Liberia
Several
killifish are
found nowhere else than Liberia including Callopanchax monroviae
(Killifish
of West Africa), Epiplatys
azureus (FishBase),
Epiplatys coccinatus (Killifish
of West Africa), and Epiplatys
ruhkopfi (Killifish of West
Africa). Other endemic
freshwater fish
include the cichlids Chromidotilapia
cavalliensis (Aquapress
Bleher) and Tilapia
coffea (FishBase),
a loach catfish Paramphilius
firestonei (ACSI),
and two barbs: Barbus
carcharhinoides (FishBase)
and Barbus melanotaenia
(FishBase).
The Liberian Greenbul (BirdLife
Int'l) is a critically endangered bird known from only two
forest patches.
An endemic reptile is the Liberia Worm Snake Typhlops leucostictus (Reptile Database).
Endemic
amphibians include the Liberia
Nimba Toad Nimbaphrynoides
liberiensis (Fauna
& Flora of Liberia),
the Gbanga Forest Treefrog Leptopelis
bequaerti (eol),
and the recently described squeaker frog Arthroleptis langeri
(AmphibiaWeb)
and river frog Phrynobatrachus
hieroglyphicus (African
Amphibians Lifedesk).
Insects known only from Liberia include a butterfly Anthene georgiadisi
(Cryptozoology
Online), a damselfly Mesocnemis
tisi (flickr),
a flower beetle Polyplastus
assarius
(Fig. 6 at BHL),
a raspy cricket Atychogryllacris
liberiana
(SysTax),
and two bush crickets Catoptropteryx
naevia (OSF)
and Spalacomimus
liberiana (OSF).
Other endemic invertebrates include a jumping spider Asemonea liberiensis
(Salticidae
of the World), a centipede Schizonampa libera (CHILOBASE),
the Lugbe River Crab Liberonautes
lugbe (IUCN Red
List), and the land snails Archachatina
knorrii (petsnails.co.uk)
and Maizaniella
sapoensis (Zool.
Med. Leiden pdf file). A family of pauropods, the
Afrauropodidae, was described from a single specimen of Afrauropus occiduus
(p. 2 of MNHN
pdf file) collected in Liberia.
Among about 100 vascular plant species unique to Liberia are Cercestis hepperi (FFI),
Cola liberica (Fauna
& Flora of Liberia),
Trichoscypha linderi
(JSTOR),
Begonia fusicarpa
(JSTOR),
Ancistrocladus
pachyrrachis (JSTOR),
Guibourtia
dinklagei (JSTOR),
Glenniea adamii
(Tropicos),
Rytigynia liberica
(JSTOR), Gaertnera
liberiensis (JSTOR),
Sericanthe adamii
(JSTOR),
Uvaria dinklagei (JSTOR),
Aframomum
elegans (Kew),
Cassipourea firestoneana (Fauna
& Flora of Liberia), Tetraberlinia tubmaniana
(ARKive),
Mapania liberiensis
(JSTOR),
Memecylon liberiae (JSTOR),
and three orchids: Angraecum
modicum (JSTOR),
Malaxis
melanotoessa (JSTOR),
and Rhipidoglossum
(or Diaphananthe)
paucifolium
(JSTOR). Dinklageodoxa (JSTOR)
is an endemic genus.
Liberia is part of the Guinean Forests of
West Africa biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots). Portions of Liberia are included in the
Guinean Montane Forests (EoE)
and the Western Guinean Lowland Forests (EoE)
terrestrial ecoregions. An important freshwater ecoregion is
the Southern Upper Guinea (FEOW).
Many endemic flowering plant species are indicated at the
list available at (Fauna
& Flora of Liberia).