Nicaragua

Mammals found only in Nicaragua include Richmond’s Squirrel Sciurus richmondi (flickr) (iNaturalist), the Nicaraguan Marsh Rice Rat Oryzomys dimidiatus (p. 57 of Redes de Solidaridad WM pdf) (iNaturalist), and the Nicaraguan Little Yellow Bat Rhogeessa permutandis (ResearchGate).

Endemic amphibians include the Nicaraguan Highland Worm Salamander Oedipina nica (AmphibiaWeb) (iNaturalist), Koehler's Worm Salamander Oedipina koehleri (BHL), the Mombacho Salamander Bolitoglossa mombachoensis (iNaturalist), the Ometepe Salamander Bolitoglossa insularis (David B. Wake's Lab WM pdf), the Cerro Saslaya Moss Salamander Nototriton saslaya (ARKive WM), the Little Corn Island Frog Rana miadis (CalPhotos) (iNaturalist), and the Chingo Petaca Robber Frog Craugastor chingopetaca (iNaturalist) (p. 71 of NRL WM pdf).

Reptiles unique to Nicaragua include the Saslaya Graceful Brown Snake Rhadinella rogerromani (Vianica.com) (p. 366 of ResearchGate pdf), Dunn’s Earth Snake Geophis dunni (GBIF) (Wikipedia), a blind snake Epictia rioignis (Species New to Science), the Country Anole Anolis villai (figs. D-E at ResearchGate) (iNaturalist), and the Corn Island Skink Marisora magnacornae (p. 46 of NRL WM pdf). The Rhombifer Anole Anolis rhombifer (fig. 2 at BHL) is sometimes considered distinct from the more widespread Ghost Anole Anolis lemurinus (iNaturalist).

The Arrow Cichlid Amphilophus zaliosus (GAIA Nicaragua WM) is famous as an example of sympatric speciation. Other endemic freshwater fish include a silverside Atherinella jiloaensis (fig. F on p. 19 of OTS pdf), a tetra Astyanax nasutus (fig. 8 at BHL) (iNaturalist), and many cichlids: Amphilophus flaveolus (iNaturalist), Amphilophus chancho (Laguna de Apoyo), Amphilophus astorquii (Laguna de Apoyo), Amphilophus xiloaensis (iNaturalist), Amphilophus amarillo (iNaturalist) (GCCA), Amphilophus globosus (Cichlid Room Companion), Amphilophus tolteca (Cichlid Room Companion), Amphilophus viridis (p. 12 of aqua WM pdf), Amphilophus supercilius (Cichlid Room Companion), Amphilophus erythraeus (fig. 2 at BHL) (GBIF), and Amphilophus sagittae (iNaturalist).

An undescribed goby of the genus Elacatinus (STRI WM) is a marine fish known only from Nicaragua.

Insects known solely from Nicaragua include the skippers Niconiades bifurcus (Butterflies of America) and Ectomis maizae (Butterflies of America), a moth Myelobia nicaraguensis (BHL), a dragonfly Epigomphus westfalli (Internet Archive), a damselfly Paraphlebia hunnal (GBIF), a katydid Idiarthron dentatum (OSF), a grasshopper Lethus nicaraguae (OSF), a cricket Oecanthus belti (iNaturalist), a cicada Procollina nicaraguaensis (iNaturalist), a tiger beetle Tetracha nicaraguensis (iNaturalist), the longhorn beetles Estoloides vandenberghei (GBIF) and Enaphalodes bingkirki (ResearchGate), a dung beetle Copris maesi (p. 12 of Bio-Nica WM pdf), the flower scarabs Trigonopeltastes mombachoensis (ZooKeys) and Euphoria nicaraguensis (p. 20 of Bio-Nica WM pdf), a clown beetle Baconia chatzimanolisi (ZooKeys), a leaf beetle Caryonoda funebris (ResearchGate), a flea beetle Nicaltica selvanegra (GBIF), a jewel beetle Agrilus ursus (fig. 2 at ResearchGate), a skiff beetle Yara marmontsedu (GBIF), the weevils Plumolepilius camuna (GBIF) and Archicorynus kuscheli (ResearchGate) and Barra baruskae (GBIF), a treehopper Kaikaia gaga (Species New to Science), a stick insect Rhynchacris bigibbus (Phasmida WM), and the ants Stenamma sandinista (AntWiki) and Pheidole platyscapa (GBIF).

