Saudi Arabia
Freshwater
fish found
nowhere else include Carasobarbus
(or Barbus)
apoensis
(Senckenberg),
Acanthobrama
hadiyahensis (SpringerLink),
Garra buettikeri
(FishBase),
and Cyprinion mhalensis
(FishBase). Endemic marine fish
include a garden eel Heteroconger
balteatus (eol),
an eel-goby Taenioides
kentalleni (Zootaxa
pdf file), and the Yellow Ruddertail Dragonet Callionymus flavus (Google
Books).
Reptiles unique to Saudi Arabia include Leviton’s
Leafnose Snake Lytorhynchus
gasperetti
(Reptile
Database), the Sarso Island Racer Coluber
insulanus (SysTax),
Manser's Black Racer Coluber
manseri (Reptile
Database), Leviton’s Cylindrical
Skink Chalcides levitoni
(Reptile
Database),
and the recently described dwarf gecko Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei
(ZFMK
pdf file).
The extinct Arabian Gazelle Gazella
arabica arabica (Sixth
Extinction) from the Farasan Islands is sometimes recognized
as
a full species distinct from the Queen of Sheba's Gazelle Gazella arabica bilkis
(Sixth
Extinction). The Farasan Island Gazelle Gazella gazella farasani
(flickr)
is an endemic mammal subspecies.
The Arabian Magpie Pica
asirensis (IBC)
has recently been elevated to a full species unique to Saudi Arabia.
Insects known only from Saudi Arabia include a hawk moth Macropoliana asirensis
(flickr),
a butterfly Lepidochrysops
pittawayi (eol),
a seed bug Horvathiolus
najranus (AMNH),
a plant bug Campylomma
grandis (Discover
Life), an assassin bug Reduvius
bidens (AMNH),
a water measurer Hydrometra
monoceros (AMNH),
the ants Carebara
abuhurayri (ZooKeys)
and Cataglyphis
asiriensis (p. 58 of Antbase
5 MB pdf file), a bee Borgatomelissa
niveopilosa (p. 3 of Gembloux
pdf file) and a thrip Heptathrips
ruficaudis (Thrips
of the World). Endemic jumping spiders include Yllenus arabicus (Salticidae
of the World), Menemerus
arabicus (Salticidae
of the World), and Pellenes
hadaensis (Salticidae
of the World). A hedgehog coral Echinopora irregularis
(AIMS)
is currently known only from the Wajh Bank in the Red Sea.
Plants exclusive to Saudi Arabia (Plant
Diversity in Saudi Arabia) include Albuca pendula (flickr),
Rhytidocaulon
sheilae (Asclepiad
Exhibition), Huernia
saudi-arabica (Asclepiad
Exhibition), Huernia
haddaica (saudibiosoc.com
pdf file), Ceropegia
tihamana (Asian
Flora), Aloe
armatissima (PlantFiles),
Aloe
shadensis (PlantFiles),
Aloe
sheilae (PlantFiles),
Ajuga
arabica (JSTOR),
Poa asirensis
(JSTOR),
Verbascum abyadicum
(p. 3 of pakbs.org
pdf file), Indigofera
brachyphylla (BGBM
pdf file), and Erysimum
hedgeanum (Kew).
Douepea
arabica (CMEP)
is sometimes considered an endemic genus Dolichorhynchus (Botanicus).
Portions
of Saudi Arabia are included in the Eastern Afromontane (Biodiversity
Hotspots) and the Horn of Africa (Biodiversity
Hotspots) biodiversity hotspots and the Red Sea and Gulf of
Aden coral reef hotspot (Reef
Guardian pdf file). Important terrestrial
ecoregions include the Southwestern
Arabian Montane Woodlands (EoE)
and the Arabian Peninsula Coastal Fog Desert (EoE). For an overview of
the biota see the "First Saudi Arabian
National Report on the Convention on Biological Diversity" (NCWCD
pdf file).