Sao Tome and Principe

Birds unique to Sao Tome include the Dwarf Olive Ibis (ARKive), the Maroon Pigeon (BirdLife Int'l), the Sao Tome Scops-owl (ARKive), the Sao Tome Fiscal Shrike (ARKive), the Sao Tome Oriole (ARKive), the Sao Tome Paradise Flycatcher (IBC), and three endemic genera: the Sao Tome Giant Sunbird (African Bird Image Database), the Sao Tome Grosbeak (BirdLife Int'l), and the Sao Tome Short-tail (ARKive). Birds endemic to Principe include the Principe Kingfisher (African Bird Image Database), the Principe Sunbird (African Bird Image Database), the Principe Glossy Starling (IBC), the Principe Golden Weaver (IBC), the Principe Speirops (flickr), and an endemic genus: the Principe Flycatcher-babbler (IBC).

Reptiles found nowhere else include the Sao Tome Green Snake Philothamnus thomensis (GGCG), the Elegant Worm Snake Typhlops elegans (flickr), Fea’s Worm Snake Rhinotyphlops feae and Newton’s Worm Snake Rhinotyphlops newtoni (both at CAS), a gecko Hemidactylus greefi (CAS), and the Principe Burrowing Skink Feylinia polylepis (flickr).

Endemic mammals include the Sao Tome Collared Fruit Bat (IUCN Red List) and the Sao Tome Shrew (ARKive).

Amphibians restricted to Sao Tome and Principe include the Sao Tome Giant Treefrog Hyperolius (or Nesionixalus) thomensis (ARKive) , the Ocean Treefrog Hyperolius (or Nesionixalus) molleri (AmphibiaWeb), the Principe Giant Treefrog Leptopelis palmatus (GGCG), the Principe Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus dispar (AmphibiaWeb), the recently described Sao Tome Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus leveleve (AmphibiaWeb), Newton’s Grassland Frog Ptychadena newtoni (ARKive), and the Sao Tome Caecilian Schistometopum thomense (AmphibiaWeb).

Marine fish known solely from Sao Tome and Principe include the Sao Tome Clingfish Apletodon wirtzi (FishBase), a wrasse Thalassoma newtoni (FishBase), the African Creole Wrasse Clepticus africanus (FishBase), undescribed sea bass of the genera Serranus and Liopropoma (both on p. 9 of LBMM pdf file), an undescribed electric ray of the genus Torpedo (p. 3 of LBMM pdf file), and the gobies Gorogobius stevcici (FishBase) and Didogobius amicuscaridis (FishBase).

Butterflies exclusive to Sao Tome and Principe include Charaxes lemosi (BOLD), Charaxes odysseus (BOLD), Acraea niobe (flickr), Leptotes pyrczi and Leptotes sanctithomae (both on p. 13 of Michel Libert pdf file), and Dixeia piscicollis (IICT). Other endemic arthropods include the hawk moths Pseudoclanis canui (BOLD) and Hippotion talboti (BOLD), a longhorned beetle Sternotomis ducalis (Coleop-Terra), a stag beetle Prosopocoilus downesii (Lucanes du Monde), a ground beetle Straneoa seligmani (p. 4 of GGCG pdf file), a spiny orb-weaver Gasteracantha thomasinsulae (CAS), and a tarantula Hysterocrates apostolicus (CAS). The Sao Tome Door Snail Thyrophorella thomensis (b-cabinet) is the sole member of the endemic family Thyrophorellidae. Other endemic land snails include Atopocochlis exarata (Arno Brosi), Archachatina bicarinata (Mongabay), Bocageia massoni (ST115 at malakos.com), Columna columna (Femorale), Lignus alabaster (b-cabinet), Rhysotina hepatizon (Femorale), and Trochonanina moreletti (b-cabinet). Endemic marine molluscs include Coralliophila raramaculata (AMNH), Marginella chalmersi (Eddie Hardy), Alvania cabrensis (Eddie Hardy), and Persicula thomensis (Eddie Hardy).

Among 148 vascular plants found only here are 35 endemic orchid species including Bulbophyllum lizae (IOPSE), Cribbia thomensis (Orchids C Africa), Polystachya biteaui (JSTOR), and Polystachya setifera (p. 87 of GGCG 8 MB pdf file). Other endemic plants include Begonia baccata (GGCG), Begonia subalpestris (GGCG), Erica thomensis (JSTOR), Afrocarpus mannii (flickr), Brachystephanus occidentalis (flickr), Homalium henriquesii (flickr), Pandanus thomensis (GGCG), a fern Asplenium eurysorum (GGCG), Jasminum thomense (JSTOR), Impatiens thomensis (flickr), Casearia mannii (JSTOR), Heteradelphia paulowilhelmia (flickr), Rinorea thomensis (JSTOR), Acalypha annobonae (Internet Archive), and Lobelia barnsii (Kew). Principina grandis (JSTOR) is an endemic genus of sedge from Principe.

The nation is part of the Sao Tome, Principe and Annobon Moist Lowland Forests (EoE), the Guinean Forests of West Africa biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots), and the Gulf of Guinea Islands coral reef hotspot (Reef Guardian pdf file). For an overview of the biota see the “National Report on the Status of Biodiversity in S.Tome and Principe” (CBD pdf file).