Laos
Endemic
mammals
include the Laos Langur (Joel
Sartore) (MDPI),
the
Phou Khao Khouay Leaf-nosed Bat
(ARKive
WM),
the Laotian Leaf-nosed
Bat (ASM WM),
and the
Laotian
Flying Squirrel
(GBIF). The Long-eared
Gymnure (ResearchGate)
is frequently considered to be the sole species in an endemic genus Otohylomys. Schomburgk's Deer (Northwestern
Univ.) apparently survived in Laos into the early 1990's and
could conceivably still survive somewhere in central Laos.
The Bare-faced Bulbul (Species
New to Science) (eBird) is
an endemic bird.
Amphibians known solely from Laos include the Laotian Shrub Frog Philautus nianeae (Species
New to Science), the Cave-dwelling Tree Frog Rhacophorus
spelaeus (iNaturalist),
the Lake Bug-eyed Frog
Theloderma lacustrinum
(GBIF),
the Bolaven
Odorous
Frog Odorrana
bolavensis
(Mongabay),
the Coffee Fanged Frog Limnonectes
coffeatus (GBIF),
the Laotian Painted Frog Kaloula laosensis (Herpetozoa), the spadefoot toads Leptobrachium
buchardi (GBIF)
and Leptobrachium
xanthops (GBIF),
the Akha Torrent Frog
Amolops akhaorum
(Bryan
L. Stuart WM pdf), the Luang Prabang
Crocodile Newt Tylototriton
podichthys (GBIF),
and
the Laos Caecilian Ichthyophis
laosensis (BHL)
(GBIF).
The
Laos Warty Newt Laotriton
laoensis (CalPhotos)
(IUCN)
is an endemic genus.
Endemic reptiles include David's Wolf Snake (ResearchGate),
Banks' Wolf Snake (Species
New to Science),
Durand’s Mountain Stream Snake Opisthotropis durandi
(Serpent
Research WM), Teynie's Kukri Snake (ResearchGate),
the Laotian
False Bloodsucker (iNaturalist),
the Lao Rock Gecko (GBIF),
Kiszirian’s Slender Gecko
(GBIF),
the Lao Parachute Gecko (GBIF),
a leaf-toed gecko Dixonius
lao (GBIF),
the Thakhek Gecko (Reptile
Database),
and three additional species of Gekko
(Species
New to Science). Twenty endemic species of bent-toed
geckos include Cyrtodactylus buchardi
(iNaturalist),
Cyrtodactylus calamei
(GBIF),
and
Cyrtodactylus vilaphongi (GBIF). The Khammouan Karst Dragon Laodracon carsticola (Species New to Science) (iNaturalist) is an endemic genus.
Freshwater fish species found only in Laos include the loaches Schistura
kaysonei (Loaches
Online) and Rhyacoschistura suber
(GBIF)
and
Sewellia elongata
(Seriously
Fish) and Hemimyzon confluens (Semantic Scholar). Other endemic fish include Devario acrostomus (FishBase), Tor ater (ResearchGate),
Speolabeo
musaei (Species
New to Science), Poropuntius
bolovenensis (FishBase),
Metzia bounthobi
(FIMSEA),
Acrossocheilus xamensis
(p. 2 of Cypriniformes
Commons WM pdf), Acheilognathus
deignani (IUCN),
Rhodeus laoensis
(ResearchGate), the catfishes
Pseudecheneis sympelvica
(PlanetCatfish) and Pseudobagarius eustictus
(PlanetCatfish),
a spineless eel Chaudhuria fusipinnis (Semantic Scholar), a goby Rhinogobius
taenigena
(FIMSEA).
Endemic genera include Terateleotris (Internet Archive), Troglocyclocheilus
(BHL),
and Laocypris (FIMSEA).
Butterflies restricted to Laos include Euthalia lao
(Butterflies
in Indo-China), Halpe
wakaharai (Butterflies
in Indo-China), Horaga
takanamii (Butterflies
in Indo-China), and Euaspa
koizumii (Butterflies
in Indo-China). Endemic moths include Diduga hastata (GBIF)
and Eugoa
sinxayi (fig.
4 at Semantic
Scholar).
Other endemic insects include a cave-dwelling ant Leptogenys khammouanensis (AntWiki pdf), a velvet ant Orientilla tamaderai (JHR), a spider wasp Stigmatodipogon lao (GBIF), a damselfly Noguchiphaea laotica (ResearchGate), a tiger beetle Calochroa brancuccii (ResearchGate), the longhorn beetles Paranandra strandiella (Cerambycidae Species WM) and Metipocregyes holzschuhi (GBIF), the scarab beetles Tocama laosensis (ResearchGate) and Onthophagus streltsovi (p. 3 of Zootaxa pdf), the jewel beetles Agrilus aramis (GBIF) and Endelus chikatunovi (ResearchGate), a flower beetle Macronotops biserratus (GBIF), the cicadas Megapomponia bourgoini (ResearchGate) and Miniterpnosia chorus (GBIF), a cave cricket Eutachycines cassani (ResearchGate), a stick insect Parapachymorpha minuta (GBIF), a leaf insect Phyllium oyae (Phasmatodea), the plant bugs Paramiridius laomontanus (ResearchGate) and Fangumellus flavobadius (GBIF), a planthopper Goniopsara ridens (PLAZI), and a lace bug Elasmognathus laosensis (p. 4 of Zootaxa pdf).
