Colombia

Colombia is second only to Brazil in its richness in endemic species of amphibians. Endemic genera of frogs include Walker’s Sierra Frog Geobatrachus walkeri (ARKive), the Sonson Frog Atopophrynus syntomopus (ARKive), the Palm Rocket Frog Rheobates palmatus (CalPhotos), the Magdalena Giant Glass Frog Ikakogi (sometimes placed in Centrolene) tayrona (ARKive), and the backpack frogs Cryptobatrachus (ARKive). Harlequin frogs include Atelopus simulatus (ARKive), Atelopus ebenoides (BBC), and the recently rediscovered San Lorenzo Harlequin Frog Atelopus nahumae and Santa Marta Harlequin Frog Atelopus laetissimus (both at CBC). Also endemic are the Red-banded Poison Frog Dendrobates (or Oophaga) lehmanni (AmphibiaWeb), the Santa Marta Poison Arrow Frog Colostethus ruthveni (ARKive), Ranitomeya dorisswansonae (flickr), the Golden Poison Frog Phyllobates terribilis (AmphibiaWeb), the Pandi Mushroom-tongue Salamander Bolitoglossa pandi (ARKive), and the Cauca Caecilian Caecilia occidentalis (AmphibiaWeb).

Reptiles known only from Colombia include the Dahl’s Toad-headed Turtle Phrynops dahli (Turtles of the World), the Colombian Mud Turtle Kinosternon dunni (Reptile Database), the Magdalena River Turtle Podocnemis lewyana (Turtles of the World), Medem's Coral Snake Micrurus medemi (Reptile Database), the Chocoan Toadheaded Pitviper Bothrocophias myersi (Reptile Database), Pratt's Snail-eater Dipsas pratti (Reptile Database), a ground snake Atractus sanctaemartae (flickr), Daniel's Keelback Helicops danieli (flickr), the Blue Anole Anolis gorgonae (Mongabay), Anolis huilae (flickr), Anadia bogotensis (Rufford), the Dotted Galliwasp Diploglossus millepunctatus (Fundacion Malpelo), Dunn's Ameiva Ameiva niceforoi (flickr), and a whorltail iguana Stenocercus lache (CalPhotos).

Endemic mammals include the Cotton-top Tamarin (Proyecto Titi), the White-footed Tamarin (Durrell), the Ornate Titi (ARKive), the recently described Caquetá Titi (ARKive), the Colombian Woolly Monkey (ARKive), Hernández-Camacho's Night Monkey (p. 6 of Primate SG pdf file), Brumback's Night Monkey (ARKive), Handley’s Slender Mouse Opossum (EDGE), the Stump-tailed Porcupine (Planet' Mammiferes),the Brown Hairy Dwarf Porcupine (Planet' Mammiferes), the Andean Squirrel (Planet' Mammiferes), and the recently rediscovered Red-crested Tree Rat (ProAves).

Among a dozen hummingbirds unique to Colombia are the Blossomcrown (BirdLife Int'l), the Colorful Puffleg (IBC), the Santa Marta Sabrewing (Wildlife Extra), the Black Inca (ARKive), the Gorgeted Puffleg (ARKive), and the Colibrí del Sol (ProAves). Other endemic birds include the Blue-billed Curassow (Cracid SG), the Cauca Guan (ARKive), the Bogota Rail (ARKive), Fuertes’s Parrot (ARKive), the Yellow-eared Parrot (ARKive), the White-mantled Barbet (ARKive), the Red-bellied Grackle (ARKive), the Santa Marta Antpitta (ARKive), the Baudo Oropendola (flickr), Niceforo's Wren (ARKive), the Multicolored Tanager (Mangoverde), the Gold-ringed Tanager (flickr), the Sooty Ant Tanager (flickr), and the recently described Fenwick's Antpitta (ARKive) and Santa Marta Screech Owl (IBC).

Freshwater fish genera found only in Colombia include the Emperor Tetra Nematobrycon (Malawi Cichlid Homepage), Alloheterandria (Hippocampus Bildarchiv), Carlastyanax (Humboldt), Argopleura (p. 269 of Humboldt pdf file), and two catfish: Centrochir (PlanetCatfish) and Eremophilus (PlanetCatfish). Additional endemic freshwater fish include the Bandit Corydoras Corydoras metae (PlanetCatfish), an armored catfish Sturisoma aureum (PlanetCatfish), a knifefish Apteronotus magdalenensis (Check List pdf file), the Yellowhump Eartheater Geophagus pellegrini (FishBase), and Macmaster's Dwarf Cichlid Apistogramma macmasteri (FishBase). Among the marine fish found only around Malpelo Island are the Twinspot Triplefin (STRI), the Malpelo Wrasse (STRI), Rubinoff’s Triplefin (STRI), the Malpelo Barnacle Blenny (STRI), and the Pretty Goby (STRI).

Butterflies restricted to Colombia include Anthirraea isabelae (Gonzalo-Andrade C.), Memphis juliani (p. 3 of Univ. Caldas pdf file), Reliquia santamarta (Butterflies of America), Heliconius heurippa (BBC), Splendeuptychia ackeryi (Wildlife Extra), and Idioneurula donegani (NHM-London). Other invertebrates unique to Colombia include a tarantula Pseudhapalopus spinulopalpus (Ondrej Rehak), a parthenogenetic scorpion Tityus columbianus (SciELO Brazil), a land crab Gecarcinus malpilensis (Fundacion Malpelo), a snail Plekocheilus bigener (ashbreure), a termite Rhynchotermes bulbinasus (Zootaxa pdf file), and two silk moths: Leucanella nyctimene (Colombian Insects) and Copaxa sapatoza (silkmoths.bizland.com). An earthworm Tumak hammeni (p. 9 of Redalyc pdf file) is the sole member of an endemic family, the Tumakidae.

Colombia's rich endemic flora includes the national tree, the Quindío Wax Palm (PACSOA), and the national flower, Cattleya trianae (IOPSE). Psittacanthus gigas (Tropicos) has the largest simple leaves of any tree in the world. Other plants found only in Colombia include the Queen Anthurium (Int'l Aroid Soc.), Odontoglossum crispum (IOPSE), Kohleria bogotensis (Gesneriad Reference Web), Passiflora antioquiensis (Passiflora Online), and Espeletia uribei (flickr) . Endemic genera include Chigua (Cycad Pages), Cremospermopsis (flickr), Luisma (Botanicus), Macarenia (flickr), Acrobotrys (Botanicus), Allomaieta (flickr), and several orchids: Pterostemma (SOF), Notyliopsis (SOF), and Condylago (IOPSE).

Colombia includes portions of two biodiversity hotspots: the Tumbes - Chocó - Magdalena (Biodiversity Hotspots) and the Tropical Andes (Biodiversity Hotspots). Colombia also forms part of the Western Caribbean coral reef hotspot (Reef Guardian pdf file). Important freshwater ecoregion for endemic species include the North Andean Pacific Slopes-Rio Atrato (FEOW) and the Magdalena-Sinu (FEOW). Red books of threatened Colombian species can be found at (Humboldt).