Living National Treasures: Costa Rica

Checklists of  Endemics

Mammal Species 6

Bird Species 7

Reptile Species 27

Amphibian Species 38

Freshwater Fish Species 28

Marine Fish Species 20

Vertebrate Genera 3

Swallowtail & Milkweed Butterfly Species 0

Vascular Plant Genera 7

Families & Orders 0


Taxonomic Sources & Caveats

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 Most famous of the amphibian species known solely from Costa Rica is the recently extinct Golden Toad Bufo periglenes (ARKive).  Endemic frogs also include the Golfo Dulce Poison-dart Frog Phyllobates vittatus (ARKive), the Blue-sided Leaf Frog Agalychnis annae (INBio), a recently described harlequin frog Atelopus chirripoensis (Revista de Biología Tropical pdf file), and a robber frog Eleutherodactylus (or Craugastor) persimilis (AmphibiaWeb).  Other amphibians unique to Costa Rica include the Monteverde Moss Salamander Nototriton gamezi (AmphibiaWeb), Alvarado's Salamander Bolitoglossa alvaradoi (AmphibiaWeb), the Los Diamantes Worm Salamander Oedipina carablanca (AmphibiaWeb), and the Airstrip Caecilian Oscaecilia osae (AmphibiaWeb).

Reptiles exclusive to Costa Rica include the Black-headed Bushmaster Lachesis melanocephala (Osa Aventura), the White-tailed Hog-nosed Pitviper Porthidium porrasi (CalPhotos), the Blotched Snaileater Sibon argus (CalPhotos), the Lesser Forest Galliwasp Celestus hylaius (CalPhotos), the Short-legged Water Lizard Neusticurus apodemus (CalPhotos), the Costa Rican Tropical Night Lizard Lepidophyma reticulatum (CalPhotos), the Cocos Anole Norops townsendi (InBio), and the High Anole Norops altae (CalPhotos).

Cocos Island has two genera of birds found nowhere else: the Cocos Flycatcher (BirdLife Int'l) and the Cocos Finch (ARKive). Other endemic birds include the Mangrove Hummingbird (Neotropical Birds), the Coppery-headed Emerald (INBio), the Cocos Cuckoo (Aves de Costa Rica), and the Black-cheeked Ant-tanager (Mangoverde).

Mammals found only in Costa Rica include Harris's Olingo (p. 3 of Deep Blue pdf file), Underwood's Pocket Gopher (INBio), the Mountain Spiny Pocket Mouse (Mammalian Species), Rodriguez's Harvest Mouse (AMNH pdf file), the recently described Musser's Harvest Mouse (AMNH pdf file), and the recently described Cloud-dwelling Spiny Pocket Mouse (AMNH pdf file)..

Freshwater fish species restricted to Costa Rica include the T-Bar Cichlid Archocentrus (or Cryptoheros) sajica (World Cichlids), the Pearl Cichlid Amphilophus rhytisma (Cichlid Room Companion), the Savage Tetra Hyphessobrycon savagei (FishBase), the Semaphore Tetra Pterobrycon myrnae (FishBase), a headstander Roeboides ilseae (FishBase), a creek tetra Bryconamericus terrabensis (FishBase), an olomina Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora (FishBase), a topminnow Poeciliopsis paucimaculata (FishBase), and the recently described topminnow Poeciliopsis santaelena (OTS pdf file).  Marine fish found exclusively around Cocos Island include the Cocos Barnacle Blenny (Discover Life), the Cocos Stargazer (STRI), the Red-striped Wrasse (STRI), the Cocos Triplefin (STRI), the Knave Goby (STRI), and the White-starred Goby (STRI).  

Butterflies unique to Costa Rica include Dynamine hecuba (Bio-Nica), Cissia drymo (INBio), and Perisama barnesi (INBio).  Other endemic insects include Quammen’s Green Mountain Beetle Quammenis spectabilis (INBio), a tiger moth Leichosila talamanca (ZooKeys), a flower beetle Cotinis olivia (INBio), the Chiriquita Shadowdamsel Palaemnema chiriquita (ARKive), the Volcano Knobtail Epigomphus echeverrii (Monteverde Biodiversity), and a termite-mimic ant Pheidole nasutoides (Psyche pdf file).  Endemic molluscs include a landsnail Drymaeus costaricensis (INBio), a clam Adrana elizabethae (INBio), and two margin shells: Dentimargo cruzmoralai (INBio), and Hyalina chicoi (INBio).

Among an estimated 600 plants species found nowhere else are a cactus Hylocereus calcaratus (mobot), Sabazia densa (INBio), Heliconia umbrophila (Flora Digital de La Selva), Stenanona costaricensis (INBio), Columnea microphylla (Gesneriad Reference Web), Pilea matama (NHM-London), Cestrum irazuense (Monteverde Biodiversity), Bourreria grandicalyx (INBio), and two bromeliads:  Tillandsia abdita (mobot) and Puya dasylirioides (PlantSystematics.org).  Orchids unique to Costa Rica include Panarica neglecta (orchidspecies.com), Reichantha rolfeana (pleurothallids.com), Epidendrum insulanum (Epidendra), and Maxillaria costaricensis (orchidspecies.com).  Endemic plant genera include Utleya (NYBG), Osa (mobot), Kolobochilus (JSTOR), and Gamanthera (Botanicus).

Costa Rica is part of the Mesoamerica biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots) and forms a portion of the Western Caribbean coral reef hotspot (Reef Guardian pdf file).  Important ecoregions include the Talamancan Montane Forests (WWF) and the Cocos Island Moist Forests (WWF).  Accounts of over 200 of Costa Rica's endemic plants and animals can be found at INBio (INBio).