Animal Species Discovered — Or Rediscovered — In 2025
We'll continue updating this running list of some of the new and rare species discovered — or rediscovered — throughout 2025.
Updated Jan. 14 2025, 9:56 a.m. ET
A harrowing 2024 study published in the journal Science reveals a grim reality: that the ongoing climate crisis has put Earth on track to lose about 160,000 species, with a worst-case scenario loss of 3 million creatures.
But there is a bright spot in all the gloom and doom: scientists continue to discover new species of animals and plants.
While 2024 brought many new species (and some rediscovered ones!) into the spotlight, 2025 has provided many discoveries as well. Check out some of the most unique or fascinating species below.
A new species of moray eel called Uropterygius hades has been named for the Greek god of the underworld.
On the precipice of the new year, a study published in December 2024 in the journal ZooKeys revealed a new species of moray eel living in the "Central-Indo Pacific Ocean." Unlike other eels, the study notes this rare variant prefers to live in murky estuaries where they can burrow or hide in the mud — unusual for a species that typically resides in saltwater. Additionally, researchers noted that the U. hades has particularly small eyes and is highly sensitive to light.
According to IFL Science, Dr. Wen-Chien Huang, the study's first author, was inspired by Ralph Fiennes' performance as Hades in Clash of the Titans and thus, the U. hades got their name. The eel was also discovered somewhat by accident, as three researchers investigating a cave in the Philippines were hoping to find a bean-eyed snake moray, or Uropterygius cyamommatus.
A new species of funnel-web spider nicknamed "Big boy" and named Atrax christenseni for one of their discoverers.
On Jan. 14, 2025, Reuters reported that a new species of funnel-web spider had been discovered in part by Kane Christensen, former head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park. Christiansen had been observing the venomous spiders coming into the Australian Reptile Park since 2003 and noticed that some, especially from the Newcastle area, were larger than others, per the Guardian.
Thanks to research published on Jan. 13, 2024, by the Australian Museum, Flinders University, and Germany's Leibniz Institute, the "Big boy" spiders were officially declared a new species entirely than the Sydney funnel-web spiders and named Atrax christenseni in tribute to Christensen.
Additionally, per the Guardian, during the years-long process of classifying the Atrax christenseni, scientists also discovered a third species of funnel-web spider.
This article, originally published on Jan. 2, 2025, has been updated.