THE PARADOX OF THE RICH: ARE THERE TOO MANY INSECT SPECIES IN ECUADOR, OR TOO FEW SCIENTISTS TO STUDY THEM?

Resumen

Ecuador, despite being one of the most biodiverse nations on Earth, illustrates a paradox: extraordinary insect richness coexists with a critical shortage of taxonomists to study it. Globally, about one million insect species have been described, while estimates suggest five to ten million may exist, particularly in tropical regions. In Ecuador, only a handful of insect groups—such as butterflies, dung beetles, ants, and orchid bees—have been moderately documented. However, the majority of insect orders remain virtually unexplored. Millions of specimens preserved in national and international collections await identification, yet a lack of funding, infrastructure, and trained specialists has stalled progress.

This situation reflects the “Linnean shortfall,” or taxonomic gap, which hampers conservation efforts by leaving species unnamed and therefore unprotected; many of these species are potentially at risk of extinction. Ecuadorian taxonomic research output has grown slowly, from a few publications in the late 1990s to an average of eight per year in recent years. Still, it remains far behind regional leaders, such as Brazil. The challenges include scarce financial resources, minimal government support, the undervaluation of taxonomy within universities, and declining interest among young scientists, who are increasingly turning to disciplines with faster economic rewards.

To reverse this trend, the text emphasizes the importance of inspiring new generations of entomologists, enhancing access to collections, and securing stable research positions. Taxonomy, though often underappreciated, underpins ecology, evolution, and conservation by linking species names to their ecological roles. Without renewed investment and commitment, Ecuador risks losing its insect wealth—perhaps less than 1% of which is currently described—before it can be studied or conserved.