A cumulative species description curve for large open water marine animals

A cumulative species description curve (from 1830 to 1995) is given for ope n water marine fauna in excess of 2m long in the major axis of the body. Th is curve has not yet closely approached its asymptote. Estimation by maximu m Likelihood fit of a hyperbola suggests a maximum of some 47 species await ing formal scientific description and an approximate current rate of descri ption of one new species every 5.3 years. Consideration of the most recentl y described species and recent observations by field workers suggests that any imminent species descriptions are most likely to be cetaceans.