diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py b/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py
index 023df57b7..58c0dc980 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py
@@ -693,6 +693,10 @@ class TestSpecies(utilities.CanteraTest):
             for m,n in s.composition.items():
                 self.assertEqual(n, self.gas.n_atoms(k,m))
 
+    def test_species_noargs(self):
+        for k,s in enumerate(self.gas.species()):
+            self.assertEqual(s.name, self.gas.species_name(k))
+
     def test_name_accessor(self):
         for name in self.gas.species_names:
             s = self.gas.species(name)
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx b/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx
index 8d46eef15..e2c391592 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/thermo.pyx
@@ -425,7 +425,15 @@ cdef class ThermoPhase(_SolutionBase):
 
         return index
 
-    def species(self, k):
+    def species(self, k=None):
+        """
+        Return the `Species` object for species *k*, where *k* is either the
+        species index or the species name. If *k* is not specified, a list of
+        all species objects is returned.
+        """
+        if k is None:
+            return [self.species(i) for i in range(self.n_species)]
+
         s = Species(init=False)
         if isinstance(k, (str, unicode, bytes)):
             s._assign(self.thermo.species(stringify(k)))