Iran

Iran is the last remaining home of a spectacular subspecies, the Asiatic Cheetah (ICS WM). Endemic mammal species include the Zagros Mountains Brush-tailed Mouse (BioLib), the brush-tailed mice Calomyscus grandis (ebetta.blogfa.com WM) (p. 6 of doe.ir WM pdf) and Calomyscus kermanensis (ResearchGate) and Calomyscus behzadi (ResearchGate), the Qazvin Vole (IUCN), the Persian Water Vole (iranwildlife-habitats.blog.ir), the Toussi Jerboa (ResearchGate) (Simba), the Iranian Pika (iNaturalist) (ASM), the Hyrcanian Myotis (p. 176 of ResearchGate pdf) (p. 13 of doe.ir WM pdf), the Iranian White-toothed Shrew (Simba) (ADW), and a mole Talpa streeti (BHL) (Oxford Academic). Sometimes considered full species are the Isfahan Sheep (IMNA) (iNaturalist), the Laristan Sheep (caprinae world), and the Western Jebeer (Google Books) (Panoramio WM).

The Iranian Ground Jay (eBird) is an endemic bird species.

Reptiles unique to Iran include the Persian Krait (ResearchGate), the Latifi’s Mountain Viper (iNaturalist), the Iranian Spider-tailed Viper (iNaturalist), Razi's Viper (Species New to Science), a sand boa Eryx sistanensis (ResearchGate), Rechinger's Dwarf Racer (ResearchGate), the Zebra Snake (CalPhotos), Wilson's Blind Snake (CalPhotos), Kiabi's Bent-toed Gecko (Guardian), the Iranian Middle-toed Gecko (Reptile Database), the Thick-tailed Desert Gecko (iNaturalist), Latifi's Tiny Gecko (Reptile Database), the Kerman Spider Gecko (Reptile Database), the Kurdistan Leaf-toed Gecko (Reptile Database), the Sistan Wonder Gecko (Species New to Science), the Lut Desert Toad-headed Agama (ResearchGate), the Persian Snake Skink (Reptile Database), the Lalehzar Racerunner (lacerta.de), and Steiner's Rock Lizard (lacerta.de). Endemic genera include Fahimi's Ground Snake Persiophis (ResearchGate) and the geckos Parsigecko (Species New to Science) and Lakigecko (ARC pdf).

Amphibians with a range restricted to Iran include the Lorestan Newt Neurergus kaiseri (iNaturalist) (IUCN), the Kordestan Newt Neurergus derjugini (iNaturalist), the Persian Brook Salamander Paradactylodon persicus (CalPhotos), the Hyrcanian Wood Frog Rana pseudodalmatina (CalPhotos), and the Lorestan Earless Toad Bufotes luristanicus (iNaturalist). The Gorgan Brook Salamander Paradactylodon gorganensis (ARKive WM) is sometimes recognized as a distinct species from the Persian Brook Salamander.

Freshwater fish genera found nowhere else include the the cichlids Iranocichla (Freshwater Fishes of Iran WM) (ZooKeys), the Kermanshah Loach Sasanidus (Species New to Science), and the toothcarps Esmaeilius (killifische.info). Other endemic freshwater fish include the Siahrud Spined Loach (FishBase), the Iran Cave Barb (ARKive WM), the Tashan Blind Cave Garra (Species New to Science), the Karun Barbel (ResearchGate), the Persian Bream (ResearchGate), the Tigris Nase (ResearchGate), the Damghan Riffle Minnow (ZooKeys), Saadi's Dwarf Loach (FishBase), the Zagros Blind Crested Loach (ResearchGate), the Caspian Bitterling (GBIF), the Iranian Goby (FishBase), Cyrus' Catfish (PlanetCatfish), and the Southern Sucking Catfish (FishBase). Endemic marine fish include the Ghazal Goby (GBIF) and a sweetlips Plectorhinchus makranensis (ZooKeys).

Butterflies found only in Iran include the Iranian Festoon (iNaturalist) (ToL WM), the Iranian False Apollo (ToL WM), a fritillary Melitaea saxatilis (iNaturalist), a marbled white Melanargia evartianae (tabiat.ir), Lesse's Greenish Black Tip Euchloe (or Elphinstonia) lessei (euroleps.ch), a blue Polyommatus fereiduna (p. 154 of centralzagros.doe.ir WM pdf), a clouded yellow Colias sagartia (iNaturalist), and a meadow brown Hyponephele shirazica (flickr). Endemic moths include Zygaena escalerai (JungleDragon) and Sabzia graminaria (ResearchGate).

