Peru

Peru is extremely rich in birds found nowhere else including the White-winged Guan (eBird), the Sira Curassow (Peru Aves), the Junin Grebe (eBird), the Yellow-browed Toucanet (Peru Aves), the Yellow-faced Parrotlet (eBird), the Junin Rail (Mongabay), the Scarlet-banded Barbet (Peru Aves), the Pale-billed Antpitta (Peru Aves), the Golden-backed Mountain-tanager (eBird), and the Peruvian Plantcutter (eBird). Endemic genera include the Marvellous Spatuletail (Creagrus WM), the Bronze-tailed Comet (Peru Aves), the Gray-bellied Comet (eBird), the Bearded Mountaineer (Peru Aves), the Long-whiskered Owlet (Peru Aves), the Striated Earthcreeper (eBird), the White-cheeked Cotinga (Peru Aves), the Buff-bridled Inca Finch (Peru Aves), the Cinereous Finch (Peru Aves), and the Pardusco (Peru Aves).

Mammals unique to Peru include the Peruvian Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (ARKive WM), the Andean Night Monkey (IUCN), the San Martin Titi (ARKive WM), Isabel's Saki (ResearchGate), Illiger's Saddleback Tamarin (iNaturalist), the Peruvian Yungas Pudu (gob.per) (Species New to Science), Gardner's Short-tailed Opossum (Smithsonian WM), the Junin Slender Opossum (flickr), the Hairy Long-nosed Armadillo (Xenarthrans), Kalinowski's Agouti (iNaturalist), the cricetid rodents Aegialomys ica and Oligoryzomys arenalis (p. 2 of ResearchGate pdf), the Medium-tailed Rice Rat (ResearchGate), the Peruvian Fish-eating Rat (Species New to Science), the Machu Picchu Inca Rat (Mongabay), Barbara Brown's Brush-tailed Rat (iNaturalist) (Mongabay), the Peruvian Tuco-tuco Ctenomys peruanus (p. 4 of ResearchGate pdf), the Junin Red Squirrel (ResearchGate), the Arequipa Red Bat (Species New to Science), the Peruvian Tailless Bat (GBIF), Chiribaya's Bonneted Bat (Semantic Scholar), the Blunt-eared Bat (ResearchGate), and Evaristo's Small-eared Shrew (ResearchGate).

Reptiles found only in Peru include the Desert Lancehead (CalPhotos), the Inca Forest Pitviper (flickr), Dunn's Tree Snake (Reptile Database), a false coral snake Oxyrhopus marcapatae (BHL), the Three-colored Blind Snake (iNaturalist), the Perico Worm Lizard (CalPhotos), the Cusco Anole (iNaturalist), Jacqueline's Bush Anole (ResearchGate), the Cajamarca Gecko (CalPhotos), the Andes Leaf-toed Gecko (CalPhotos), the Maranon Gecko (Reptile Database), Potamites montanicola (Mongabay), Holmberg's Desert Tegu (flickr), the Blue Wood Lizard Enyalioides azulae (ResearchGate), the Spiny Whorltail Lizard (iNaturalist), and a lava lizard Microlophus theresiae (Alessandro Catenazzi WM). Endemic reptile genera include a snake Arcanumophis (ResearchGate) and several lizards: Ctenoblepharys (Alessandro Catenazzi WM), Selvasaura (Species New to Science), Dendrosauridion (ResearchGate), Wilsonosaura (ResearchGate), and Petracola (Reptile Database).

Amphibians exclusive to Peru include the Sky Blue Poison Frog (DendroBase.de), the Emerald Poison Frog (Dendrobates.org WM ), the Pleasing Poison Frog (ARKive WM), the Red-headed Poison Frog (Dendrobates.org WM), the Maranon Poison Frog (ResearchGate), the Peruvian Stubfoot Toad (ARKive WM), the Inca Toad (CalPhotos), the Tarapoto Leaf Frog (iNaturalist), Trueb's Cochran Frog (CalPhotos), Henle's Slender-legged Tree Frog (CalPhotos), the Abra Acanacu Marsupial Frog (CalPhotos), Noblella madreselva (fig. 2A at Semantic Scholar), the Huahachuco Water Frog Telmatobius brevipes (p. 9 of Mongabay WM pdf), and the Awajun Salamander (Species New to Science). Endemic amphibian genera include Phrynopus (ResearchGate), Bryophryne (IUCN), Truebella (ResearchGate), Qosqophryne (Species New to Science), and Psychrophrynella (iNaturalist).

