Yemen

Birds found nowhere else include the Socotra Scops Owl (eBird), the Socotra Buzzard (eBird) (ARKive WM), the Socotra Sunbird (eBird), the Socotra Cisticola (Hanne & Jens Eriksen WM), the Socotra Starling (Hanne & Jens Eriksen WM), the Abd al Kuri Sparrow (BHL) (eBird), the Socotra Sparrow (eBird), the Socotra Grosbeak (eBird), and the Socotra Bunting (ARKive WM) (eBird). The Socotra Warbler (eBird) is an endemic genus. The Yemen Accentor (eBird) is sometimes considered a distinct species. The Socotra White-eye (iNaturalist) may also be a full species.

Reptile genera unique to Yemen include the Socotran Racer (iNaturalist) (BHL), Gunther’s Racer (Reptile Database) (iNaturalist), geckos Haemodracon (iNaturalist), a skink Hakaria simonyi (Reptile Database), and the Short Worm Lizard (Reptile Database). Other endemic reptile species include the Yemen Spiny-tailed Lizard (ResearchGate), the Socotra Chameleon (iNaturalist), the Abd al-Kuri Skink (Reptile Database), the Socotra Sand Lizard (lacerta.de), the Arabian Fringe-fingered Lizard (iNaturalist), the Dragon Blood Tree Gecko (ARKive WM), the Socotra Rock Gecko (iNaturalist), the Arabian Worm Lizard (fig. 2 at BHL), Wilson's Blind Snake (iNaturalist), and the Socotra Worm Snake (Reptile Database).

Mammals restricted to Yemen include the Black-tufted Gerbil Gerbillus famulus (IUCN) (p. 9 of Kölner Zoo pdf), the Hadramaut Mouse-tailed Bat Rhinopoma hadramauticum (nm.cz WM pdf) (GBIF), Lanza's Pipistrelle Hypsugo lanzai (top image of fig. 10 at nm.cz WM pdf) (GBIF), and the extinct Queen of Sheba's Gazelle Gazella bilkis (IUCN) (Cambridge pdf).

Scortecci's Toad (IUCN) (ASW) is an endemic amphibian of questionable validity.

Freshwater fish exclusive to Yemen include the Hadramaut Himri Carasobarbus exulatus (IUCN) (ResearchGate), Garra lautior (BHL), Garra mamshuqa (p. 4 of BiK-F WM pdf), and Arabibarbus hadhrami (Semantic Scholar WM).

Endemic marine fish include the Socotran Snakelet Halidesmus socotraensis (BHL), the Socotra Sweeper (FishBase), the Yemen Sweeper (FishBase), the Goldspotted Dottyback (GBIF), the Socotra Dottyback (GBIF), the Socotra Holehiding Goby (GBIF), the Socotra Moray (Plate 11-6 at SAIAB pdf), the Blackstreak Perchlet Plectranthias intermedius (BHL), a lizardfish Trachinocephalus atrisignis (Semantic Scholar WM), Heins' Stingray (GBIF), the Red Sea Torpedo (GBIF), the Socotra Blue-spotted Guitarfish (GBIF), and the Error Seamount Catshark (PLOS).

Butterflies known only from Socotra include Charaxes balfouri (BOLD), Charaxes velox (p. 36 of UNESCO pdf) (BOLD), Tarucus quadratus and Leptotes socotranus (both at Friends of Soqotra pdf), and Belenois anomala (fig. 4 at BHL). Butterflies endemic to the mainland Yemen include Charaxes bernstorffi (BOLD), Cacyreus niebuhri (fig. 4 on p. 81 of royalacademy.dk pdf), and Lepidochrysops arabicus and Lepidochrysops haveni (both on p. 30 of CTEET pdf). Endemic moths include a slug moth Parasa dusii (ResearchGate), an owlet moth Cerocala socotrensis (fig. 27 at Internet Archive), a miller moth Mormogystia brandstetteri (ZooKeys), and a cossid moth Aethalopteryx diksami (GBIF).

Other endemic insects include a damselfly Azuragrion granti (iNaturalist) (ADDO WM), the grasshoppers Physemophorus sokotranus (iNaturalist) and Socotrella monstrosa (Friends of Soqotra pdf), a raspy cricket Glomeremus pileatus (iNaturalist), a cave-dwelling spider cricket Socotracris kleukersi (GBIF), the mantids Empusa simonyi (iNaturalist) and Teddia dioscoris (iNaturalist), the ants Cardiocondyla longiceps (AntWiki) and Monomorium elghazalyi (ResearchGate), the bees Patellapis flavovittata (iNaturalist) and Xenostelis polychroma (figs. 106-7 at ResearchGate), a paper wasp Belonogaster saussurei (iNaturalist), a robber fly Rhadinus socotrae (Friends of Soqotra pdf), a termite Amitermes socotrensis (iNaturalist), an assassin bug Socotredocla spinosa (iNaturalist), a soapberry bug Leptocoris bahram (Soapberry Bugs of the World WM), a scarab beetle Canudema socotrae (Hannetons WM), the ground beetles Parorthomus socotranus (ZooKeys) and Platyderus brunki (DEZ), a tiger beetle Socotrana labroturrita (Cicindela On-line WM), a jewel beetle Julodis clouei (iNaturalist), a darkling beetle Mesostena socotraensis (Friends of Soqotra pdf), a blister beetle Meloe trapeziderus (iNaturalist), a leaf beetle Colasposoma atrocyaneum (iNaturalist), and the longhorn beetles Mallodon arabicum (iNaturalist) and Cantharocnemis strandi (Cerambycidae WM).

