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The Recently Extinct Animals Database

I have written a free eBook, 'What's Lost and What Remains: The Sixth Extinction in 100 Accounts'.

Please use the Contact form to report any hyperlinks that no longer work ("deadlinks"). The internet is a dynamic place, and websites come and go all the time. As a single individual I cannot constantly check to make sure every single hyperlink still works, as there are literally 10,000's of them on the website.

NB: Please note that the taxonomy presented here is a simplified version intended for the general public. It does not group the phyla (plural of phylum) into higher-level clades. For example, the phylum Acanthocephala (spiny-headed worms) and the phylum Rotifera ('wheel animals') are known to form a unified clade but are kept separate here to avoid an overly complex taxonomic presentation.

NB: Please note that I am currently working solely on the plants database, so there will be minimal updates to the animals database for the next few months.

 

Phylum: Acanthocephala (Spiny-headed Worms)

Phylum: Annelida (Earthworms, Leeches etc.)

Phylum: Arthropoda (Arthropod Invertebrates)

Phylum: [Brachiopoda (Lamp Shells)]1

Phylum: Bryozoa (Bryozoans)

Phylum: [Chaetognatha]

Phylum: Chordata (Vertebrates and relatives)

Phylum: Cnidaria (Jellyfish, Coral, Sea Anemones etc.)

Phylum: [Ctenophora (Comb Jellies)]

Phylum: [Dicyemida]

Phylum: Echinodermata (Echinoderms: Starfish, Sea Cucumbers etc.)

Phylum: [Entoprocta]

Phylum: [Gastrotricha]

Phylum: [Gnathostomulida]

Phylum: Hemichordata (Acorn Worms etc.)

Phylum: [Kinorhyncha]

Phylum: [Loricifera]

Phylum: Mollusca (Snails, Bivalves, Chitons etc.)

Phylum: [Nematomorpha]

Phylum: Nematoda (Nematodes)

Phylum: Nemertea (Ribbon Worms)

Phylum: Onychophora (Velvet Worms)

Phylum: [Orthonectida]

Phylum: [Phoronida]

Phylum: [Placozoa]

Phylum: Platyhelminthes (Flat Worms)

Phylum: Porifera (Sea Sponges)

Phylum: [Priapulida]

Phylum: Rotifera (Rotifers)

Phylum: [Sipuncula]

Phylum: Tardigrada (Water Bears or Moss Piglets)

Phylum: [Xenacoelomorpha]

 


 

Phylum: Mollusca (Snails, Bivalves, Chitons etc.)

Class: [Aplacophora]

Class: Bivalvia (Mussels, Clams, Oysters etc.)

Class: Cephalopoda (Cuttlefish, Nautiluses, Octopuses, Squid etc.)

Class: Gastropoda (Land Snails, Sea Snails etc.)2

Subclass: Caenogastropoda

Subclass: Heterobranchia

Order: Aplysiida [Anaspidea]
Order: Cephalaspidea
Order: [Ellobiida]
Order: Nudibranchia
Order: [Pleurobranchida]
Order: [Pteropoda]
Order: [Ringiculida]
Order: [Runcinida]
Order: Stylommatophora
Suborder: Achatinina
Suborder: [Scolodontina]
Suborder: Helicina

Infraorder: incertae sedis

Infraorder: Arionoidei

Infraorder: Clausilioidei

Infraorder: Helicoidei

Infraorder: Limacoidei

Infraorder: Oleacinoidei

Infraorder: Orthalicoidei

Infraorder: Pupilloidei

Infraorder: Rhytidoidei

Infraorder: Succineoidei

Order: [Systellommatophora]
Order: [Umbraculida]
Superorder: Hygrophila
Superorder: Pylopulmonata
Superorder: Sacoglossa
(informal): "Lower Heterobranchia"

Subclass: [Neomphaliones]

Subclass: Neritimorpha

Subclass: Patellogastropoda (True Limpets)

Subclass: Vetigastropoda

Class: Monoplacophora

Class: Polyplacophora (Chitons)

Class: Scaphopoda (Tusk Shells)

 

 

Phylum: Arthropoda (Arthropod Invertebrates)

Subphylum: Chelicerata (Spiders, Sea Spiders, Scorpions, Mites, Ticks etc.)

Class: Arachnida (Spiders, Scorpions, Mites, Ticks etc.)