Other endemic invertebrates include the world's
largest huntsman spider Heteropoda
maxima (Wikipedia),
an eyeless huntsman spider Sinopoda
scurion (Sci-News WM),
the scorpions Lychas
aberlenci (BHL)
and Troglokhammouanus
steineri (explo-laos),
a whipscorpion Typopeltis
magnificus (p. 37 of MCDP WM
pdf), the millipedes Tylopus
dorsalis (GBIF)
and Eutrichodesmus
deporatus (ZooKeys),
a cave-dwelling crab Erebusa
calobates (iNaturalist),
the freshwater crabs Pudaengon
arnamicai (p. 8 of NMU
pdf) and Pupamon
lao (BHL),
a freshwater copepod Allodiaptomus
nongensis (ResearchGate),
an earthworm Amynthas
panhai (Species
New to Science),
the freshwater mussels Monodontina
laosica and Nyeinchanconcha
nyeinchani (both at ResearchGate),
the freshwater snails Brotia
laodelectata
(ResearchGate)
and Pseudoiglica
pseudoiglica (Subterranean
Biology), and several land snails: Macrochlamys callojuncta
and Moellendorffia
(or Trichelix) horrida (both at Species
New to Science), Laoennea
carychioides (GBIF),
Angustopila coprologos
(figs. 1-2 at Brill
pdf), Rhiostoma marioni
(GBIF),
and Amphidromus
syndromoideus (Wikipedia).
Orchids unique to Laos include Bulbophyllum
setilabium (ResearchGate),
Coelogyne sudora
(IOSPE),
Paphiopedilum
rungsuriyanum (Species
New to Science),
and Holcoglossum
calcicola (ResearchGate).
Other endemic plants include Gentiana
khammouanensis and Aeschynanthus
mendumiae (both on p. 13 of WWF
WM pdf), Paraboea khotamiae (ResearchGate), Amorphophallus
laoticus (IAS
WM),
the
gingers Curcuma flammea (ResearchGate)
and
Meistera calcarata
(IUCN),
a palm Calamus
evansii (Taiwania
WM
pdf), Begonia hinnamnoensis
(ResearchGate),
Impatiens
angustisepala (IUCN), Nymphanthus namkadingensis (Species New to Science),
Argostemma
laotica (ResearchGate),
Ceropegia laotica
(BHL),
Camellia rosacea (ResearchGate),
Aristolochia laotica (GBIF), Croton nagoi (GBIF), and Chayamaritia
banksiae (Species
New to Science).
Trees known only from Laos include a palm Trachycarpus ravenii (ResearchGate), Beilschmiedia bolavenensis (ResearchGate), Machilus champasakensis (fig. 4 at J-STAGE pdf), the stone oaks Lithocarpus vidalianus (Asian Fagaceae) and Lithocarpus bolovenensis (Asian Fagaceae), Castanopsis tranninhensis (GBIF), Sterculia bolavenensis (fig. 4 at Thai Forest Bulletin pdf), Diospyros laoensis (ResearchGate), Camellia sealyana (GBIF) (IUCN), Pyrenaria laotica (GBIF) (BHL), Pyrenaria microphylla (GBIF) (BHL), Dalbergia calcarea (Thai Forest Bulletin pdf), Gluta laosensis (ResearchGate), Ridsdalea vidalii (GBIF), and an endemic genus Xylacanthus (Species New to Science) .
Other endemic vascular plant genera include Hydrodiscus (ResearchGate), Ctenobryum (fig.4A at J-STAGE pdf), Laosia (fig.4B at J-STAGE pdf), Laobambos (PhytoKeys), Phyllotrichum (GBIF), Schmiediella (MNHN pdf), Ancistrostylis (p. 2 at J-STAGE pdf), and Acareosperma (GBIF).
Endemic
non-vascular plants include the mosses Fissidens kamiyamae
(J-STAGE
pdf) and Macromitrium
laosianum (GBIF)
and a liverwort Frullania
subvalida (fig. 1 at JJB
WM
pdf).
Fungi known only from Laos include Leucoagaricus
griseosquamosus (GMS
Mushrooms), Nigrocarnea radicata
(fig. 4 at Springer),
and Trabutia
distinguenda (Cybertruffle WM).
Laos is included in the Indo-Burma
biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots WM).
The Annamite
Forests (Wonders
of the Annamites)
are especially notable for endemic species. Important
freshwater ecoregions include the Lower Lancang (FEOW
WM)
and the Khorat Plateau (FEOW
WM).