Emerald Horned Pitviper

Reptiles > Vipers

The Emerald Horned Pitviper (Ophryacus smaragdinus) is a captivating, arboreal venomous serpent native exclusively to the mist-drenched cloud forest canopies of the Sierra Madre Oriental in eastern Mexico. Named for its stunning emerald-green to jade coloration and...

Chota Whiptail Lizard

Reptiles > Iguanians

The Chota Whiptail Lizard (Stenocercus chota) is a specialized tropidurid lizard endemic strictly to the rain-shadowed gorges of the Chota River valley in the northern Ecuadorian Andes. Thriving in an arid microclimate surrounded by humid cloud-forest peaks, this...

Vanderhaege’s Toadhead Turtle

Reptiles > Side-necked Turtles

Vanderhaege’s Toadhead Turtle (Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei) is a secretive, freshwater side-necked turtle native to the river basins and seasonal wetlands of south-central South America. Belonging to the ancient pleurodiran family Chelidae, this distinct reptile is...

Cordillera Azul Antbird

Birds > Antbirds

The Cordillera Azul Antbird (Myrmoderus eowilsoni) is a striking passerine bird described to science in 2018 from the remote, precipitous ridgelines of the Cordillera Azul National Park in north-central Peru. Discovered by an expedition from Louisiana State...

Darth Vader Plant

Plants > Aristolochiaceae

The Darth Vader Plant (Aristolochia salvadoriensis) is a bizarre, woody perennial shrub native to the shadowy understories of Central American montane cloud forests. Earning its famous popular moniker from its uncanny, almost comical resemblance to the dark helmet and...