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There may be twice as many vertebrate species on Earth as thought, thanks to hidden cryptic species

We’re only in the early stages of 2026, and one massive change from last year may have already occurred: there may actually ...

Hiding in plain sight: Discovery of cryptic species could double the number of vertebrates

There may be twice as many vertebrates on the planet as previous estimates claimed, according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. That's ...

Signaling output genes shed light on evolutionary crossroads of vertebrates

New research from the University of St Andrews has discovered a crucial piece in the puzzle of how all animals with a spine—including all mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians—evolved. In a paper ...