Other endemic invertebrates include the jumping spiders Rafalus insignipalpis (Arachnids on Stamps) and Afrobeata firma (Friends of Soqotra pdf), the Socotra Island Blue Baboon Spider Monocentropus balfouri (sklipkani.cz), the scorpions Hottentotta socotrensis (iNaturalist) and Barbaracurus yemenensis (ResearchGate), a whip spider Phrynichus heurtaultae (p. 36 of Friends of Soqotra pdf), the freshwater crabs Socotra pseudocardisoma (Friends of Soqotra pdf) and Socotrapotamon socotrensis (iNaturalist), a cave-dwelling shrimp Halocaridinides socotraensis (GBIF), the isopods Platyarthrus alticolus (ResearchGate) and Stenasellus taitii (GBIF), a coral Fungia puishani (Corals of the World WM), the freshwater snails Afrogyrorbis socotrensis (GBIF) and Hydrobia balfouri (GBIF), and several land snails: Tropidophora socotrana (Friends of Soqotra pdf), Lithidion giganteum (iNaturalist), Socotora naticoides (p. 18 of Tentacle pdf), Soqena edentula (GBIF), Balfouria nitida (p. 29 of Friends of Soqotra pdf), Cyclotopsis mirandae (ResearchGate), Gulella socotrensis (GBIF), Hoqia pulchella (GBIF), Microscintilla mamillata (GBIF), and Achatinelloides hadibuensis and Riebeckia sokotorana (both at Forum Coquillage).

The over 400 vascular plant species living solely in Yemen include Aloe perryi (botany.cz), Coelocarpum socotranum (iNaturalist), Begonia samhaensis (ABS WM), Cissus hamaderohensis (iNaturalist), Kalanchoe farinacea (iNaturalist), Exacum caeruleum (iNaturalist), Launaea crepoides (ARKive WM), Dorstenia gigas (botany.cz), Huernia rosea (huernia.com WM), Crotalaria strigulosa (iNaturalist), Trichodesma laxiflorum (iNaturalist), Cynanchum socotranum (iNaturalist), Dianthus uniflorus (iNaturalist), Echidnopsis socotrana (iNaturalist), Limonium sokotranum (iNaturalist), Oldenlandia pulvinata (iNaturalist), Libinhania rosulata (iNaturalist), Heliotropium sokotranum (iNaturalist), Pulicaria stephanocarpa (iNaturalist), and Corchorus erodioides (p. 19 of Friends of Soqotra pdf).

Trees known only from Yemen include the Dragon’s Blood Tree (iNaturalist), Dirachma socotrana (ARKive WM), a pomegranate Punica protopunica (ARKive WM), Cadaba insularis (ARKive WM), Spiniluma discolor (African Plants WM), Hypericum balfourii (iNaturalist), a frankincense Boswellia elongata (ARKive WM), a myrrh Commiphora ornifolia (iNaturalist), Dirichletia obovata (botany.cz), Hibiscus diriffan (iNaturalist), Acridocarpus socotranus (iNaturalist), Lannea transulta (iNaturalist), Indigofera sokotrana (ARKive WM), Vachellia pennivenia (iNaturalist), Jatropha unicostata (botany.cz), Cryptolepis arbuscula (iNaturalist), Vernonia cockburniana (iNaturalist), Coelocarpum haggierensis (iNaturalist), and Euphorbia abdelkuri (IUCN). Endemic tree genera include Ballochia (botany.cz) (iNaturalist), the Socotra Cucumber Tree Dendrosicyos (ARKive WM), and Cephalocrotonopsis (iNaturalist) (botany.cz).

Other endemic vascular plant genera include Angkalanthus (ARKive WM), Trichocalyx (plantarium.ru), Socotrella (ARKive WM), Haya (botany.cz), Duvaliandra (ARKive WM), Cyanixia (Google Books), Tamridaea (Socotraman), Placopoda (GBIF), Libinhania (iNaturalist), Nirarathamnos (fig. A at BHL), Paraerva (iNaturalist), Nesocrambe (BGBM WM pdf), Oreofraga (iNaturalist), Rughidea (iNaturalist) (GBIF), and Lachnocapsa (iNaturalist).

Endemic lichens include Thelopsis paucispora (ResearchGate) and Roccella phycopsioides (ResearchGate). Endemic mosses include Sematophyllum socotrense (ResearchGate), Tortella smithii (GBIF), and Schlotheimia balfourii (GBIF).

Portions of Yemen are included in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots WM), the Horn of Africa biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) and.the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coral reef hotspot (Columbia Univ. WM pdf). Important terrestrial ecoregions include the Socotra Island Xeric Shrublands (EoE), the Southwestern Arabian Montane Woodlands (EoE) and the Arabian Peninsula Coastal Fog Desert (EoE). For more on the remarkable endemic flora and fauna of Socotra see (Socotra Archipelago WM) and (Friends of Soqotra). A summary of insect endemism is at (ResearchGate). Photos of many additional endemic Socotran species can be found at (Univ. Rostock WM).