Brazil

Brazil has more unique species of amphibians, freshwater fish, and trees than any other country in the world and is one of the main contenders (along with Australia and Indonesia) for most species of endemic life. Brazil has several distinctive regions rich in animals and plants found nowhere else including the Caatinga ecoregion (EoE), the Atlantic Forest (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) and Cerrado (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) biodiversity hotspots, the Abrolhos Coral Reefs (SIGEP WM), and, most famously, the Amazon (WWF). Freshwater ecoregions especially rich in endemic species include the Tocantins - Araguaia (FEOW WM) and the Northeastern Mata Atlantica (FEOW WM). Lists of endemic animals can be generated at (TCBF) and endemic plants at (Flora do Brasil). Many threatened endemic animals are covered in a series of volumes at (ICMBio WM). A list of Brazilian cave fauna with many species illustrated is at (Brazilian Metazoa).

Among over 70 primate species found exclusively in Brazil are the Golden Lion Tamarin (SGLT), the Pied Tamarin (iNaturalist), the Northern Muriqui (ARKive WM), the White-whiskered Spider Monkey (iNaturalist), the Red-handed Howler (iNaturalist), Coimbra Filho's Titi (Species New to Science), the Black Bearded Saki (ARKive WM), and the Blond Capuchin (iNaturalist). Other mammals unique to Brazil include the Araguaian Boto (Species New to Science), the Small Red Brocket (ResearchGate), the Northern Maned Sloth (iNaturalist), the Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo (ARKive WM), the Xingu Silky Anteater (ResearchGate), the Hoary Fox (flickr), the Eastern Tigrina (flickr) (Oeco), the Capixaba Nectar-feeding Bat (ResearchGate), Karimi's Fat-tailed Mouse Opossum (ARKive WM), the Thin-spined Porcupine (iNaturalist), the Rock Cavy (iNaturalist), the Black-rumped Agouti (iNaturalist), the Painted Tree-rat (ARKive WM), the White-throated Montane Forest Rat (Wikipedia), and the Santa Catarina Guinea Pig (IUCN).

Brazil's endemic parrots include the critically endangered Spix’s Macaw (ARKive WM), the Golden Parakeet (WPT), Lear's Macaw (eBird), and the Blue-bellied Parrot (WikiAves). Other birds found only in Brazil include Kaempfer’s Woodpecker (eBird), the Hooded Visorbearer (Arthur Grosset's Birds WM), the Frilled Coquette (eBird), the Alagoas Curassow (ResearchGate), the Black-winged Trumpeter (WikiAves), the White-necked Hawk (eBird), the White-collared Kite (WikiAves), the Three-toed Jacamar (eBird), the Banded Cotinga (eBird), the Pin-tailed Manakin (eBird), the White-browed Antpitta (eBird), the Ferruginous Antbird (eBird), the White-naped Jay (eBird), the Black-legged Dacnis (eBird), the Gray-hooded Attila (eBird), and the Seven-colored Tanager (eBird).

Among endemic reptile genera are Hoge's Side-necked Turtle Ranacephala (Wikipedia), the fathead anoles Enyalius (CalPhotos), the gymnophthalmid lizards Caparaonia (iNaturalist) and Scriptosaura (Reptile Database), a lava lizard Eurolophosaurus (iNaturalist), a gecko Gymnodactylus (iNaturalist), the Bahian Sand Dune Lizard Glaucomastix (Reptile Database), a skink Brasiliscincus (CalPhotos), and several colubrid snakes: Tropidodryas (iNaturalist), Gomesophis (Reptile Database), and Sordellina (CalPhotos). Other reptiles unique to Brazil include the Golden Lancehead (ARKive WM), the Decorated Coral Snake (iNaturalist), the Caatinga Rainbow Boa (iNaturalist), Cropan's Tree Boa (Serpentes Brasileiras), the Swamp Tegu (iNaturalist), the Brazilian Galliwasp (flickr), a worm lizard Amphisbaena caiari (ResearchGate), and the Brazilian Snake-necked Turtle (iNaturalist).

Brazil's exceptional amphibian fauna includes the Pumpkin Toadlet (AmphibiaWeb), the Caatinga Horned Frog (Anfíbios e Répteis do Brasil), the Fruit-eating Frog (POYi), the Splash-backed Poison Frog (CalPhotos), the Itatiaia Highland Frog (IUCN), Frostius erythrophthalmus (globo.com), Phyllomedusa oreades (Anfíbios e Répteis do Brasil), the San Andre Rapids Frog (AmphibiaWeb), the Banhado Frog (CalPhotos), the venomous frogs Aparasphenodon brunoi and Corythomantis greeningi (both at ResearchGate), a salamander Bolitoglossa paraensis (CalPhotos), and the caecilians Atretochoana eiselti (AmphibiaWeb) and Microcaecilia marvaleewakeae (AmphibiaWeb). The frog genera Cycloramphus (iNaturalist), Thoropa (CalPhotos), and Zachaenus (AmphibiaWeb) comprise an endemic family, the Cycloramphidae, while the single species in Neblinaphrynidae (UOL) (ScienceDirect) is known only from Pico de Neblina.

