Kyrgyzstan

Freshwater fish found exclusively in Lake Issyk Kul include the Issyk-Kul Dace Leuciscus bergi (Sergey Shetinin), Schmidt’s Dace Leuciscus schmidti (NOAA), the Issyk-Kul Minnow Phoxinus issykkulensis (FishBase), and the Issyk-Kul Marinka Scizothorax issykkuli (BIOM). Other endemic fish include the Talas Stone Loach Nemacheilus paradoxus (FishBase), a loach Dzihunia turdakovi (FishBase), and a minnow Lagowskiella dementjevi (FishBase).

Lizards found nowhere else include Eremchenko's False Snake-eyed Skink Asymblepharus eremchenkoi (Reptile Database) and the Tien Shan Even-fingered Gecko Alsophylax tokobajevi (Google Books).

An endemic mammal is the Alai Mole Vole (IUCN Red List).

Butterflies unique to Kyrgyzstan include a clouded yellow Colias regia (euroleps.ch), Paralasa horaki (rusinsects.com), a blue Neolycaena medea (SZMN) and a snow apollo Parnassius davydovi (Sergei Churkin). Other endemic insects include a jewel beetle Acmaeodera lopatini (zin.ru), a ground beetle Carabus pseudolamprostus (Carabidae of the World), a longhorned beetle Kirgisobia bohnei (zin.ru), the click beetles Cardiophorus terskeyensis (Elateridae) and Hypnoidus narynensis (Elateridae), a flea beetle Longitarsus nadiae (p. 15 of Zootaxa pdf file), a grasshopper Ferganacris mushketovi (SZMN), a bee Thyreomelecta kirghisia (p. 7 of AMNH Digital Library pdf file), and a plume moth Stenoptilia coenei (Phegea pdf file). Other endemic invertebrates include a jumping spider Chalcoscirtus nenilini (Salticidae of the World), a mesh web weaver spider Tricholathys relicta (BIOM), a centipede Escaryus kirgizicus (CHILOBASE), and several land snails Pseudonapaeus leucoptychus (Femorale), Siraphoroides moltschanovi (Femorale), and Leucozonella crassicosta (SZMN).

Vascular plant species restricted to Kyrgyzstan include Zoya's Yellow Desert Candle Eremurus zoae (plantarium.ru), the Broad-stamened Tulip Tulipa platystemon (BIOM), Allium pseudowinklerianum (IPK), Allium spathulatum (IPK), Phlomoides milkoi (photo.kg), Knorring's Larkspur Delphinium knorringianum (plantarium.ru), Iris zenaidae (rareplants.co.uk), Acantholimon karabajeviorum (Turczaninowia pdf file), Corydalis subverticillata (Turczaninowia pdf file), Polygonum toktogulicum (plantarium.ru), Sorbaria olgae (p. 25 of nature.kg pdf file), Knorring’s Hawthorn Crataegus knorringiana (BIOM), the legumes Chesneya villosa (BIOM) and Hedysarum sultanovae (plantarium.ru), a skullcap Scutellaria botbaevae (plantarium.ru), and Vvedensky's Sage Salvia vvedenskyi (plantarium.ru). Endemic plant genera include Tianschaniella (BIOM) and Sclerotiaria (BIOM).

Kyrgyzstan is included in the Mountains of Central Asia biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots). Lake Issyk Kul (ILEC) is one of the world's oldest lakes. For more information on the country's endemic animals and plants see the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (CBD pdf file).