California Academy of Sciences, Rainforest Gallery

The Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) is a species of passerine bird of uncertain relation. It is tentatively placed in the tanager family, but classified as incertae sedis by other authorities such as the American Ornithologists' Union. Its classification is debated, and it is often placed in its own family: Coerebidae. It has recently been suggested the Bananaquit should be split into three species, but this has yet to receive widespread recognition. This small, active nectarivore is found... less ↑

The Violaceous Euphonia (Euphonia violacea) is a small passerine bird in the true finch family. It is a resident breeder from Trinidad, Tobago and eastern Venezuela south to Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. The bird's range in northern Brazil is the lower portion of the Amazon Basin and the adjacent Tocantins River drainage, with its northwestern limits from Brazil and the Guyanas, the eastern banks of the Orinoco River drainage in central Venezuela. less ↑

The Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) is a tanager from South America that is common in open and semi-open areas in lowlands outside the Amazon Basin. They have a wide distribution in Colombia, northern Venezuela (where it is called "canario de tejado" or "roof canary"), western Ecuador, western Peru, eastern and southern Brazil (where it is called "canário da terra" or "native canary"), Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, and Trinidad and Tobago. It has also been introduced... less ↑

The Blue-necked Tanager (Tangara cyanicollis) is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and heavily degraded former forest.The Blue-necked Tanager averages 12 cm in length and weighs approximately 17 g. They have a blue hood and throat. The wing coverts, wing edges, and rump are turquoise to a greenish... less ↑

The Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana) is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident bird from Trinidad, Colombia and Venezuela south to Bolivia and much of Brazil (despite its scientific name, it is not found in Mexico). It is restricted to areas with humid forest, with its primary distribution being the Amazon, while a disjunct population occurs in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. The latter population is sometimes considered a separate species, the White-bellied... less ↑

The Boa constrictor is a species of large, heavy-bodied snake. It is a member of the family Boidae found in North, Central, and South America, as well as some islands in the Caribbean. A staple of private collections and public displays, its color pattern is highly variable yet distinctive. Ten subspecies are currently recognized, although some of these are controversial. This article focuses on the species Boa constrictor as a whole, but also specifically on the... less ↑

Eunectes murinus (derived from the Greek ευνήκτης meaning "good swimmer" and the Latin murinus meaning "of mice" for being thought to prey on mice), commonly known as the green anaconda, is a non-venomous boa species found in South America. It is the largest, heaviest, and second longest (behind the reticulated python) known extant snake species. The term anaconda (without further qualification) often refers to this species, though the term could also apply to other members of... less ↑

The Mission golden-eyed tree frog or Amazon milk frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix) is a large species of arboreal frog native to the Amazon Rainforest in South America. It is sometimes referred to as the blue milk frog. It was first discovered along the Maracanã River in Brazil. This species was previously within the genus Phrynohyas, which was recently synonymized with Trachycephalus. less ↑

Brycon is a genus of fish from the family Characidae. Despite being unrelated to true trout, they are sometimes called South American trout. They reach a maximum length of 12–80 centimetres (4.7–31 in) depending on the exact species involved, and the largest are among the largest species in the Characidae family. They are found widely in freshwater habitats in the Neotropics, ranging from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. Some species play a role in seed dispersal, and... less ↑

Leporinus fasciatus, commonly known as the banded leporinus or the black-banded leporinus, is a species of characin in the family Anostomidae. L. fasciatus is native to the River Amazon and other rivers in South America, but has been introduced into the US states of Florida and Hawaii. It has not been observed from Hawaii as of 2005; the species is thought to have gone extinct in the region. less ↑

The Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) inhabits coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons, and rivers. The tarpon feeds almost exclusively on schooling fish and occasionally crabs. It is capable of filling its swim bladder with air, like a primitive lung. This gives the tarpon a predatory advantage when oxygen levels in the water are low. Tarpons have been recorded at up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in length and weighing up to 161 kg (355 lb). The Atlantic tarpon is also known as... less ↑

