Reptiles > Gekkonidae & Geckos
The Psychedelic Rock Gecko (Cnemaspis psychedelica) is widely celebrated as one of the most vividly colored reptiles in the world. Described by herpetologists in 2010, this extraordinary diurnal lizard is native exclusively to the tiny island of Hon Khoai off the...
Birds > Cotingidae & Cotingas
The Bare-necked Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus glabricollis) is one of the most enigmatic and visually striking birds of the Central American cloud forests. Endemic to the mountain slopes of Costa Rica and western Panama, this large, crow-sized cotinga is renowned for...
Mammals > Chrysochloridae & Golden Moles
Juliana’s Golden Mole (Neamblysomus julianae) is an elusive, subterranean afrotherian mammal native to a tiny, severely fragmented range in northeastern South Africa. Named in honor of Juliana Meester, the wife of renowned South African mammalogist Jurgens...
Plants > Orchidaceae & Epiphytic Orchids
Darwin’s Orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale), celebrated in botanical history as the Christmas Orchid or Star of Madagascar, is one of the most famous plants in the annals of evolutionary science. Discovered in eastern Madagascar, this stunning epiphytic orchid...
Birds > Musophagidae & Turacos
Bannerman’s Turaco (Tauraco bannermani) is a breathtakingly vibrant, canopy-dwelling avian jewel found exclusively in the fragmented high-altitude cloud forests of the Cameroon Highlands. Revered in local folklore as a sacred cultural emblem, this turaco dazzles...