Order: Acari (Mites and Ticks)
Order: [Amblypygi/Pedipalpia (Whip Scorpions or Whip Spiders)]
Order: Araneae (True Spiders)
Order: Opiliones/Phalangida (Harvestmen)
Order: Palpigradi (Palpigrades or Microwhip Scorpions)
Order: Pseudoscorpionida (False Scorpions or Book Scorpions)
Order: [Ricinulei (Hooded Tickspiders)]
Order: Schizomida (Short-tailed Whip Scorpions)
Order: Scorpiones/Scorpionida (Scorpions)
Order: [Solifugae (Solifuges or Camel Spiders)]

Class: [Merostomata (Horseshoe Crabs)]

Class: Pycnogonida (Sea Spiders)

Subphylum: Crustacea (Crustaceans)

Superclass: Allotriocarida

Class: Branchiopoda
Class: Cephalocarida
Class: [Remipedia]

Superclass: Multicrustacea

Class: Copepoda
Class: Malacostraca
Class: Tantulocarida
Class: Thecostraca

Superclass: Oligostraca

Subclass: Mystacocarida
Class: Ichthyostraca
Class: Ostracoda

Subphylum: Hexapoda (Insects and their relatives)

Class: Entognatha (Springtails, Diplurans and Proturans)

Class: Insecta

Order: [Archaeognatha (Jumping bristletails)]
Order: Blattodea (Cockroaches and Termites)
Order: Coleoptera (Beetles)
Order: Dermaptera (Earwigs)
Order: Diptera (Flies and Mosquitoes)
Order: [Embioptera (Webspinners)]1
Order: Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
Order: Hemiptera (True Bugs)
Order: Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Sawflies, Wasps and Wood Wasps)
Order: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Order: Mantodea
Order: Mecoptera (Hangingflies, Scorpionflies etc.)
Order: [Megaloptera (Alderflies, Dobsonflies and Fishflies)]
Order: Neuroptera (Net-winged insects)
Order: [Notoptera (Ice-crawlers and Gladiators)]
Order: Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Order: Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Locusts, Crickets, Wetas and Katydids)
Order: Phasmatodea (Stick Insects or Walking Sticks)
Order: Phthiraptera (Louse)
Order: Plecoptera (Stoneflies)
Order: Psocodea (Lice)
Order: [Psocoptera (Booklice or Barklice or Barkflies)]
Order: Siphonaptera (Fleas)
Order: [Thysanoptera (Thrips)]1
Order: Trichoptera (Caddisflies)
Order: [Zoraptera (Angel Insects)]
Order: Zygentoma (Silverfish/Fishmoths and Firebrats)

Subphylum: Myriapoda (Centipedes, Millipedes, Pauropoda & Symphyla)

 

 

Phylum: Chordata (Vertebrates and relatives)

Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)

Subclass: Chondrostei (Cartilaginous Fish)

Subclass: [Cladistia (Bichirs and Reedfish)]1

Subclass: Neopterygii (New-Finned Fish)

Class: Amphibia (Frogs, Toads, Salamanders etc.)

Order: Anura (Frogs and Toads)

Order: Gymnophiona (Caecilians)

Order: Urodela (Salamanders, Newts, Axolotls etc.)

Class: Aves (Birds)

Superorder: Galloanserae

Order: Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Order: Galliformes (Francolins, Junglefowl, Mound-builders, Pheasants, Turkeys, etc.)
Order: †Gastornithiformes (Dromornithids or Mihirungs)

Superorder: Neoaves

Order: Accipitriformes (Eagles, Hawks, Kites, Secretarybirds, Ospreys, Old World Vultures etc.)
Order: Apodiformes (Hummingbirds, Swifts and Treeswifts)
Order: Bucerotiformes (Hornbills, Hoopoes, Scimitarbills, and Wood Hoopoes)
Order: Caprimulgiformes (Frogmouths, Nightjars, Oilbirds, Owlet-nightjars and Potoos)
Order: Cariamiformes (Seriemas and Terror Birds)
Order: Cathartiformes (New World Vultures)
Order: Charadriiformes (Auks, Gulls, Terns and Waders)
Order: Ciconiiformes (Adjutant's, Jabirus, Openbills and Storks)
Order: [Coliiformes (Mousebirds)]
Order: Columbiformes (Doves and Pigeons)
Order: Coraciiformes (Bee-eaters, Kingfishers, Motmots, Rollers, Todies)
Order: Cuculiformes (Anis, Couas, Cuckoos, Ground-Cuckoos etc.)
Order: Eurypygiformes (Kagus and Sunbitterns)
Order: Falconiformes (Caracaras, Falcons, Kestrels, etc.)
Order: [Gaviiformes (Loons)]
Order: Gruiformes (Crakes, Cranes, Fluftails, Gallinues, Limpkins, Rails, Trumpeters, Wood-Rails, etc.)
Order: [Leptosomiformes (Cuckoorollers)]
Order: [Mesitornithiformes (Mesites)]
Order: Musophagiformes (Turacos, Go-Away-Birds and Plantain-Eaters)
Order: [Opisthocomiformes (Hoatzin)]
Order: Otidiformes (Bustards, Floricans and Korhaans)
Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds)
Order: Pelecaniformes (Egrets, Herons, Ibises, Pelicans, Shoebills, etc.)
Order: [Phaethontiformes (Tropicbirds)]
Order: Phoenicopteriformes (Flamingos)
Order: Piciformes (Barbets, Jacamars, Puffbirds, Toucans, Woodpeckers etc.)
Order: Podicipediformes (Grebes)
Order: Procellariiformes (Albatrosses, Petrels, Shearwaters and Storm Petrels)
Order: Psittaciformes (Cockatoos and Parrots)
Order: Pteroclidiformes (Sandgrouse)
Order: Sphenisciformes (Penguins)
Order: Strigiformes (Owls)
Order: Suliformes (Boobies, Cormorants, Darters, Frigatebirds and Shags)
Order: [Trogoniformes (Quetzals and Trogons)]

