Lesotho
The Maloti Minnow Pseudobarbus quathlambae (LHWP)(SpringerLink) is a critically endangered freshwater fish unique to Lesotho.
The
Drakensberg River Frog
(or Sani Pass Frog) Amietia
dracomontana (AmphibiaWeb)
is known definitely only from Lesotho, but is expected to be found also
in neighboring South Africa.
Insects found exclusively in Lesotho include a bush cricket Conocephalus basutoanus
(OSF),
a grasshopper Basutacris
inflatifrons (OSF),
a
dung beetle Epirinus
drakomontanus (ScarabNet),
a plume moth Platyptilia
sochivkoi (p. 4 of African
Invertebrates pdf file), and a chalcidoid wasp Elasmus
homonaeoides (NHM
- London). Over 30 new species of owlet moths were
described from Lesotho in 2005 (Sabinet)
as were a number of new geometrid moths (African
Journal Archive 3 MB pdf file).
Pringle's Widow Torynesis
pringlei (Google
Books) is an endemic butterfly. Endemic arachinids include
a wolf spider Hogna
placata (World
Spider Catalog), a rain spider Palystes
crawshayi (Biodiversity
Explorer), and a a goblin spider Oonops caecus (World
Spider Catalog).
About 17 vascular plant species are found nowhere else including the
national flower, the Spiral Aloe Aloe
polyphylla (PlantZAfrica.com).
Other endemic plants include Glumicalyx lesuticus
(Rock
Garden Plant Database), Manulea platystigma
(JSTOR),
Hesperantha
crocopsis (JSTOR),
Hesperantha
exiliflora (Tropicos),
Rhynchosia
dieterlenae (JSTOR),
Gnidia singularis
(JSTOR),
Jamesbrittenia
beverlyana (JSTOR),
and Jamesbrittenia
lesutica (JSTOR).
Terrestrial ecoregions in Lesotho include the Drakensberg Montane
Grasslands, Woodlands, and Forests (EoE)
and the Drakensberg Alti-montane Grasslands and Woodlands (EoE). Most of the endemic
plant species can be found in the Lesotho
Plant Red Data List (see National
Red Lists pdf file).