‘Death ball’ sponge, tiny opossum among cool new species of 2025
A spider with extra-long genitalia (for a good reason); a carnivorous caterpillar that wears its prey’s body parts; and a tiny, mountain-dwelling opossum are among the cool new species described by science in 2025.
A new recent study reports that about 16,000 new species are “discovered” each year, a rate that is accelerating — 15 per cent of all known species have been newly described in just the past 20 years.
“Our good news is that this rate of new species discovery far outpaces the rate of species extinctions, which we calculated to about 10 per year,” John Wiens, an ecology professor at the University of Arizona who co-authored the study, said in a news release.
Many aren’t truly new discoveries. In many cases, they were known or photographed locally, or collected many years ago for museums. They were just never identified and described by science until now.
But scientists say this official documentation step is important. Wiens noted, “We can’t safeguard a species from extinction if we don’t know it exists.”
It’s also a great way for us to learn about some interesting and unique creatures that we’ve never seen or heard of before. Here’s a closer look at some of them.
Well-endowed tarantulas
Four new tarantula species were discovered in the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula. What’s special about them? Well, their males have the longest genitalia among all known tarantulas.
The largest species, named Satyrex ferox, has a leg-span of 14 centimetres (about the width of a slice of bread). But if you’re not impressed yet, males have genitalia called palps that measure five centimetres long; that’s nearly as long as their longest legs.
Alireza Zamani, a researcher at the University of Turku who led the study describing the new tarantulas, suggests that the long palps “might allow the male to keep a safer distance during mating to help him avoid being attacked and devoured by the highly aggressive female.”
Caterpillar wearing gruesome outfit
Most caterpillars are vegetarians, but this year scientists in Hawaii found a caterpillar that lives in spider webs, eats prey trapped in the webs and then weaves their body parts into a coat or case around its body (that later becomes its cocoon).
The unique “bone collector” caterpillar, which turns into a moth with feathery wings, was described in Science in April. It’s been found only in a small 15-square-kilometre patch of forest in the Wai’anae mountain range on O’ahu, suggesting that it’s endangered.
Quirks and Quarks7:50The ‘bone collector’ caterpillar covers itself with body parts
Carnivorous ‘death-ball’ sponge
The deep ocean is a part of the planet that humans have explored very little, and each expedition there turns up many new and amazing species. In October, the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census announced 30 new species discovered in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.
They include the “death-ball” sponge, which doesn’t filter feed like most sponges, but instead has spheres covered in tiny hooks to trap prey. New sea star species and an armoured, iridescent scale worm are also on the list.
Eggy sea slug
Shallower waters also yielded some beautiful and unique new species, including a sea slug that looks like it’s covered in fried eggs, named Phyllidia ovata. It’s one of two beautiful new species of wart sea slugs that prey on sponges and steal their toxins for self-defence.
Their bright colours warn potential predators that they’re toxic. The new species had previously been photographed by divers in North Sulawesi up to 23 years ago, Indonesia, but only described by science this past July.
New Canadian crayfish
One of the new species discovered in Canada this year was also an aquatic creature. The Okanagan crayfish is found in B.C.’s Okanagan Lake. It was previously mistaken for the common, lookalike signal crayfish. The new species’ distinguishing feature is that it lacks a distinctive white mark found on the signal crayfish’s claw.
Unfortunately, the new species is thought to be endangered, and scientists are especially concerned because Okanagan Lake is heavily used by humans.
New bats discovered by Canadians
Canadian researchers were also involved in the discovery of six tiny new species of tube-nosed bats from the Philippines.
Judith Eger and Burton Lim of the Royal Ontario Museum co-authored a study describing the species just before Halloween. The bats, which weigh just four to 14 grams each, were collected by researchers in the Philippines and at the Field Museum in Chicago on expeditions over the past 30 years.
Crocodile Hunter snake, Pinocchio lizard
Some new species every year are named for famous characters, real or imagined. Two reptiles this year with famous namesakes are the long-nosed Pinocchio chameleon of Madagascar and a new wolf snake from India’s Great Nicobar Islands named Lycodon irwini after the late Steve Irwin, star of The Crocodile Hunter TV series.
Tiny mouse opossum
Here’s one of the less scary animals on this year’s list: a small, spectacled marsupial found in the Peruvian Andes in 2018. The tiny mouse opossum Marmosa chachapoya is mouse sized (about 10 centimetres, with a 15 cm tail) and lives at a much higher elevation than other mouse opossums. It was described in June in the journal American Museum Novitiates.
Toads without tadpoles
We haven’t had any amphibians on the list yet, so let’s add some before we go.
Three of the unusual species discovered this year include toads that live in trees, far from water, in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. That makes the tadpole stage of their life cycle a challenge — so they skip it and give birth to live toadlets.
