Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: Setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil
Walter A. Boeger, Michel P. Valim, Hussam Zaher, José Albertíno Rafael, Rafaela Campostrini Forzza, Alexandre Reis Percequillo, Cristiana S. Serejo, André Rinaldo Senna Garraffoni, Adalberto J. Santos, Adam Ślipiński, Adelita M. Linzmeier, Adolfo R. Calor, Adrian Antonio Garda, Adriano B. Kury, Agatha C.S. Fernandes, Aisur Ignacio Agudo-Padrón, Alberto Akama, ALBERTO MOREIRA DA SILVA NETO, Alejandro Londoño Burbano, A. R. E. A. N. De MENEZES, Alessandre Pereira-Colavite, ALEXANDER ANICHTCHENKO, Alexander Charles Lees, Alexandra Maria Ramos Bezerra, Alexandre Cruz Domahovski, Alexandre Dias Pimenta, Alexandre Luis Padovan Aleixo, Alexandre Pires Marceniuk, Alexandre Souza de Paula, Alexandre Somavilla, Alexandre Specht, Alexssandro Camargo, Alfred F. Newton, Aline A.S. da Silva, Aline B. dos Santos, Aline D. Tassi, Allan Carelli Aragão, Allan Paulo Moreira Santos, Álvaro Esteves Migotto, Amanda Cruz Mendes, Amanda Ferreira Cunha, Amazonas Chagas, Ana A.T. de Sousa, Ana Carolina Pavan, ANA C.S. ALMEIDA, Ana L. B. G. Peronti, Ana Lucia Henriques-Oliveira, Ana Lúcia da Costa Prudente, Ana Lúcia Miranda Tourinho, Ana Maria Pes, Ana Paula Carmignotto, Ana Paula Gonçalves da Silva Wengrat, Ana Paula Siqueira Dornellas, Anamaria Dal Molin, Anderson Puker, André C. Morandini, André da S. Ferreira, André L. Martins, André Morgado Esteves, André S. Fernandes, André Silva Roza, Andreas Köhler, Andressa Paladini, Andrey José de Andrade, Ângelo Parise Pinto, A. Salles, Anne Isabelley Gondim, A. Cecília Z. Amaral, Antonio Arnovis Agudelo Rondón, Antônio D. Brescovit, Antônio C. Lofego, António Carlos Marques, A. Macedo, Artur Andriolo, Augusto Loureiro Henriques, A. Laverde Júnior, Aurino F. de Lima, Ávyla Régia de Albuquerque Barros, Ayrton do R. Brito, Bárbara Louise Valentas Romera, Beatriz M.C. de Vasconcelos, Benjamin W. Frable, Bernardo F. Santos, Bernardo R. Ferraz, Brunno B. Rosa, Brunno Henrique Lanzellotti Sampaio, Bruno Cavalcante Bellini, Bruno Clarkson, Bruno De Oliveira, Caio C. D. Corrêa, Caleb Califre Martins, Camila Fediuk de Castro-Guedes, Camilla Souto, Carla de Lima Bicho, Carlo M. Cunha, Carlos Alberto De Moura Barboza, Carlos Alberto Santos de Lucena, Carlos Barreto, Carlos D.C.M. de Santana, Carlos Eduardo Agne
Abstract
ABSTRACT The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others.