The air is cool. The scientists stand still in a rainforest. They look up into the trees. They are looking for a type of monkey. They see nothing.
Then, they hear a sneeze. They spot a snub‑nosed monkey. It snorts as rain drips into its nose. A new species has just been found!
snub‑nosed monkey
Is It New?
There are lots of different living things on Earth. It’s called biodiversity. Yet, not all living things are known by people. They are discovered over time. Scientists collect and study them. They put living things into classifications.
There’s a process for finding and naming new species. First, a living thing must be found. Then it has to be studied. It is compared to other living things.
Scientists write a report to describe it. Experts review this. If they agree the living thing is new, then it is labeled a new species.
This scientist helped discover a new species of crab called the yeti crab.
What's in a Name?
Every species has a two‑part name. It’s called the scientific name. It is written in Latin. Every species also has a common name. That’s an easier name for people to use and remember. For example, there is a spider that looks like the sorting hat from the Harry Potter series. Its common name is the sorting hat spider. Its scientific name is Eriovixia gryffindori. A new species of fly has a golden backside. Its common name is the Beyoncé fly. Its scientific name is Scaptia beyonceae.
sorting hat spider
Beyoncé fly