Guyana

Reptiles unique to Guyana includes a ground snake Atractus tamessari (Spiegel Online), a snail-eating snake Dipsas pakaraima (Philippe Kok), Stejneger's Worm Lizard Amphisbaena stejnegeri (AMNH 3 MB pdf file), and six lizards: Arthrosaura guianensis (Philippe Kok), Arthrosaura hoogmoedi (Reptile Database), a spectacled lizard Echinosaura sulcarostrum (Species New to Science), the geckos Gonatodes alexandermendesi (BioOne) and Gonatodes timidus (Reptile Database), and the recently described genera Kaieteurosaurus hindsi (naturalsciences.be) and Pantepuisaurus rodriguesi (Species New to Science).

Amphibians known solely from Guyana include a glass frog Hyalinobatrachium ignioculus (Brice Noonan pdf file), the Groete Creek Treefrog Stefania evansi (naturalsciences.be), the treefrogs Osteocephalus phasmatus (BioOne) and Tepuihyla talbergae (Philippe Kok), Warren's Treefrog Hyla warreni (p. 5 of Phyllomedusa pdf file), Lutz's Tropical Bullfrog Adenomera lutzi (Philippe Kok), and the Golden Rocket Frog Anomaloglossus beebei (ARKive). Recently described species include a rocket frog Colostethus kaiei (Zootaxa pdf file), Pristimantis jester (Species New to Science), Allobates spumaponens (ARKive), Seegobin's Tepui Toad Oreophrynella seegobini (AmphibiaWeb), Ceuthomantis smaragdinus (AmphibiaWeb), Adelophryne patamona (BioOne), and a genus of caecilian Caecilita iwokramae (Frog Matters).

The recently discovered Pakaraima Slender Opossum (Globe & Mail) is expected to be formally described later this year.

The freshwater fish fauna is exceptionally rich in species found nowhere else including several endemic genera: a cichlid Mazarunia (Cichlid Room Companion), a pencilfish Derhamia (FishBase), a characin Acanthocharax (eol), a South American darter Skiotocharax (eol), and the armored catfishes Corymbophanes (Loricariidae) and Paulasquama (Practical Fishkeeping). Other endemic freshwater fish include the Glowlight Tetra Hemigrammus erythrozonus (eol), the Potaro River Dwarf Cichlid Nannacara bimaculata (FishBase), the Least Pencilfish Nannostomus minimus (eol), a killifish Laimosemion torrenticola (It Rains Fish), and several catfish: Trachelyichthys decaradiatus (FishBase), Corydoras potaroensis (PlanetCatfish), Bunocephalus chamaizelus (ACSI), Denticetopsis iwokrama (FLMNH), Neblinichthys brevibracchium (Species New to Science), Sturisoma monopelte (PlanetCatfish), and Centromochlus reticulatus (PlanetCatfish).

Insects found only in Guyana include a grasshopper Acantheremus tenuis (OSF), a katydid Cnemidophyllum granti (OSF), a predacious water beetle Hydrodessus phyllisae (Google Books), and an ant Rogeria tsumani (Univ. Maryland pdf file). Other endemic invertebrates include a jumping spider Scopocira carinata (Salticidae of the World), a tarantula Ephebopus foliatus (Birdspiders.com), a huntsman spider Sparianthina rufescens (ZooKeys), a goblin spider Scaphiella kartabo (AMNH), and a freshwater crab Microthelphusa meansi (Zootaxa pdf file).

Vascular plant species known exclusively from Guyana include a bromeliad Aechmea brassicoides (fcbs), Carapa akuri (Carapa.org), the Clump Wallaba Dicymbe altsonii (Tropical Fungi), Dicymbe jenmanii (Tropical Fungi), Vouacapoua macropetala (Virtual Tree Guide of the Guianas), a riverweed Jenmaniella isoetifolia (JSTOR), Marlierea buxifolia (NYBG), Eschweilera fanshawei (ARKive), Pouteria kaieteurensis (ARKive), Licania microphylla (NYBG), and Psychotria kaieteurensis (Virtual Tree Guide of the Guianas). Endemic plant genera include Lampadaria (Clark Lab), Thysanostemon (NYBG), Maguireanthus (NYBG), Boyania (NYBG), Ochthephilus (NYBG), Tryssophyton (NYBG), Whittonia (PlantSystematics.org), and Maburea (Virtual Tree Guide of the Guianas).

Important terrestrial ecoregions in Guyana include the Tepuis (EoE), the Guayanan Highlands Moist Forests (EoE), and the Guianan Moist Forests (EoE). Freshwater ecoregions rich in endemic species include the Essequibo (FEOW), the Guianas (FEOW), and the Amazonas Guiana Shield (FEOW). For more information on the plants and animals of Guyana see the "Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity" (CBD pdf file).