Cuba
Mammals
unique to Cuba
include the Cuban Solenodon (EDGE),
the
Little Goblin Bat (ARKive), the Cuban Red Bat Lasiurus insularis
(p. 6 of RELCOM
8 MB pdf file), and the Cuban Greater Funnel-eared Bat Natalus primus (p.
9 of RELCOM
pdf file). Representing
three endemic genera of large rodents are the
Prehensile-tailed Hutia Mysateles
(Animal
Diversity Web), the Cuban Hutia Capromys (Cuba
Naturaleza),
and the Ana Maria (or Cabrera’s) Hutia Mesocapromys
(ZGAP).
The Bee
Hummingbird (ARKive)
is
the world's smallest bird. Endemic bird genera are
represented by the Zapata Rail (BirdLife
Int'l), the Zapata Sparrow (MOU),
the
Zapata Wren (ARKive),
the Blue-headed Quail-dove (Neotropical
Birds), the Cuban Screech Owl (IBC),
the Cuban Green Woodpecker (Arthur
Grosset's Birds), and the Oriente Warbler (Arthur
Grosset's Birds). Other birds unique to Cuba
include the Cuban Finch (Culture
Quest), Fernandina’s Flicker (ARKive),
the Cuban Nightjar (IBC),
the Cuban Tody (Neotropical
Birds), the Cuban Trogon (Cuba
Naturaleza),
the Cuban Parakeet (BirdLife
Int'l), and Gundlach’s Hawk (Peregrine
Fund).
Reptiles found only in Cuba include the Cuban Crocodile Crocodylus
rhombifer
(ARKive),
the Cuban Boa
Epicrates angulifer (Cuba
Naturaleza), the Canasi Dwarf Boa Tropidophis celiae
(Caribherp),
the Oriente Brown-capped Racerlet Arrhyton
landoi (Field
Museum pdf file), the Cuban Croaking
Gecko Aristelliger
reyesi (Caribherp),
the
Cuban Night Lizard
Cricosaura typica (Digimorph),
and the Cuban Pale-necked Galliwasp Diploglossus
delasagra (Caribherp).
Among over 50 endemic
anoles are the Knight Anole Anolis
equestris
(Smithsonian
National Zoo), the Cuban Stream Anole Anolis vermiculatus
(fotonaturaleza),
and the Oriente Bearded Anole Anolis
(or Chamaeleolis)
porcus (Reptile
Database). The worm lizards of the genus Cadea (Caribherp)
are sometimes considered an endemic family, the Cadeidae.
Amphibians known exclusively from Cuba
include the Cuban Pine Toad Bufo (or Peltophryne)
cataulaciceps (ARKive),
the Cuban Spotted Toad Bufo
(or Peltophryne)
taladai
(ARKive),
the Cuban Robber Frog Eleutherodactylus
cubanus (Cuba
Naturaleza), the Turquino Robber Frog Eleutherodactylus turquinensis
(ARKive),
the Cuban Giant Frog Eleutherodactylus
zeus (ARKive), the
Cuban Red-rumped Frog Eleutherodactylus
acmonis (Caribherp),
and the Orange Long-nosed Frog Eleutherodactylus
jaumei (ARKive).
The Monte Iberia Dwarf Frog Eleutherodactylus
iberia
(AmphibiaWeb)
is one of the world's smallest frogs.
Freshwater fish that live solely in the rivers and streams of Cuba
include the Cuban Gar
Atractosteus tristoechus (Lepisosteidae.net),
the Cuban Cavefish
Lucifuga (p. 2 of El
Acuarista pdf file), the Joturo Cichlasoma (or Nandopsis) ramsdeni (Cichlid
Room Companion), the Barred Topminnow
Quintana atrizona (FishBase),
the Goldbelly Topminnow Girardinus
falcatus (FishBase),
the Cuban Killifish Cubanichthys
cubensis (Cuba
Naturaleza), the Black Metallic Livebearer Alepidomus evermanni
(El
Acuarista), and the Isle of Pines Rivulus
Rivulus insulaepinorum (SAA).
Recently described endemic marine fish include a basslet Gramma dejongi (FishBase)
and a barnacle
blenny Acanthemblemaria
cubana (Solenodon
pdf file).
Butterflies restricted to Cuba include Poey’s Black
Swallowtail
Papilio caiguanabus (Butterflies
of America), Gundlach's Swallowtail Parides (Papilio) gundlachianus (Rufford), the Cuban Kite
Eurytides celadon (Butterflies
of America),
Calisto occulta (Species-ID), and Greta cubana
(flickr).
Other endemic invertebrates include the Cuban Leafcutting Ant Atta insularis (es.wikipedia.org),
a day flying moth Urania
boisduvalii (NABA),
a firefly Alecton
discoidalis (Wikipedia),
a longhorned beetle Lepturgotrichona
(or Lepturges)
cubaecola
(Harvard),
a caponiid spider Nops
siboney (Field
Museum), a tarantula Phormictopus
auratus (theraphosidae.cz),
a scorpion Alayotityus
juraguaensis (Luis
F. de Armas), and a freshwater snail Pomacea poeyana (Wikipedia).
A spectacular landsnail fauna of over 1000
endemic
species includes the Cuban Painted Tree Snail Polymita picta (jaxshells.org),
Liguus
blainianus (fotoaturaleza),
the Cuban Porcupine Shell Blaesospira
echinus
(b-cabinet),
and Cerion ceiba
(Cerion).
Cuba has over 3000 plant species found nowhere else. Endemic
genera include the palms Gastrococos (PACSOA)
and Hemithrinax
(ARKive),
a
cycad Microcycas
(Cycad
Pages), Siemensia (Plants
of Viñales), Shafera
(Picasa),
Antillanthus
(Picasa),
Hebestigma (Plants
of Viñales), Adenoa (Kew),
Linodendron
(p. 61 of Gijón
3 MB pdf file) Ceratopyxis
(Plants
of Viñales), Henleophytum (Malpighiaceae),
and Ancistranthus (Plants
of Viñales). Orchids unique to Cuba
include Encyclia
bocourtii (Cuba
Naturaleza), Broughtonia
ortgiesiana
(orquideas-katia.com), Tolumnia guibertiana
(IOPSE),
and Tetramicra eulophiae
(orquideas-katia.com).
Other endemic species include the Cuban Pine Pinus
cubensis (Wikipedia), the Dwarf Turk's Cap
Cactus Melocactus
matanzanus
(desert-tropicals.com),
Dendrocereus nudiflorus
(CactiGuide.com), Marcgravia evenia
(National
Geographic),
and the Cuban Petticoat Palm Copernicia
macroglossa (PACSOA).
Cuba is part of the Caribbean Islands biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots). Important terrestrial ecoregions include
the Cuban Moist Forests (EoE),
the Cuban Cactus Scrub (EoE),
and the Cuban Pine Forests (EoE).
A summary of Cuban endemism is at (Diversidad
Biológica Cubana).