Superorder: Notopalaeognathae

Order: †Aepyornithiformes (Elephant Birds)
Order: Apterygiformes (Kiwis)
Order: Casuariiformes (Casowaries and Emus)
Order: †Dinornithiformes (Moa)
Order: Rheiformes (Rheas)
Order: Tinamiformes (Tinamous)

Superorder: Struthionimorphae

Order: Struthioniformes (Ostriches)

Class: Chondrichthyes (Sharks, Rays etc.)

Class: Hyperoartia/Petromyzontida (Lampreys)

Class: Mammalia (Mammals)

Infraclass: Australosphenida (includes Monotremes: Echidnas and Platypuses)

Infraclass: Eutheria (Placental Mammals)

Superorder: Afrotheria

Order: Afrosoricida/Tenrecoidea (Golden Moles and Tenrecs)

Order: Macroscelidea (Sengis or Elephant Shrews)

Order: Proboscidea (Elephants, Mammoths and Mastodons)

Order: Sirenia

Order: Tubulidentata (Aardvarks)

Superorder: Boreoeutheria

Order: Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates)

Order: Carnivora (Carnivores)

Order: Chiroptera (Bats)

Order: [Dermoptera (Colugos)]

Order: Eulipotyphla (Moles, Shrews, Solenodons)

Order: Lagomorpha (Rabbits, Hares, Pikas)

Order: †Litopterna (Macraucheniids)

Order: †Notoungulata (Notoungulates)

Order: Perissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)

Order: Pholidota (Pangolins)

Order: Primates (Apes, Monkeys, Lemurs, Lorises, Tarsiers, Aye-aye)

Order: Rodentia (Rodents)

Order: [Scandentia (Treeshrews)]

Superorder: Xenarthra

Order: Cingulata (Armadillos)

Order: Pilosa (Anteaters and Sloths)

Infraclass: Metatheria (Marsupials)

Superorder: Ameridelphia

Order: Didelphimorphia (Opossums)

Order: [Paucituberculata]1

Superorder: Australidelphia

Order: Dasyuromorphia (Tasmanian Devil, Thylacine, Quolls, Dunnarts, Numbat etc.)

Order: Diprotodontia (Kangaroos, Wallabies, Wombats, Possums etc.)

Order: [Microbiotheria]1

Order: [Notoryctemorphia (Marsupial Moles)]1

Order: Peramelemorphia (Bandicoots, Bilbies and Pig-footed Bandicoots)

Class: Myxini (Hagfishes)

Class: Reptilia (Snakes, Lizards, Tortoises etc.)

Order: Crocodilia/Crocodylia

Order: Rhynchocephalia (Tuataras and their extinct relatives)

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Amphisbaenia (Worm Lizards)
Suborder: Ophidia (Serpentes)
Suborder: Sauria (Lacertilia)

Order: Testudines

Class: [Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish)]

 

Notes:

1 Taxonomic ranks encompassed by square brackets (i.e. "[" and "]") have no relevant subordinate taxa. That is, none of the species or subspecies included therein both a) survived at least until the late Pleistocene and b) are considered missing, extinct, rediscovered, or have been removed from these former categories due to taxonomic invalidity. This juxtaposition of non-empty and empty taxonomic units helps to identify potential instances of taxonomic bias in recent extinctions, and by extension those groups of organisms that may have an innate buffer against extinction.

2 Gastropod taxonomy follows (Bouchet et al., 2017).