The Recently Extinct Animals Database
I have written a free eBook, 'What's Lost and What Remains: The Sixth Extinction in 100 Accounts'.
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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]
Below are expanded versions of three of the phyla listed above: Mollusca, Arthropoda and Chordata, respectively.
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 (Snakes)
Suborder: Sauria (Lacertilia) (Lizards)
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).