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MCQ · Q2

Q.About how many species of organisms have been described and given scientific names so far?

(a) About 50,000
(b) About 1.7 to 1.8 million
(c) About 50 million
(d) About 100,000
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Taxonomists have so far formally described and given valid scientific names to somewhere in the range of 1.7 to 1.8 million species across all groups of organisms, though the true total number of species existing on Earth (described and undescribed) is believed to be considerably higher and remains genuinely uncertain. Options (a) and (d) are far too low, and (c) substantially overstates the number of species actually described (as opposed to estimated to exist). [!ANSWER] The correct option is (b).

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