What is the Estimated Number of Extant Species on Earth

Question

What is the estimated number of extant species on Earth?
A)1000 to 50 000
B)50 000 to 150 000
C)500 000 to 1 000 000
D)10 000 000 to 100 000 000
E)5 billion to 10 billion

Accepted Answer

The estimated number of extant species on Earth ranges widely, with current estimates suggesting there are between 10 million to 100 million species, though only about 1.2 million have been formally described. This wide range reflects the vast unknown biodiversity, especially in habitats like the deep sea and tropical rainforests.