The ripsaw catfish (Oxydoras niger) or cuiu cuiu is a species of thorny catfish native to the tropical river basins of South America being found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela. This species grows to a length of 100.0 centimetres (39.4 in) SL and weights up to 13 kilograms (29 lb). This species is a minor component of local commercial fisheries. Has lateral thorns that can damage a potential predator or handler. It feeds by... less ↑

The redtail catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, is a pimelodid (long-whiskered) catfish named for its orange-red caudal fin. In Venezuela it is known as cajaro and in Brazil it is known as pirarara. It is the only extant species of the genus Phractocephalus. This fish originates from South America in the Amazon, Orinoco, and Essequibo river basins. Despite reaching 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) in length and 80 kg (180 lb) in weight, this fish is a common aquarium fish.This fish also has... less ↑

The Arrau River turtle, South American river turtle, or Giant South American turtle (Podocnemis expansa), also known as the Charapa turtle, Arrau turtle, Tartaruga-da-amazônia, or Araú, is the largest of the side-neck turtles (Pleurodira). It is found in the Amazon Basin (Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and so on). Adults often reach 1 m in length. Females have wide flattened shells and are larger and more numerous than the males. Adult Arraus feed entirely on plant food. The... less ↑

The danionins are a group of small minnow-type fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. Members of this group are mostly in the genera Danio and Devario. They are native to the fresh waters of southeast Asia. Many species are brightly coloured and are available as aquarium fish worldwide. Danio tend to have horizontal stripes and long barbels, Devario tend to have vertical bars and short rudimentary barbels, if barbels are present at all. All danionins are... less ↑

The glowlight danio (Danio choprai) is a small, schooling fish closely related to the popular zebrafish Danio rerio. This should not be confused with the GloFish , a trademarked brand of fluorescent zebrafish that appear to glow in the dark under ultravilet light. Danio choprai is an active danionin species that spends most of its time on mid-water levels. This species feeds on insects that have fallen into the water, aquatic insect larvae, and other small... less ↑

The cherry barb, Puntius titteya, is a tropical fish belonging to the spotted barb genus of the Cyprinidae family. It is native to Sri Lanka, and introduced populations have become established in Mexico and Colombia. The cherry barb was named Puntius titteya by Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala in 1929. Synonyms include Barbus titteya and Capoeta titteya. less ↑

The harlequin rasbora a small fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, subfamily Rasborinae, which was originally given the scientific name of Rasbora heteromorpha. The specific name heteromorpha, translating from the Greek as "differently shaped", alludes to the fact that the body shape of this species differs from that of other members of the genus Rasbora, and as a consequence of this and assorted other factors (including the difference in breeding technique), the fish was assigned to... less ↑

The Borneo eared frog, file-eared tree frog or bony-headed flying frog (Polypedates otilophus) is a species of frog in the Rhacophoridae family found in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, intermittent freshwater marshes, and heavily degraded former forest. It is not considered a threatened species by the IUCN. less ↑

Kuhl's Flying Gecko (Ptychozoon kuhli) is a species of gecko which has adaptations to its skin, including flaps on either side of its body, webbed feet, and a flattened tail to allow it to glide over short distances. These geckos have a remarkable camouflage. The flaps of skin along their sides help them blend with tree bark. Often, the eyes are the only way to see them. less ↑

Paradise Tree Snake or Paradise Flying Snake Chrysopelea paradisi is a species of snake found in Asia. It can, like all species of its genus Chrysopelea, glide by stretching the body into a flattened strip using its ribs. It is mostly found in moist forests and can cover a horizontal distance of about 100 metres in a glide from the top of a tree. Slow motion photography shows an undulation of the snake's body in flight... less ↑

The Ranita De Cristal (Cochranella granulosa) is a species of frog in the Centrolenidae family. It is found in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and possibly Colombia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, rivers, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. less ↑

Dendrobates auratus, also known as the green and black poison dart frog or the green and black poison arrow frog, and sometimes mint poison frog (not to be confused with the mint-green color morph of Phyllobates terribilis), is a brightly colored member of the order Anura native to Central America and northwestern parts of South America. It is one of the most variable of all poison dart frogs next to Dendrobates tinctorius and some Oophaga spp.... less ↑