Brazil's unrivaled richness in endemic freshwater fish species includes the Brazilian Blind Tetra (BBC WM), the White Piranha (FishBase), the Anteater Catfish (ScotCat), the Pac-man Catfish (ScotCat), the Santa Catarina Sabrefin (ARKive WM), the Lyrefin Pearlfish (WWF Brasil), the Royal Tetra (FishBase), the Thick-head Characin (FishBase), the Striped Silver Dollar (FishBase), the Slender Pike Cichlid (FishBase), Arapaima leptosoma (Wikipedia), Pseudacanthicus major (Planet Catfish), the Zebra Pleco (Planet Catfish), the Long-finned Cambeva (SciELO), the Blue Sailfin Pearlfish (FishBase), a tube-snouted ghost knifefish Sternarchorhynchus mesensis (eol WM), and the Xingu River Stingray (iNaturalist). Tarumania walkerae (ResearchGate) is the sole member of an endemic freshwater fish family, the Tarumaniidae.

Among marine fish found only off Brazil are the Oblique Butterflyfish (ARKive WM), Zelinda's Parrotfish (flickr), the Brazilian Basslet (iNaturalist), the Brazilian Clown Wrasse (FishBase), the Rocas Gregory (iNaturalist), the Brazilian Large-eyed Stingray (FishBase), the Salmon-spotted Jewelfish (ResearchGate), the Brazilian Snapper (Reef Life Survey), the Lizard Catshark (Sharkwater), the Trinidade Blenny (ResearchGate), the Aphrodite Anthias (ZooKeys), the Brazilian Flamefish (iNaturalist), the Bartail Jawfish (p. 29 of SW Atlantic Reef Fishes pdf), the Barber Goby (FishBase), and the Brazilian Grunt (flickr).

Butterflies found solely in Brazil include the Fluminense Swallowtail Parides ascanius (biofaces), Morpho athena (flickr), Hypoleria adasa (biofaces), Charonias theano (SciELO), Panara ovifera (iNaturalist), Rhetus belphegor (iNaturalist), Cyanophrys bertha (iNaturalist), Polygrapha suprema (flickr), Cecropterus evenus (iNaturalist), and Heliconius nattereri (Lepidoptera Brasilienses WM). Endemic moths include Eacles mayi (iNaturalist), Roseala tessellatus (iNaturalist), Cyanopepla similis (iNaturalist), Gymnelia paranapanema (iNaturalist), Eumorpha orientis (iNaturalist), and Imara pallasia (GBIF).

Other endemic insects include a termite Syntermes dirus (Cell pdf), a katydid Caetitus porteri (ResearchGate), a large cricket Titanogryllus oxente (GBIF), a grasshopper Pycnosarcus atavus (iNaturalist), a damselfly Forcepsioneura regua (REGUA WM), a dragonfly Erythrodiplax ana (ResearchGate), a bioluminescent fungus-gnat Neoceroplatus betaryiensis (Nature), a miniscule phorid fly Megapropodiphora arnoldi (Species New to Science), a cave-dwelling earwig Mesodiplatys falcifer (fig. 3O at MDPI), the Atlantic Forest Hercules Beetle (iNaturalist), a longhorn beetle Megabasis speculifera (iNaturalist), a fly-mimicking weevil Timorus sarcophagoides (Guardian), a cicada Orellana bigibba (flickr), a lanternfly Lystrenia dyrcea (iNaturalist), a stick insect Tithonophasma tithonus (iNaturalist), an endemic genus of bee Protomeliturga (SciELO), and the ants Martialis heureka (Myrmecos Blog) and Dinoponera quadriceps (iNaturalist).

Endemic terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate families include the strepsipterans Bahiaxenidae (ResearchGate), the beetles Jurasaidae (Nature), the mayflies Melanemerellidae (Ephemeroptera do Brasil WM), the moths Neotheoridae (John Grehan WM), a millipede Dobrodesmidae (ResearchGate), an isopod Brasileirinidae (ResearchGate), an amphipod Magnovidae (GBIF), and the aquatic worms Arecoidae (figs. 50-60 at SciELO pdf) (GBIF) and Tiguassuidae (figs. 1-4 on p. 8 of SciELO pdf).

