Andean Cock-of-the-rock

Birds > Cotingas

The Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruvianus), honored as the national bird of Peru, is a spectacular, sexually dimorphic passerine belonging to the cotinga family Cotingidae, native to the humid montane cloud forests of the Andes. Adult males are among the most...

Leaf Sheep

Invertebrates > Sea Slugs

The Leaf Sheep (Costasiella kuroshimae), first discovered off the coast of the Japanese island of Kuroshima in 1993, is an enchanting, microscopic sacoglossan sea slug renowned worldwide for its extraordinary, sheep-like appearance and bizarre photosynthetic biology....

Indian Whip Scorpion

Invertebrates > Arachnids

The Indian Whip Scorpion (Thelyphonus dravidicus), commonly termed a vinegarroon, is a fearsome-looking yet harmless arachnid belonging to the order Thelyphonida. Native to peninsular India, this ancient, heavily armored predator inhabits boulder fields and deciduous...

Smalleye Pacific Opah

Fish > Opahs

The Smalleye Pacific Opah (Lampris incognitus) is a magnificent, disk-shaped pelagic marine fish belonging to the family Lampridae. Formally described through comprehensive genetic revisions of the cosmopolitan ‘moonfish’ complex, this remarkable...

Guyanan Broad-nosed Bat

Mammals > Bats

The Guyanan Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus guianensis) is a captivating New World leaf-nosed bat belonging to the diverse family Phyllostomidae. Native to the pristine rainforests of the ancient Guiana Shield in northern South America, this compact frugivore is...