Endemic molluscs include the marine cone snails Jaspidiconus carvalhoi and Jaspidiconus ferreirai (both at ResearchGate), the freshwater mussels Reticulatus elvae (MUSSELp) (figs. 1 & 2 at BHL) and Micronaias granadensis (MUSSELp), a freshwater snail Aplexa nicaraguana (fig. 8 at ResearchGate), and several land snails: Euglandina obtusa (BHL), Gouldipoma callipeplum (GBIF), Streptostyla wani (BHL), Microconus pilsbryi (BHL), Salasiella corni (MolluscaBase), and Lamellaxis (or Leptinaria) strebeliana (fig. 25 at BHL).

Other endemic invertebrates include a goblin spider Costarina musun (AMNH WM), a jumping spider Synemosyna nicaraguaensis (Bio-Nica WM pdf), a daddy long-leg spider Modisimus nicaraguensis (BHL), a trapdoor spider Ummidia matagalpa (ZooKeys), an ant mimicking spider Myrmecotypus jasmineae (GBIF), a scorpion Centruroides mahnerti (BHL), a millipede Orthoporus nicaraguanus (iNaturalist), a bromeliad-dwelling water flea Alona bromelicola (KMK pdf), an earthworm Eutrigaster azul (Google) (ResearchGate), and a freshwater crab Camptophallus botti (AToL Decapoda pdf).

About 105 vascular plant species are exclusive to Nicaragua including the orchids Epidendrum nicaraguense (iNaturalist), Stanhopea nicaraguensis (IOSPE), and Masdevallia nicaraguae (Epidendra WM) (iNaturalist). Other endemic plants include Anthurium beltianum (Tropicos WM), Calyptranthes amarulenta (Tropicos WM), Randia nicaraguensis (p. 271 of Fundenic pdf), Psittacanthus minor (Tropicos WM), Bonamia douglasii (Tropicos WM), Aldama mesoamericana (Tropicos WM), Anisacanthus nicaraguensis (Tropicos WM), Zea nicaraguensis (BHL), Jatropha stevensii (Tropicos WM), Dichapetalum coronadoae (botanicus), Phoradendron boacoi (Tropicos WM), Malpighia inclinata (MBG), Ocotea strigosa (Tropicos WM), a cactus Deamia funis (GBIF), and a fern Thelypteris mombachensis (GBIF). The genus Perenideboles (Hathi Trust) was described from Nicaragua, but no specimens are known and the description is similar to that of Megaskepasma erythrochlamys (Tropicos WM).

Trees known only from Nicaragua include Caesalpinia nicaraguensis (Tropicos WM), Lonchocarpus pilosus (Tropicos WM), Bonellia montana (Tropicos WM), Psychotria matagalpensis (GBIF), Parmentiera trunciflora (Tropicos WM), Ardisia ruedae (Tropicos WM), Meliosma nanarum (Tropicos WM), Coursetia apantensis (Tropicos WM), Eugenia zelayensis (Tropicos WM), Coccoloba nicaraguensis (Tropicos WM), and Damburneya mirafloris (Tropicos WM) (BHL).

Lichens known only from Nicaragua include Graphis paraschiffneri (fig. 1D at Cambridge pdf). Endemic fungi include Tylopilus nicaraguensis (GBIF).

Nicaragua is part of the Mesoamerica biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) and its coast forms a portion of the Western Caribbean coral reef hotspot (Columbia Univ. WM pdf). An important freshwater ecoregion that includes the Nicaraguan Great Lakes is the San Juan (FEOW WM). For further information on Nicaragua's endemic animals see "Biodiversidad Zoologica en Nicaragua" (Bio-Nica WM pdf) and (Semantic Scholar pdf) and for Nicaragua's endemic plants see (Sinia WM pdf).