Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

Marine biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate, yet extinctions in the ocean often go unnoticed due to data gaps and underexplored habitats. This capstone project, developed in partnership with Re:wild and the IUCN, contributes to global conservation efforts by identifying potentially lost species of marine bony fishes—species not recorded by visual, genetic, or photographic means in over a decade. Drawing from the 12,241 assessed species on the IUCN Red List, over 100 search terms were used to screen candidate species, followed by manual validation using GBIF records, museum holdings, and expert input. Nearly 800 species met the criteria for “lost,” forming the basis of a strategic rediscovery list. This report also highlights biases in detection and documentation, and explores the promise and limitations of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a non-invasive tool for species rediscovery. An upcoming expedition to the Galápagos will apply eDNA to search for Azurina eupalama, a damselfish last seen over 40 years ago. By bringing attention to overlooked species and applying innovative tools, this work reveals how loss can be transformed into rediscovery.