The Verified Taxa Tally summarizes species diversity identified and verified through the Thicket of Diversity. For data to be included on the Verified Tally, it must adhere to ToD research reporting standards.
Overview
The 2026 Verified Taxa Tally records 5,616 species and 135,603 collected or observed records across the Big Thicket region. The report is organized by kingdom and research group so researchers, reviewers, and visitors can scan the breadth of verified ToD work.
The current verified tally includes 1,224 Animalia species, 1,646 Fungi species, 2,645 Plantae species, and 101 Protozoa species. The largest verified groups are vascular plants, macro fungi, nematodes, bryophytes, lichens, butterflies and moths, bees, and slime molds.
The tally also records the scientific value of the inventory work: 47 new-to-science records, 563 new-to-preserve records, 349 new-to-state records, and 6 new-to-US records. These discoveries show how ToD research continues to expand knowledge of life in the Big Thicket while adding observation records that can support long-term ecological comparison.
Verified Tally
Animalia
| Taxon | Description | Species Count | Collected Observed | New to Science | New to Preserve | New to State | New to US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acrididae | Grasshoppers | 23 | 47 | ||||
| Alligatoridae | American Alligators | 1 | 66 | ||||
| Annelids | Leeches | 2 | 8 | ||||
| Apoidea | Bees | 127 | 9,190 | 94 | 2 | ||
| Astacidea | Crayfish | 13 | 664 | 1 | |||
| Cicindelidae | Tiger Beetles | 5 | 12 | ||||
| Formicidae | Ants | 60 | 3,152+ | 13 | |||
| Gastropoda | Land Snails | 31 | n/a | ||||
| Coleoptera | Waterbeetles (excluding Gyrinidae) | 54 | 375 | 21 | |||
| Gyrinidae | Whirligig Beetles | 8 | 789 | 8 | |||
| Herpetofauna | Amphibians & Reptiles | 66 | 250 | ||||
| Heteroptera | Aquatic True Bugs-water striders/scorpions, etc. | 75 | 1,712 | 16 | |||
| Ichthyofauna | Freshwater Fish | 70 | 89,572 | ||||
| Lepidoptera | Butterflies, Moths (moth data under Noctuidae) | 134 | 623+ | ||||
| Noctuidae | Owlet Moths | 53 | 292 | ||||
| Mordellidae | Tumbling Flower Beetles | 17 | 108 | ||||
| Nematode | Roundworms, Freeliving & Plant Parasitic | 335 | 139+ | 2 | 166 | ||
| Odonata | Dragonflies & Damselflies | 34 | 9,843 | ||||
| Tardigrada | Waterbears, Moss Piglets | 8 | 15 | ||||
| Platyhelminthes | Trematoda & Parasites of Aquatic Ectotherms | 76 | 236+ | 11 | |||
| Unionoida | Freshwater Mussels | 32 | 11,804 |
Fungi
| Taxon | Description | Species Count | Collected Observed | New to Science | New to Preserve | New to State | New to US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lichens | Dual Organism - fungus & algae | 139 | 1,089 | 2 | |||
| Macro Fungi | Mushrooms | 1,433 | 2,118+ | 27 | 234 | 285 | 3 |
| Pyrenomycetes | Fungi with tough texture | 74 | 260 | 6 | 14 | 3 |
Plantae
| Taxon | Description | Species Count | Collected Observed | New to Science | New to Preserve | New to State | New to US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryophyta | Mosses, Hornworts, Liverworts | 179 | 2,081 | ||||
| Orchidaceae | Orchids | 43 | 489 | ||||
| Tracheophytes | Vascular Plants | 2,423 | 6,079 | 4 |
Protozoa
| Taxon | Description | Species Count | Collected Observed | New to Science | New to Preserve | New to State | New to US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myxomycetes | Slime Molds | 101 | 858 | 47 | 6 |
Overall Total
| Taxon | Description | Species Count | Collected Observed | New to Science | New to Preserve | New to State | New to US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 5,616 | 135,603 | 47 | 563 | 349 | 6 |
Prepared by Natalia Doiron and Mary Catherine Johnston, May 2026.