Marking the 26th International Biodiversity Day on May 22, 2026, the Biodiversity Committee of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (BC-CAS) officially released the "Catalogue of Life China 2026 Annual Checklist." This comprehensive and updated inventory is now freely available for global users to download at http://www.sp2000.org.cn.

The 2026 edition of the catalogue enumerates an impressive 168,871 species and infraspecies taxa. This total includes 155,266 species and 13,605 infraspecies taxa, representing a significant increase of 6,154 compared to the 2025 version.

Key updates highlight substantial growth across major taxonomic groups. Animalia saw the addition of 3,380 new species and 477 infraspecies taxa. In the plant kingdom, 431 new species were documented, alongside a net decrease of 2 infraspecies taxa. Fungi recorded a substantial addition of 3,114 new species, though taxonomic adjustments and expanded coverage resulted in a net decrease of 1,246 infraspecies taxa within this group.

This edition newly includes 476 species from the phylum Rotifera (classes Digononta and Monogononta) and 734 species from the class Collembola within the phylum Arthropoda. Within Insecta, over 2,000 species were added, including 10 families in the order Siphonaptera, as well as the family Eulophidae (Hymenoptera), Cicadellidae (Hemiptera), and Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera). Among Chordata, Amphibia grew by 48 species to a total of 767, while Reptilia increased by 40 species to 731.

The compilation of this extensive catalogue was a collaborative effort involving researchers from several Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) institutes, including the Institute of Zoology, Institute of Botany, Institute of Microbiology, Institute of Oceanology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, and Kunming Institute of Zoology, alongside other contributing institutions. The project receives crucial support from the CAS Biological Resources Programme and the National Basic Science Data Center.

China stands as the sole nation globally to annually publish such a comprehensive biodiversity catalogue. With over 24 TB downloaded, 27 million page visits, and 1,500 academic citations, this initiative not only enhances China’s national biodiversity inventory but also translates its commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity into a significant global public good. Its widespread impact is evidenced by over 24 TB of data downloaded, 27 million page visits, and 1,500 academic citations.

Looking ahead, the Catalogue of Life China will continue to leverage digital platforms to integrate and share species information, thereby enhancing global biodiversity research and informing conservation decision-making worldwide.