Other endemic insects include a damselfly Coenagrion persicum (ResearchGate), the longhorn beetles Monocladum iranicum (Cerambycidae WM) and Phytoecia eugeniae (Cerambycidae WM) and Agapanthia hirsuticornis (Cerambycidae WM), a jewel beetle Anthaxia jenisi (GBIF), the ground beetles Duvalius kileri (ResearchGate) and Nebria kazemii (ZOBODAT pdf), a stag beetle Dorcus prochazkai (GBIF), a cicada Cicadatra barbodi (ResearchGate), a grasshopper Tropidauchen escalerai (iNaturalist), a katydid Scotodrymadusa cincta (OSF), a bee Colletes alborzensis (GBIF), and the ants Aphaenogaster iranica (AntWiki) and Anochetus evansi (AntWiki).

Other endemic invertebrates include a cave-dwelling snail Trogloiranica tashanica (NSS pdf), the freshwater snails Kaskakia khorrasanensis (ResearchGate) and Sarkhia sarabensis (ZooKeys), the land snails Likharevia gilanensis and Euxina achrafensis (both at femorale WM), the scorpions Iranobuthus krali (ResearchGate) and Hottentotta lorestanus (Semantic Scholar), the Persian Gold Tarantula (ZooKeys), a velvet spider Loureedia phoenixi (ResearchGate), a tree trunk spider Duninia rheimsae (Fig. A at ResearchGate), a jumping spider Proszynskiana izadii (ResearchGate), a wolf spider Lycosa aragogi (GBIF), a harvestman Homolophus airyamani (GBIF), a whip spider Phrynichus persicus (fig. 11 at ResearchGate), a cave-dwelling millipede Chiraziulus troglopersicus (GBIF), the freshwater crabs Potamon bilobatum (iNaturalist) and Sodhiana iranica (GBIF), a fairy shrimp Phallocryptus fahimii (EurekaAlert!), a cave-dwelling amphipod Niphargus keeleri (GBIF WM), a cave-dwelling isopod Stenasellus tashanicus (Species New to Science), and an earthworm genus Philomontanus (PLOS). A family of mites, the Achaemenothrombiidae (PLAZI), is so far known only from Iran.

Iran has about 1400 endemic species of vascular plants including several fritillaries: Fritillaria olivieri (PBS), Fritillaria chlororhabdota (EECRG WM), and Fritillaria atrolineata (ResearchGate). Other endemic species include Crocus gilanicus (AGS WM), Dionysia mozaffarianii (Marijn van den Brink), Allium shelkovnikovii (AGS WM), Salicornia sinus-persica (p. 9 of pakbs.org pdf), Euphorbia acanthodes (CiteSeerX WM pdf), Iris meda (SIGNA WM), Nepeta sahandica (ResearchGate), Cousinia fragillima (Flora of Iran), Aristolochia hyrcana (fig. A at ResearchGate), Tulipa sarvestanica (PLAZI), Veronica kurdistanica (PhytoKeys), Sterigmostemum (or Zerdana) anchonioides (fig. 10D at VCS), Didymophysa (or Elburzia) fenestrata (fig. D at ResearchGate), Salvia (or Zhumeria) majdae (Iran Nature pdf), Astragalus remotijugus (iNaturalist), Dianthus szowitisianus (iNaturalist), Gladiolus persicus (POWO), and Aethionema semnanensis (p. 8 of Iran Nature pdf).

Endemic trees include the maples Acer mazandaranicum (Semantic Scholar) (iNaturalist) and Acer iranicum (BioOne) (IUCN), the alders Alnus djavanshirii and Alnus dolichocarpa (both at IJB pdf), a linden Tilia sabetii (Franklinia) (p. 9 of IJB pdf), and an oak Quercus carduchorum (GBIF).

Endemic vascular plant genera include Shomalia (iNaturalist), Azilia (p. 4 of CiteSeerX WM pdf) (iNaturalist), Zeugandra (Iran Nature pdf), Lysakia (fig. F at ResearchGate), Yazdana (ResearchGate), Rhopalosciadium (GBIF), Kalakia (GBIF), Heliocarya (ResearchGate), Hymenocephalus (GBIF), Iranoaster (fig. 2 at IJB pdf), and Kelussia (frontiers) (ResearchGate).

Fungi known only from Iran include Ganoderma manoutchehrii (p. 17 of Naturalis pdf) and Agaricus iranicus (damavandmushroom.blogfa.com WM). Endemic lichens include Megaspora iranica (ResearchGate), Circinaria persepolitana (Cambridge), and Caloplaca kudratovii (ResearchGate). Endemic non-vascular plants include the mosses Bryum elwendicum (GBIF) and Tortula astoma (GBIF).

Iran forms part of two biodiversity hotspots: the Caucasus (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) and the Irano-Anatolian (Biodiversity Hotspots WM). Important terrestrial ecoregions for endemic species include the Zagros Mountains Forest Steppe (EoE) and the Elburz Range Forest Steppe (EoE). Important freshwater ecoregions include the Upper Tigris and Euphrates (FEOW WM), the Baluchistan (FEOW WM), and the Caspian Sea (FEOW WM) (zin.ru). For details on tetrapods endemic to Iran see (MNHN pdf). Endemic spiders are indicated with an asterisk at (ResearchGate).