Best Extant

The sword-billed hummingbird is a unique South American hummingbird inhabiting the Andean slopes of eastern Peru and northern Bolivia. It’s notable for possessing an extraordinarily long, curved bill—the longest among all birds—which it uses to access nectar deep within tubular flowers. This special...

The quokka is a small marsupial native to Rottnest Island and parts of Western Australia. It belongs to the macropod family, closely related to wallabies. Notably, its perpetually smiling expression has made it an internet sensation. Quokkas are primarily herbivores and are most relevant to research...

The wire-crested thorntail *Discosura popelairii* is a hummingbird species found in the Andean foothills of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It’s notable for its distinctive wire-like crest and long, curved tail feathers, features that distinguish it within the Discosura genus. This bird is primarily ob...

The red kangaroo is a large marsupial native to Australia’s arid regions. It's notable for its impressive size – the largest of all kangaroos – and unique adaptations to survive in dry environments including a long tail for balance and specialized kidneys for water conservation. These animals are pr...

The Juan Fernández firecrown is a small hummingbird species native solely to the island of Juan Fernández off the coast of Chile. It’s notable for being one of only two extant species of Sephanoides hummingbirds and critically endangered due to habitat loss and introduced predators. This bird is pri...

The Crimson Topaz is a sizable hummingbird species found in the neotropics. It’s distinguished by the male's vibrant crimson plumage and impressive size, reaching approximately 23 centimeters including tail streamers. This bird is notable for its striking coloration and remains an extant example of...

The scissor-tailed hummingbird is a small hummingbird species native to Venezuela’s Paria Peninsula. Distinguished by its exceptionally long tail feathers, it represents one of the world's most unique hummingbirds. This extant species faces significant threats due to habitat loss and declining popul...

The numbat is a unique myrmecobiid marsupial native to southwestern Australia. It’s notable for being one of only two species of termites-eating mammals in the world. This endangered animal plays a crucial role in maintaining termite populations and is recognized as a symbol of Western Australia, p...

The long-tailed sylph is a hummingbird species native to the Andean highlands of Venezuela, Bolivia, and surrounding areas. It’s recognized by its males possessing exceptionally elongated outer tail feathers, reaching up to twelve centimeters – significantly longer than most other hummingbirds. This...

The Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornatus) is a small hummingbird found throughout the Caribbean islands and parts of South America. It’s notable for its distinctive tufts on its head and vibrant turquoise plumage. Primarily breeding in Trinidad, Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil, it's of interest to birdw...

The horned sungem is a hummingbird species found primarily within Brazil’s cerrado biome. It is notable as the only extant member of the Heliactin genus, distinguished by prominent, horn-like plumes on the male's head. This unique feature makes it a subject of interest for ornithologists and conserv...

Megachile pluto is a sizable bee native to Indonesia. It’s notable as the largest extant leafcutter-bee species globally, reaching significant sizes. This giant bee belongs to the Megachilidae family and is of interest to entomologists studying bee diversity and evolution. Researchers and conservati...

Apis mellifera, commonly known as the European honeybee, is a social insect belonging to the Hymenoptera order. Notably, it’s a key species in global pollination, vital for numerous agricultural crops and wild plant reproduction. This extant eusocial bee lives in organized colonies with complex comm...

*Toxopneustes pileolus*, or flower urchin, is a regular sea-urchin belonging to the Toxopneustidae family. It’s notable for its venomous spines and distinctive flower-like appearance. This extant echinoderm inhabits shallow coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region and is often found near coral reef...

Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, commonly known as the purple sea urchin, is a species of echinoderm found in Pacific coastal waters. It’s notable for its well-studied biology and serves as a key model organism within marine research. Scientists utilize this regular sea urchin, belonging to the Strong...

Mesocentrotus franciscanus, commonly known as the red sea urchin, is a regular echinoderm belonging to the Strongylocentrotidae family. It inhabits kelp forests along the Pacific coast of North America. This species is notable for its size and commercially harvested roe, which is consumed globally....

The great hammerhead is the largest species of hammerhead shark, belonging to the family Sphyrnidae. Found in tropical and warm temperate oceans globally, this species can reach lengths of up to 6.1 meters and is distinguished by its uniquely shaped cephalofoil. It is a solitary, strong-swimming pre...

The whale shark is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. Found in tropical and warm-temperate ocean waters worldwide, it can reach lengths of approximately 18 meters. The species feeds primarily on plankton and small nekton by filtering water through i...

The tiger shark is a large macropredatory requiem shark found in tropical and warm temperate waters around the world. It derives its name from the dark vertical stripes found along the sides of juveniles, which often fade as the shark matures. As a solitary, mostly nocturnal apex predator, it has a...

The great white shark is a large lamnid species found in the coastal surface waters of all major oceans. It is notable for its size, with mature individuals often reaching lengths of over 4.5 meters, making it the largest known macropredatory fish in existence. As an apex predator, it primarily feed...

Bombus terrestris is a widespread bumblebee species native to Europe. It’s notable for its subterranean nesting behavior, creating nests underground rather than in existing cavities. This bee is crucial for pollinating various wildflowers and crops. Farmers, researchers studying pollination, and con...

The giant hummingbird represents the largest hummingbird species currently living. Native to the Andes mountains of South America, it is distinguished by its significantly larger size compared to other hummingbirds. Recent genetic research has confirmed distinct populations within the species, separ...

The fiery topaz is a hummingbird species native to the Amazon rainforests of South America. It’s distinguished by its exceptionally vibrant orange-red coloration in males, a result of unique pigments within its feathers. This small bird is primarily found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venez...

The bull shark is a large, stout-bodied requiem shark belonging to the family Carcharhinidae. It is distinguished by its euryhaline nature, meaning it can survive and thrive in both saltwater and freshwater environments. This physiological adaptation allows the species to travel far up rivers and es...

Osmia lignaria, commonly known as the blue orchard bee, is a species of mason bee native to North America. It’s notable for its specialized nesting behavior within wood cavities and its critical role in pollinating fruit trees like apples and pears during early bloom periods. This solitary bee is pa...

Diadema antillarum is a regular sea-urchin belonging to the Diadematidae family and found throughout the Caribbean. This extant species plays a significant role in maintaining healthy coral reefs by consuming algae. The 1983 mass mortality event dramatically impacted populations, making it particula...

The blue orchard mason bee, scientifically known as Osmia lignaria, is a solitary bee species native to North America. It is recognized by its dark metallic blue or black coloring and its habit of building nests in existing cavities, such as hollow plant stems or holes in wood. The bee is a highly e...

The red-tailed comet is a hummingbird species endemic to the Andes Mountains of Bolivia and Argentina. It’s notable as the last remaining member of its genus, *Sappho*, making it a significant example of extant Andean avian evolution. Primarily found in cloud forests, it's of interest to ornithologi...

Apis laboriosa, commonly known as the giant Himalayan honey bee, is the largest species of honey bee in the world. Native to the high-altitude mountainous regions of the Himalayas, these social insects construct massive, exposed combs on vertical cliff faces. The bees forage on local flora, includin...