Other endemic invertebrates include the land snails Megalobulimus parafragilior (Wikipedia) and Sanniostracus carnavalescus (iNaturalist), a freshwater mussel Monocondylaea franciscana (MUSSELp), an isopod Iuiuniscus iuiuensis (GBIF), a freshwater crab Trichodactylus crassus (iNaturalist), a velvet worm Macroperipatus acacioi (SciELO), a land planarian Geoplana ibiuna (iNaturalist), the earthworms Fimoscolex sporadochaetus (Semantic Scholar) and Rhinodrilus alatus (PLOS), the Brazilian Yellow Scorpion (iNaturalist), a harvestman Caelopygus melanocephalus (iNaturalist), a jumping spider Edwardsya simoni (GBIF), and the Brazilian Jewel Tarantula (iNaturalist).

Endemic marine invertebrates include the corals Mussismilia braziliensis (ARKive WM) and Favia leptophylla (FAPERJ WM), a sponge Latrunculia janeirensis (WoRMS), a sea urchin Cassidulus mitis (ResearchGate), the sea slugs Tambja stegosauriformis (iNaturalist) and Tritonia khaleesi (Species New to Science), and several more molluscs: Conus abrolhosensis (Conquiliologistas do Brasil WM), Argopecten noronhensis (Conquiliologistas do Brasil WM), Glycymeris tellinaeformis (Conquiliologistas do Brasil WM), and Voluta ebraea (ResearchGate), and Endemic marine families include  brachiopods Bouchardiidae (Femorale WM) and bryozoans Jebramellidae (Species New to Science).

According to Flora do Brasil 2020 there are over 19,000 species of vascular plants endemic to Brazil (lists of endemic genera and endemic species can be generated at (Flora do Brasil). Plants exclusive to Brazil include the Prayer Plant (iNaturalist), the roundworm digesting Philcoxia minensis (Mongabay), Nematanthus crassifolius (iNaturalist), the Empress of Brazil Worsleya procera (PBS), the saprophytes Voyria obconica (flickr) and Pogoniopsis schenkii (flickr), an enormous sundew Drosera magnifica (ResearchGate), the opossum-pollinated Scybalium fungiforme (ESA), the geocarpic Spigelia genuflexa (ResearchGate), Aphelandra squarrosa (iNaturalist), a cycad Zamia brasiliensis (ResearchGate), Rhaphiodon echinus (iNaturalist), Vellozia squamata (iNaturalist), and Euphorbia phosphorea (FGaS WM pdf).

Endemic trees include the Brazilian Rosewood (iNaturalist), a tree with enormous leaves Coccoloba gigantifolia (Mongabay), the Ivory Coral Tree (iNaturalist), Pterygota brasiliensis (iNaturalist), Cordia superba (Cluny), Ceiba glaziovii (iNaturalist), Cassia ferruginea (iNaturalist), Cecropia glaziovii (iNaturalist), Parkia platycephala (iNaturalist), a conifer Retrophyllum piresii (IPS), Cariniana legalis (Cluny), Tabebuia cassinoides (iNaturalist), Magnolia ovata (Flora do Brasil), Pleroma mutabile (iNaturalist), Stifftia chrysantha (iNaturalist), and the national tree Pau Brasil (GTC WM). Duckeodendron cestroides (Flora do Brasil) is sometimes considered the sole species in an endemic family, Duckeodendraceae (DELTA WM).

Among over 1600 orchid species unique to Brazil are Chytroglossa marileoniae (IOSPE WM), Grobya amherstiae (iNaturalist), and Pseudolaelia vellozicola (flickr). A spectacular endemic bromeliad flora includes Quesnelia arvensis (iNaturalist), Orthophytum lemei (iNaturalist), and Nidularium rutilans (FCBS WM). Cacti genera found only in Brazil include Hatiora (iNaturalist), Cipocereus (POWO), Uebelmannia (cactusinhabitat WM), and Espostoopsis (ResearchGate).

Endemic fungi include Amanita viscidolutea (IUCN), Pleurotus magnificus (IUCN), and Stropharia acanthocystis (IUCN). Endemic lichens include Echinoplaca pernambucensis (fig. 11A at ResearchGate) and Chapsa microspora (fig. 7D at ResearchGate). Endemic non-vascular plants include a liverwort Drepanolejeunea aculeata (GBIF) and the mosses Crumuscus vitalis (GBIF) and Moseniella brasiliensis (GBIF). Endemic marine algae include Hypnea brasiliensis (Fig. 2A at Taylor & Francis pdf), Halimeda jolyana (ResearchGate), and Neogoniolithon atlanticum (ResearchGate).