii, a pit viper native to Colombia that can vary greatly in colour and appearance. However, researchers have since discovered that these variations are actually different species. In 2024, five new species, including B. hussaini, were identified and three were revalidated. B. hussaini has black speckles on its snout, and females grow to about 6.56 cm (25 in).

3. Bothriechis khwargi

B. khwargi has two triangular supraciliary (“eyebrow”) scales, with pale green or yellow irises, and lacks noticeable body markings. Females are quite small, growing up to 6.10 cm (24 in).

4. Bothriechis klebbai

B. klebbai has dark black bands along its body, black speckles on its snout, and reddish-brown irises. Females grow up to 8.74 cm (34 in), making them the largest Bothriechis listed here.

5. Bothriechis nitidus

B. nitidus was one of the three species revalidated (I’ve only listed this one of the three). This means that the species was identified previously, but then, for whatever reason, invalidated. B. nitidus was first described in 1859 as Lachesis nitidus. It has reddish-pinkish colouration, pale golden to green irises, and females can grow to 8.57 cm (33 in).

6. Bothriechis rahimi

B. rahimi has two or three distinct supraciliary scales, and its body is marked with faint pink bands. It has pale straw-yellow irises, and females grow to 4.94 cm (19 in).

7. Bothriechis rasikusumorum

B. rasikusumorum has low, granular supraciliary scales, dark brown or black colouration, light green, yellow, or reddish iris, and females reach a maximum length of 7.99 cm (31 in).

8. Northern green anaconda (Eunectes akayima)

Apparently anacondas have been a point of contention since 1801. The main disagreement is whether green anacondas found in different regions should be their own distinct species or classified as a subspecies of the green anaconda, Eunectes murinus. Well, in 2024, genetic testing revealed that E. murinus populations found in northern South America had a 5.5% difference in mitochondrial DNA from those further south. This difference was enough to consider those populations a different species, who have since been named E. akayima.

9. Western Ghats king cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga)

Why are we seeing more revaluation and reclassification of species? One thing to understand is that taxonomic classification as we know it today is fairly new. Previously, species had been classified according to morphological characteristics, meaning physical appearance. DNA sequencing technology had only become more widely available for use in the 1990s, and even then it was in its infancy. And today, these technologies are still improving. All this to say O. kaalinga, which is endemic to the Western Ghats in southwestern India, was found to be distinct from the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah). 

10. Jenkins’ mountain pit viper (Ovophis jenkinsi)

We’re back to featuring a brand new species again. This pit viper was found in Yingjiang County, Yunnan, China, where it inhabits the tropical montane rainforest in that region. When threatened, these venomous snakes will inflate their bodies to appear larger, and they’ll strike quickly. 

Sea Squirts

Sea squirts are a class of invertebrate filter feeders that live in marine environments. They can swim freely while in the larval phase, but attach to a substratum, such as a rock or shell, when they reach maturity and remain sessile (lack self-controlled mobility) for the rest of their lives. Due to their filter-feeding capability, they accumulate pollutants within their tissues, and so some species are used as sensitive indicators of marine pollution. 

1. Skeleton panda sea squirt (Clavelina ossipandae)

If I had a band I reckon “Skeleton Panda Sea Squirts” would be a great name. These adorable creatures have white horizontal blood vessels, giving them the appearance of a visible skeleton, and black dots of unknown function. This species was discovered in coral reefs off the coast of Kume Island, Japan, by local divers at about 66 ft (20 m) deep.

Sea Sponges

Not to be confused with the porous cleaning tool, sea sponges are aquatic animals of the Porifera phylum. They are sessile filter-feeders that live on the floor of the ocean and provide feeding, breeding, and nursery habitats for fish and invertebrates. The oldest confirmed sponge fossils are 580 million years old, but commercial fishing and offshore oil and gas industries currently threaten sponge reefs. 

1. Stelletta mortarium

Discovered in the Mediterranean Sea around the Balearic Islands, the largest island being Mallorca, S. moratorium lives at a depth of about 492 ft (150 m). The name “mortarium” comes from the word “morter,” a type of ancient pottery kitchen bowl commonly used in Mallorcan cuisine, since this sponge resembles a bowl. 

Spiders

In the final section of this list we have some of the creepiest of crawlies, spiders. Like snakes, spiders get a bad rap because of their perceived threat to humans. As of September 2024, 52,309 spider species have been recorded, and only an estimated 50 of them carry venom that can be life-threatening to us. In the entire 20th century, there were only 100 reliably reported human deaths from spider bites, most of which were because the bite was misdiagnosed or left untreated. Spiders can be great roommates, as they’ll help control household pests like mosquitoes and other insects, and they keep to themselves. 

1. Anasaitis milesae

This adorable little jumping spider was discovered in Cornwall, England, during a BioBlitz, which is an event that encourages the public to go outside (“touch grass”) and identify as many species of flora and fauna as they can on the day. It is believed that A. milesae is not native to Britain, but had rather hitched a ride from somewhere in the Caribbean, where related species reside. 

2. Progradungula barringtonensis 

I challenge you to try to pronounce every scientific name on this list. I tried and now my tongue is twisted. Anyway, our final animal species, Progradungula barringtonensis, is considered to be a living fossil, having survived several mass extinctions and lived on Gondwana, the supercontinent that included the Southern Hemisphere landmasses. Today the spider is endemic to the Barrington Tops National Park of New South Wales, Australia. 

Conclusion

Of course, this list is not comprehensive as I wanted to finish writing it before I become a fossil. Hopefully you learnt something new today. Thanks for reading!