This updated checklist of the Chondrichthyans already identified within the Azores EEZ follows the last revised version published by Barreiros & Gadig (2011). Although no new records are now registered the taxonomy has been updated. New information regarding the specific occurrence of the rare Odontaspis ferox was recently published (see Barcelos et al. 2018). As for the updated checklist of Azores' Actinopterygii, the first comprehensive chondrichthyan checklist was published by Santos et al. (1997) and later updated by Porteiro et al. (2010).

Since the first published comprehensive checklist of Azorean fishes - covering the whole EEZ region - (Santos et al. 1997) several new records have been published and an updated checklist published (Porteiro et al. 2010). This new dataset covers all confirmed species of bony fish for the Azorean EEZ and is currently sequenced with an updated checklist (Barreiros & Azevedo, 2019) for the region's Chondrichthyes (last revised by Barreiros & Gadig 2011).

All 28 species of Cetaceans known to occurr within the Azores' EEZ (corresponding to ca. 36% of all 86 cetacean species - including 6 freshwater ones) are listed in this updated checklist. Following the last update (Prieto & Silva, 2010) this "situation point" is presently the basis for further eventual new records. Three species listed here are certainly occasional and/or vagrant (i.e. Eubalaena glacialis, Lagenodelphis hosei and Phocoena phocoena). For an updated cheklist on the world's cetaceans see Perrin (2019).

Sea turtles are the best-known and more widespread marine reptiles. However, information on their distribution and the occurrence of most species, except for nesting beaches, remains scarce and sporadic, depending on sightings from fishing vessels, tourist activities and occurrences in coastal areas as well as fishing bycatch. Since the last updated species’ list for the Azores (Santos et al, 2010), no new species’ record was known for Azorean waters, until October 2020, with the confirmed sighting of an Olive Ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) (Barcelos et al. 2021). After that, in February 2021, a second individual was found stranded on Pico Island, already in an advanced state of decomposition. This increased the number of species present in Azores EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) to six out of the seven extant worldwide. The remaining one, Natator depressus (Garman, 1880), is native to the Indo-pacific (see Red List Standards & Petitions Subcommittee, 1996).

This dataset contains comprehensive information about the global alien spread and distribution of macrofungi species during the last centuries (1753-2018)

The Azores is a remote oceanic archipelago of nine islands which belongs to the Macaronesia biogeographical region and is among the richest regions concerning fungi, plant and animal diversity in Europe. This checklist lists all the species of the most important terrestrial and marine taxonomic groups. The total number of terrestrial and marine taxa (species and subspecies) in the Azores is estimated in about 8047. The marine organisms currently listed make up about 23% of the Azorean biodiversity. The total number of terrestrial and marine endemic taxa (species and subspecies) in the Azores is estimated of about 491.

This checklist includes, as rigorously as possible, all the known terrestrial and freshwater, i.e. insular, fungi, plants and animals of the Madeira and Selvagens archipelagos with the indication of their known presence on the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, Desertas and Selvagens. It results from the collaborative work of many taxonomists from different Portuguese and foreign institutions (about 90 taxonomists), under the editorial coordination of the Azorean Biodiversity Group (http://www.gba.uac.pt). The total estimated number of terrestrial species and subspecies in the Madeira and Selvagens archipelagos was about 7,571 (7,452 species and 421 subspecies). Fungi and plants represent about 42% of the terrestrial diversity. However, animals dominate, arthropods being the majority (51%) of all recorded taxa. The total number of endemic species and subspecies from the Madeira and Selvagens archipelagos is about 1,419 (1,286 species and 182 subspecies), which represents 19% of the overall species diversity. The animal Phyla are the most diverse in endemic taxa, namely Mollusca (210) and Arthropoda (979), comprising about 84% of the Madeiran endemics. The percentage of endemism within Mollusca is particularly remarkable, reaching 71%. Within vascular plants there are 154 endemic species and subspecies (13% of the overall plant species diversity) while the remaining higher taxonomic groups are less diverse in terms of endemic forms: Fungi – 36 (5%); Lichens – 12 (2%); Bryophytes – 11 (2%); vertebrates 15 (24%).