Resolving discrepancies between datasets.

An important aspect of the current extinction crisis is the loss of distinct clades (e.g., genera). A recent study suggested that there is rapidly accelerating extinction of genera (and other higher taxa), indicating a current mass extinction event that endangers human survival. However, that study was based only on land vertebrates, which include only about half of vertebrates and n = 4; 0.08%), squamate reptiles (n = 2; 0.17%), and amphibians (n = 1; 0.18%). Documented extinctions were also rare among the thousands of assessed genera of arthropods (n = 11; 0.32%) and plants (n = 12; 0.17%), which together encompass most known species. Most extinct genera were monotypic (~80%), and most were island endemics (76%). Moreover, despite the claim that extinctions of higher taxa are rapidly accelerating, the highest rates of genus-level extinctions occurred more than 100 years ago, and have declined subsequently. Overall, the recent extinctions of higher taxa are not as dire as previously suggested.