A data deficient (DD)
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...
is one which has been
categorized
Categorization is the ability and activity of recognizing shared features or similarities between the elements of the experience of the world (such as objects, events, or ideas), organizing and classifying experience by associating them to a ...
by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natur ...
(IUCN) as offering insufficient information for a proper assessment of
conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservatio ...
to be made. This does not necessarily indicate that the species has not been extensively studied; but it does indicate that little or no information is available on the
abundance and
distribution Distribution may refer to:
Mathematics
*Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations
*Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a varia ...
of the species.
The IUCN recommends that care be taken to avoid classing species as "data deficient" when the absence of records may indicate dangerously low abundance: "If the range of a taxon is suspected to be relatively circumscribed, if a considerable period of time has elapsed since the last record of the taxon, threatened status may well be justified"
["The Categories," in IUCN (1983).] (see also
precautionary principle
The precautionary principle (or precautionary approach) is a broad epistemological, philosophical and legal approach to innovations with potential for causing harm when extensive scientific knowledge on the matter is lacking. It emphasizes cauti ...
).
See also
*
IUCN Red List data deficient species
*
List of data deficient amphibians
As of January 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists 1193 data deficient amphibian species. 16% of all evaluated amphibian species are listed as data deficient.
No subpopulations of amphibians have been evaluated b ...
*
IUCN Red List data deficient species (Annelida)
*
List of data deficient arthropods
*
List of data deficient birds
*
IUCN Red List data deficient species (Cnidaria)
*
List of data deficient fishes
*
List of data deficient insects
*
List of data deficient invertebrates
*
List of data deficient mammals
*
List of data deficient molluscs
*
List of data deficient plants
*
List of data deficient reptiles
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Ecology, Biology
IUCN Red List
Biota by conservation status