Freshwater fish known solely from Peru include the Peruvian Longfin (FishBase), the Rainbow Rivulus (FishBase), the Multi-banded Leporinus (Hippocampus), the knifefishes Sternarchella patriciae (ResearchGate) and Brachyhypopomus benjamini (Semantic Scholar), the Coral Red Pencilfish (Seriously Fish), the Tiger Freshwater Stingray (Wikipedia), the Inca Dwarf Cichlid (Cichlid Room Companion), a silverside Basilichthys archaeus (iNaturalist), a pupfish Orestias empyraeus (p. 81 of Smithsonian pdf), the Twosaddle Corydoras (PlanetCatfish), Astroblepus mancoi (PlanetCatfish), Farlowella myriodon (PlanetCatfish), and the Zebra Oto (PlanetCatfish). Endemic genera include the Hummingbird Tetra Trochilocharax (FishBase), the Apricot Tetra Dectobrycon (FishBase), Varicharax (ResearchGate), a characin Chilobrycon (fig. 3F at Check List), a catfish Fonchiiloricaria (PlanetCatfish), and a cichlid Tahuantinsuyoa (Naturhistorhiska riksmuseet WM).

Endemic marine fish include the Naked Blenny (STRI), the Peruvian Round Ray (BHL), the Callao Drum (BHL), the Peruvian Salema (STRI), and a dragonet Synchiropus talarae (BHL).

Butterflies exclusive to Peru include Nabakov’s Lycid (Learn About Butterflies WM), a hairstreak Strymon jacqueline (UNMSM pdf), Eldoradina (Butterflies of America), Perisama tristrigosa (Learn About Butterflies WM), Ithomia praeithomia (Tree of Life WM), Hyalyris latilimbata (iNaturalist), Lymanopoda shefteli (iNaturalist), Lasiophila piscina (iNaturalist), Altinote rubrocellulata (iNaturalist), Mygona thammi (iNaturalist), Oxeoschistus iphigenia (iNaturalist), Pedaliodes peruda (iNaturalist), Perisama tristrigosa (iNaturalist), Paraphthonia cteatus (iNaturalist), and the Peruvian Puna Skipper (Learn About Butterflies WM). Endemic moths include a silk moth Copaxa bella (Kirby Wolfe WM) and a ghost moth Viridigigas ciseskii (ResearchGate).

Other endemic insects include the damselflies Protallagma hoffmanni (Guardian) and Philogenia elisabeta (iNaturalist), a dragonfly Rhionaeschna elsia (ResearchGate), the Golden-eyed Stick Insect (IUCN), a praying mantis Carrikerella simpira (Species New to Science), a grasshopper Tingomariacris luteiceps (p. 2 of Field Museum pdf), a raspy cricket Brachybaenus bimucronatus (iNaturalist), the katydids Markia erinaceus (iNaturalist) and Hyperphrona angusta (p. 3 of Field Museum pdf), a stag beetle Incadorcus zugeri (New World Scarab Beetles), a rhinoceros beetle Megaceras briansaltini (IISE WM), the longhorn beetles Macrodontia itayensis (Cerambycidae Species WM) and Asynapteron inca (iNaturalist), a tiger beetle Ctenostoma sumlini (SHNAO WM), a jewel beetle Chrysobothris fallax (ResearchGate), a cicada Carineta tingomariaensis (GBIF), a leafhoppter Stehlikiana halticula (iNaturalist), an ant Pseudomyrmex peruvianus (AntWiki), and the bees Caupolicana piurensis (iNaturalist) and Alocandrena porteri (Discover Life).

Other endemic arthropods include a freshwater crab Hypolobocera ucayalensis (iNaturalist), a thermophilic amphipod Hyalella yashmara (Species New to Science), a cave-dwelling isopod Caecopactes chullachaqui (GBIF), a millipede Pycnotropis unapi (GBIF), the scorpions Brachistosternus misti (ResearchGate) and Hadruroides chinchaysuyu (fig. 4B at BHL), the solifuges Chinchippus peruvianus (Alessandro Catenazzi WM) and Vempironiella aguilari (BHL), the harvestmen Taito adrik (Species New to Science) and Junicus gerhardi (iNaturalist), a wandering spider Caloctenus oxapampa (ResearchGate) and several tarantulas: Avicularia merianae (ResearchGate), Chinchaysuyu spinosa (ResearchGate), Antikuna cyanofemur (ResearchGate), Bistriopelma fabiana (ResearchGate), Thrixopelma cyaneolum (birdspiders.com WM), Hapalotremus vilcanota (ResearchGate), and Lasiodorides polycuspulatus (flickr).