“Live-bearing is exceptionally rare among frogs and toads, practiced by less than one per cent of frog species, making these new species exceptionally interesting,” said H. Christoph Liedtke, a researcher from the Spanish National Research Council, who co-authored a description of the new species in November.
The new species were identified through physical and genetic analysis of museum specimens that were originally thought to be the same species. Two of the new species are already believed to be critically endangered.
ARTICOL EDITAT
New Species Discovered in 2025 Highlight Biodiversity and Ongoing Exploration
From a tarantula with exceptionally long genitalia to a carnivorous sponge in the Antarctic depths, recent discoveries reveal the remarkable biodiversity still hidden on Earth. A new study indicates that approximately 16,000 new species are identified each year, a rate that has been accelerating, with 15% of all known species described in the last two decades alone.
While many of these aren’t entirely “new” in the sense of being previously unknown to local populations, the formal scientific description is crucial. “We can’t safeguard a species from extinction if we don’t know it exists,” explains John Wiens, an ecology professor at the University of Arizona and co-author of the study published in December 2024. This process of official documentation is vital for conservation efforts and expands our understanding of the natural world.
Remarkable Discoveries of 2025
Well-Endowed Tarantulas of the Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa
Four new tarantula species were discovered in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, distinguished by the males’ extraordinarily long palps – their genital appendages. Satyrex ferox, the largest of the four, boasts a leg span of 14 centimeters. However, it’s the males’ palps, reaching up to five centimeters in length, that are particularly noteworthy.
Alireza Zamani, a researcher at the University of Turku who led the study published in ZooKeys, suggests this adaptation may allow males to maintain a safer distance during mating, reducing the risk of being attacked or consumed by the aggressive females.
The “Bone Collector” Caterpillar of Hawaii
In the forests of O’ahu, Hawaii, scientists have identified a unique caterpillar, dubbed the “bone collector,” that incorporates the remains of its prey into its protective cocoon. This caterpillar, which transforms into a moth with feathery wings, preys on insects caught in spiderwebs and then adorns itself with their body parts.
Described in Science in April 2025, the “bone collector” is currently found only within a 15-square-kilometer area, classifying it as endangered.
Carnivorous “Death-Ball” Sponge of the Southern Ocean
Exploration of the deep ocean continues to yield astonishing discoveries. The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census announced 30 new species found in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica, including a carnivorous sponge nicknamed the “death-ball.” Unlike most sponges that filter feed, this species uses spheres covered in tiny hooks to trap and consume prey. Other finds included new sea star species and an iridescent scale worm. More information can be found on the Nekton Mission website.
The “Eggy” Sea Slug of Indonesia
Shallow waters have also revealed new wonders. Phyllidia ovata, a newly identified wart sea slug from North Sulawesi, Indonesia, is notable for its appearance, resembling a cluster of fried eggs. This species, along with another new wart slug, preys on sponges and sequesters their toxins for self-defense, advertising its toxicity with vibrant colors. Although photographed as early as 2002, it was only formally described in July 2025. Observations can be found on iNaturalist.
New Canadian Crayfish: The Okanagan Crayfish
Researchers in British Columbia, Canada, have identified a new species of crayfish, the Okanagan crayfish, found in Okanagan Lake. Previously misidentified as the common signal crayfish, the Okanagan crayfish lacks the distinctive white mark on its claw. Unfortunately, this new species is considered endangered due to heavy human use of the lake. Details of the discovery are available from the University of Illinois.
Tiny Tube-Nosed Bats of the Philippines
Canadian researchers contributed to the discovery of six new species of tiny tube-nosed bats in the Philippines. Weighing between four and 14 grams, these bats were collected over the past 30 years during expeditions by researchers from the Royal Ontario Museum and the Field Museum in Chicago. The findings were published just before Halloween 2025. More information is available from the Royal Ontario Museum.
Reptiles with Famous Namesakes
Some new species are named in honor of notable figures. The long-nosed Pinocchio chameleon of Madagascar, Calumma pinocchio, and a new wolf snake from India’s Great Nicobar Islands, Lycodon irwini, are recent examples. The latter is named after the late Steve Irwin, the celebrated “Crocodile Hunter.”
The Tiny Mouse Opossum of the Andes
A small, spectacled marsupial, the mouse opossum Marmosa chachapoya, was discovered in the Peruvian Andes in 2018 and formally described in June 2025. This tiny creature, measuring around 10 centimeters with a 15-centimeter tail, lives at higher elevations than other mouse opossums.
Tree Toads That Skip the Tadpole Stage
Three new tree toad species discovered in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania exhibit an unusual reproductive strategy: they bypass the tadpole stage and give birth to live toadlets. This is a rare phenomenon, occurring in less than 1% of frog species. Further details can be found in Phys.org.
These recent discoveries underscore the vastness of unexplored biodiversity and the importance of continued scientific exploration and conservation efforts. As we learn more about the species that share our planet, we are better equipped to protect them for future generations.