Laos

The most distinctive endemic animal in Laos is the Laotian Rock Rat or Kha-nyou Laonastes aenigmamus (EDGE) which is the sole surviving species of the family Diatomyidae. A second recently discovered genus of rodent unique to Laos is the Lao Limestone Rat Saxatilomys paulinae (AMNH Digital Library pdf file). Other endemic mammals include the Lao Langur (p. 15 of Primate SG pdf file), the Annamite Roundleaf Bat (Planet' Mammiferes), the recently discovered Khaokhouay Roundleaf Bat Hipposideros khaokhouayensis (ARKive), and the Large-eared Gymnure (IUCN Red List). Roosevelt’s Muntjac (Biodiversity Heritage Library) has been recently rediscovered and is known with certainty only from Laos (IUCN Red List).

A recently discovered bird is the Bare-faced Bulbul Pycnonotus hualon (ARKive).

Among recently described species of frogs known solely from Laos are Rana (or Odorrana) bolavensis (p. 4 of Field Museum pdf file), Leptobrachium buchardi (Raffles Museum pdf file), Leptobrachium xanthops (Zootaxa pdf file), Leptolalax aereus (Bryan L. Stuart pdf file), Rana (or Amolops) vitrea (BioOne), Amolops akhaorum (Bryan L. Stuart pdf file), Philautus petilus (Asiatic Herpetological Research pdf file), and Rhacophorus spelaeus (Wikispecies). Other endemic amphibians include the Laos Knobby Newt Tylototriton notialis (Naturalis) and the Upper Laos Caecilian Ichthyophis laosensis (Internet Archive). The Laos Warty Newt Laotriton laoensis (Naturalis) represents an endemic genus.

Endemic reptiles include the Laotian False Bloodsucker Pseudocalotes poilani (flickr), the Lao Rock Gecko Cnemaspis laoensis (Zootaxa pdf file), and several bow-fingered geckos: Cyrtodactylus buchardi (flickr), Cyrtodactylus lomyenensis (Zootaxa pdf file), Cyrtodactylus teyniei (Zootaxa pdf file), Cyrtodactylus pageli (Zootaxa pdf file), and Cyrtodactylus wayakonei (Zootaxa pdf file).

Among the numerous freshwater fish species found only in Laos are several loaches including Pangio longimanus (NHM - London), Schistura kaysonei (Loaches Online), Schistura obeini (Loaches Online), Serpenticobitis octozona (FishBase), Sewellia speciosa (p. 10 of Raffles Museum pdf file), and Yasuhikotakia (or Botia) splendida (Loaches Online). Other endemic fish include Tor ater (p. 8 of Raffles Museum pdf file), Poropuntius bolovenensis (FishBase), a hillstream catfish Pseudecheneis sympelvicus (Raffles Museum pdf file), Troglocyclocheilus khammouanensis (FishBase), and several gobies: Rhinogobius milleri, Rhinogobius nammaensis, and Rhinogobius vermiculatus (all at Raffles Museum pdf file).

Insects restricted to Laos include a cave-dwelling ant Leptogenys khammouanensis (Antbase pdf file), a tiger beetle Probstia triumphaloides (Carabidae of the World), a long-horned beetle Paranandra strandiella (Smithsonian), a stag beetle Neolucanus guiardi (Lucanes du Monde), a scarab beetle Onthophagus streltsovi (p. 3 of Zootaxa pdf file), and a lace bug Elasmognathus laosensis (p. 4 of Zootaxa pdf file). Other endemic invertebrates include the world's largest huntsman spider Heteropoda maxima (p. 10 of WWF 7 MB pdf file), a wall crab spider Selenops muehlmannorum (Zootaxa pdf file), a scorpion Euscorpiops kubani (František Kovarík), a millipede Eutrichodesmus multilobatus (Wikispecies), a land snail Garnieria saurini (p. 12 of naturkundemuseum-bw.de pdf file), a cave-dwelling crab Erebusa calobates (p. 2 of Raffles Museum pdf file), and a freshwater crab Esanthelphusa nimoafi (Raffles Museum pdf file).

Orchids unique to Laos include Bulbophyllum sanguineopunctatum (IOPSE), Coelogyne sudora (IOPSE), and Holcoglossum calcicola (flickr). Other endemic plants include a palm Calamus evansii (Taiwania pdf file), a mint Isodon colaniae (MNHN), Rhododendron laoticum (Nationaal Herbarium Nederland), an aroid Amorphophallus laoticus (Int'l Aroid Soc.), a ginger Hedychium chayanianum (Species New to Science), Begonia cladotricha (SE Asian Begonia Database), Dischidia cornuta (Tropicos), Impatiens pachycaulon (JSTOR), Gentiana khammouanensis and Aeschynanthus medumiae (both on p. 13 of WWF 7 MB pdf file), Epigynum graciliflorum (p. 6 of MNHN pdf file), and Sonerila vatphouensis (MNHN pdf file). Endemic plant genera include a ginger Laosanthus (botany.hawaii.edu), Kerriothyrsus (JSTOR), and Acareosperma (MNHN).

Laos is included in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots). The Annamite Forests (WWF) are especially notable for endemic species. Important freshwater ecoregions include the Lower Lancang (FEOW) and the Khorat Plateau (FEOW).