Endemic land snails include Bostryx reentsi (Bram's snailblog WM), Drymaeus cecileae (Wikipedia), Sultana meobambensis (iNaturalist), Paeniscutalus crenellus (Bram's snailblog WM), Scholvienia bifasciata (iNaturalist), and Scutalus mariopenai (Wikipedia). Pisidium iquito (ResearchGate) is an endemic freshwater mussel. Endemic marine molluscs include Barleeia meridionalis (p. 50 of AToL Decapoda pdf), Alvania (or Manzonia) limensis (p. 11 of AToL Decapoda pdf), the nudibranchs Felimare sechurana (ZooKeys) and Corambe mancorensis (ResearchGate), and a sea hare Aplysia inca (GBIF). Other endemic invertebrates include a velvet worm Oroperipatus omeyrus (p. 17 of USP pdf) (iNaturalist) and a land planarian Geoplana excelentissima (ResearchGate). A coral Psammogorgia hookeri (EurekAlert!) is known only from the Paracas National Reserve. A family of turtle flukes Atamatamidae (Semantic Scholar) (BioOne) is known only from Peru.

Among over 5000 vascular plant species restricted to Peru (UNMSM WM) are Fuchsia tincta (Field Museum), Puya angusta (ABIS WM), Heliconia penduloides (Field Museum), Centropogon vernicosus (ABIS WM), Nasa poissoniana (ucanr.edu), Tecoma rosifolia (p. 58 of ResearchGate pdf), Viola lilliputana (ResearchGate), Hoffmannseggia miranda (ResearchGate), Corryocactus erectus (iNaturalist), Loxanthocereus acanthurus (iNaturalist), Cumulopuntia sphaerica (iNaturalist), Exodeconus prostratus (ABIS WM), Passiflora runa (iNaturalist), Aphelandra wurdackii (ABIS WM), Cantua candelilla (iNaturalist), and several orchids: Cattleya mooreana (IOPSE), Sobralia altissima (IOPSE), Phragmipedium kovatchii (IOPSE), Epidendrum ardens (iNaturalist), and Masdevallia atahualpa (IUCN).

Trees known only from Peru include Polylepis flavipila (iNaturalist), Chamaedorea fragrans (PACSOA WM), Eriotheca vargasii (iNaturalist), Allamanda weberbaueri (iNaturalist), Jatropha humboldtiana (iNaturalist), Sanchezia klugii (iNaturalist), Desfontainia spinosa (iNaturalist), Armatocereus rauhii (iNaturalist), Jacaranda acutifolia (iNaturalist), Berberis beauverdiana (ABIS WM), Cremastosperma yamayakatense (PhytoKeys), Magnolia sanchez-vegae (ResearchGate), Iochroma nitidum (iNaturalist), Miconia burkeae (Species New to Science), and Myrcianthes ferreyrae (IUCN). Endemic tree genera include Orthopterygium (iNaturalist), Calymmanthium (es.wikipedia), Neotessmannia (GBIF), and Motleyothamnus (Tropicos WM) (iNaturalist).

Endemic vascular plant genera include Trichlora (POWO), Rauhia (PBS), Filarum (IAS), Bishopanthus (ResearchGate), Ellenbergia (iNaturalist), Ascidiogyne (iNaturalist), Caxamarca (ResearchGate), Chionopappus (iNaturalist), Centenaria (PhytoKeys), Dactylocardamum (Marijn van den Brink), Monocostus (PBS), Laccopetalum (ABIS WM), Pellegrinia (NYBG), an orchid Opilionanthe (ResearchGate), and several cacti: Oroya (CactiGuide.com WM), Rauhocereus (iNaturalist), Mila (iNaturalist), and Matucana (iNaturalist).

Endemic fungi include a morel Morchella peruviana (fig. 6 at USFS WM pdf). Endemic lichens include Ramalina turgida (GBIF) and Cora strigosa (ResearchGate). Endemic non-vascular plants include the liverworts Chonecolea andina (GBIF) and Drepanolejeunea halinae (sciencedo pdf) and the mosses Indusiella (or Coscinodontella) bryanii (BHL) and Dicranum gregoryi (GBIF).

Peru includes portions of the Amazon (WWF) and two biodiversity hotspots: the Tropical Andes (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) and the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena (Biodiversity Hotspots WM). Important terrestrial ecoregions include the Peruvian Yungas (EoE), the Sechura Desert (EoE), the Central Andean Puna (EoE), the Cordillera Central Páramo (EoE), and the Tumbes-Piura dry forests (EoE). Important freshwater ecoregions for endemic species include the Western Amazon Piedmont (FEOW WM), the Amazonas Lowlands (FEOW WM), the Mamore-Madre de Dios Piedmont (FEOW WM), and Lake Titicaca (FEOW WM). For information on Peru's threatened species see (ResearchGate). A sample of recently described species can be found at (UNMSM).