Species Search

Search 370,000+ species by common name or scientific name. Filter by kingdom (Animalia, Plantae, Fungi) and IUCN conservation status (LC, NT, VU, EN, CR). Instant results linked to full species profiles.

Exploration

Search 370K+ Species

Search by common name or scientific name. Filter by kingdom and IUCN conservation status.

Quick presets:

Start typing to search 370K+ species.
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How to Use

  1. 1
    Enter a search term

    Type a common name (e.g. tiger) or scientific name (e.g. Panthera tigris). Results update as you type.

  2. 2
    Narrow by kingdom and status

    Choose a kingdom (Animalia, Plantae, or Fungi) and an IUCN conservation status (LC through EX) to refine results.

  3. 3
    Open the full species profile

    Click any result card to view the full species profile with taxonomy, habitat, geographic range, and population data.

About

Biological taxonomy is the framework scientists use to organize life on Earth. Every species is placed in a nested hierarchy — Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species — originally formalized by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century and refined continuously as new molecular evidence emerges. Modern phylogenetics, which reconstructs evolutionary relationships from DNA sequence data, has reshaped many historical groupings and continues to move species between branches of the tree of life. The Species Search tool lets you explore this structure across more than 370,000 indexed organisms, combining a fast text search with kingdom and IUCN Red List filters so you can answer questions like which mammals are endangered, what plants belong to a given family, or which fungi have been recorded in a region. Results are drawn from public biodiversity databases including GBIF, IUCN, NCBI, and Wikidata, and every card links to a full species profile with taxonomy, conservation status, population trends, habitat description, and geographic range. Use it as a starting point for field research, conservation planning, academic coursework, citizen-science projects, or simply to discover the extraordinary diversity of life on our planet.

FAQ

What is biological taxonomy?
Taxonomy is the science of naming, describing, and classifying living organisms. The Linnaean system groups species into nested ranks: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. SpeciesFYI indexes more than 370,000 species using this hierarchy so you can navigate from broad groups down to individual organisms.
What is the difference between a kingdom and a domain?
Domain is the highest rank in modern taxonomy, grouping life into Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. Kingdom sits one level below: Eukarya contains Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, and Chromista. SpeciesFYI search supports kingdom-level filtering because it matches how most biologists describe species in field guides and databases.
What do the IUCN conservation status codes mean?
The IUCN Red List uses nine categories. LC (Least Concern) and NT (Near Threatened) indicate stable populations, VU (Vulnerable), EN (Endangered), and CR (Critically Endangered) signal rising extinction risk, and EW (Extinct in the Wild) and EX (Extinct) mark species lost from nature. DD (Data Deficient) and NE (Not Evaluated) apply when evidence is insufficient.
Why search scientific names instead of common names?
Common names vary by region and language — the same bird may be called a robin in the US and the UK but refer to different species. Scientific names (binomial Latin names like Turdus migratorius) are unique worldwide and tied to a single species, so they are the most reliable way to find exactly the organism you want.
How many species have been discovered?
Scientists have formally described roughly 2.1 million species so far, and taxonomists estimate 8 to 10 million more remain undescribed — most of them insects, fungi, and microorganisms. SpeciesFYI hosts more than 370,000 indexed species drawn from GBIF, Wikidata, IUCN, and NCBI, and new species are added as data becomes available.

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