Estimated undescribed species in New Zealand for a given taxon. This will help gauge and prioritise the task of systematic inventory in New Zealand beyond 2000. Clearly it is necessary to include the biota of the Kermadec and subantarctic islands in the species lists. If one wants to segregate Kermadec species in some way then one can insert K after the entry in the list if necessary. Percentage endemism at various taxonomic levels.
Endemism signifies unique biodiversity.
Endemics are often indicators of biodiversity-rich locations and they play a major role in reserve selection. They tend to be highly vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance and other forms of environmental change, thus the basic inventory work that clarifies what species are endemic and how they are distributed is crucial. All endemic species should be signified in the checklists by an E after the entry . This kind of information will enhance interest in the verbal presentations and readability of the written chapters. An inventory of current exotics and a commentary on the history and vectors of the alien species among various taxa would be a very useful baseline against which to compare future changes.