Giant Fairy Shrimp

Invertebrates > Crustaceans

The Giant Fairy Shrimp (Branchinecta gigas) is the undisputed colossus of the branchiopod crustacean world, stretching to nearly four inches in length as the largest fairy shrimp in North America. Inhabiting transient, highly alkaline vernal pools and endorheic playa...

Maud Island Frog

Amphibians > Frogs & Toads

The Maud Island Frog (Leiopelma pakeka) represents an ancient lineage of archaic anurans that diverged from all other living frogs over 200 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. Endemic to New Zealand, this extraordinary ‘living fossil’ possesses...

Blue Butterwort

Plants > Carnivorous Plants

The Blue Butterwort (Pinguicula cyclosecta) is widely considered one of the most aesthetically spectacular carnivorous butterworts in the world. Native strictly to the jagged limestone cliffs of Nuevo León, Mexico, it is famed for its circular, metallic-sheened leaves...

Esser’s Butterwort

Plants > Carnivorous Plants

Esser’s Butterwort (Pinguicula esseriana) is a captivating, miniature carnivorous plant endemic to the calcareous mountain gorges of the Sierra Madre Oriental in central Mexico. Revered among botanists for its gem-like, succulent rosette and dual-seasonal growth...

Hardwicke’s Spiny-tailed Lizard

Reptiles > Lizards

Hardwicke’s Spiny-tailed Lizard (Saara hardwickii), commonly known as the Indian spiny-tailed lizard, is a heavily built agamid lizard native to the arid desert landscapes of India and Pakistan. Renowned for its strictly herbivorous adult lifestyle and heavily...