A scientific expedition into a remote and previously unstudied region of the Brazilian Amazon has returned with evidence of at least 47 species previously unknown to science — underscoring how much of Earth's biodiversity remains undiscovered in 2026.
The expedition, jointly organised by the Natural History Museum London and the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, spent six weeks in the Javari Valley. Highlights include: a fluorescent tree frog that uses biofluorescence for communication; three new orchid species with unprecedented pollination mechanisms; a small fish that breathes in low-oxygen environments through specialised gill structures; and seven new beetle species with extraordinary camouflage.
Each discovered species is potentially endemic — existing nowhere else on Earth — making the protection of this specific ecosystem a matter of permanent importance. The region is adjacent to areas under pressure from agricultural expansion and illegal mining.
We found 47 new species in six weeks in an area the size of Rhode Island. The Amazon is still giving us discoveries that rewrite our understanding of life on Earth. It must be protected.