Figure 1.

Species description curves of (a) amphibians and (b) land mammals showing the actual number of described species (solid line with hollow circles), modelled number of described species (bold line), and number of taxonomists (dashed line) in each 5 year period up to 2007. The amphibian shown is the spotted tree frog (Nyctixalus pictus) endemic to the tropical moist forests of Southeast Asia. The mammal is the critically endangered pygmy three-toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus), restricted to Isla Escudo de Veraguas in the islands of Bocas del Tora, off the Caribbean coast of Panama.