The strawberry poison frog or strawberry poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio or Dendrobates pumilio) is a species of small amphibian poison dart frog found in Central America. It is common throughout its range, which extends from eastern central Nicaragua through Costa Rica and northwestern Panama. The species is often found in humid lowlands and premontane forest, but large populations are also found in disturbed areas such as plantations. The strawberry poison frog is perhaps most famous for... less ↑

Langaha madagascariensis (commonly known as the Madagascar or Malagasy leaf-nosed snake) is a medium-sized highly cryptic arboreal species. It is endemic to Madagascar and found in deciduous dry forests and rain forests. There is considerable sexual dimorphism within the species; the males are dorsally brown and ventrally yellow with a long tapering snout while the females are mottled grey with a leaf shaped snout. less ↑

Scaphiophryne gottlebei, commonly known as the Malagasy rainbow frog, the ornate hopper, the rainbow burrowing frog, the red rain frog or Gottlebe's narrow-mouthed frog, is one of the most highly decorated of the Madagascan frogs. In 2008, the Malagasy rainbow frog was named as "being among the rarest and most remarkable amphibians" on the planet by the Zoological Society of London. Thousands are captured every year for the pet trade. less ↑

The Oustalet's or Malagasy giant chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti) is a very large species of chameleon that is endemic to Madagascar, but also has been introduced near Nairobi in Kenya (though its current status there is unclear). It occurs in a wide range of habitats, even among degraded vegetation within villages, but is relatively rare in primary forest. With a maximum length of 68.5 cm (27 in), it is often considered the largest species of chameleon, though some suggest... less ↑

Katria katria is a vulnerable species of cichlid fish from the Mangoro and Nosivolo Rivers in east-central Madagascar. It is the only species in the genus Katria, but was formerly included in Ptychochromoides. The only other single-species cichlid genus in Madagascar is Oxylapia, and it is restricted to the same region as Katria. In 2010, the Nosivolo River was designated as a Ramsar Site. The Katria reaches about 13 centimetres (5.1 in) in length. less ↑

The pinstripe menarambo or pinstripe damba (Paretroplus menarambo) is a species of cichlid fish from floodplain lakes in the Sofia River system in northwestern Madagascar. It is threatened by invasive species and over-fishing. It is part of a captive breeding program by public institutions like London Zoo and Bolton Museum and among fishkeeping hobbyists. It was formerly classified as extinct in the wild by the IUCN, but a remnant population has recently been discovered in Lake... less ↑

Ptychochromis grandidieri is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family endemic to river basins along a large part of the eastern coast of Madagascar, although it has been recorded as far as 100 km (62 mi) inland. Uniquely in the genus Ptychochromis, this species also occurs in brackish water. It reaches 21.3 cm (8.4 in) in standard length. It shares a large part of its range with a cichlid from another genus, Paretroplus polyactis. less ↑

Heterixalus madagascariensis (commonly referred to as the blue-back reed frog, or occasionally the powder-blue reed frog) is a species of frogs in the Hyperoliidae family endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, sandy shores, arable land, urban areas, heavily degraded former forests, ponds, irrigated land, and seasonally flooded... less ↑

Brookesia is a genus of chameleons found in Madagascar, that range from small to very small in size, and are known collectively as leaf chameleons (though this name also commonly is used for species in the genera Rieppeleon and Rhampholeon). It includes the species considered to be the world's smallest chameleons, and are also among the smallest reptiles. They are largely brown and most are essentially terrestrial. A significant percentage of the species in the genus... less ↑

The golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) is a small, terrestrial frog endemic to Madagascar. It has an extremely restricted distribution in three distinct areas centered around the town of Moramanga - Beparasy and Ambohibary Communes, Torotorofotsy Wetland northwest of Andasibe, and in the area of Ambakoana.Mantella aurantiaca is one of Madagascar's most threatened amphibian species due to its limited distribution in an area under tremendous anthropogenic pressure. It may also be threatened by over-collection for the pet... less ↑

Phelsuma grandis Gray, 1870, is a diurnal arboreal species of day gecko (Phelsuma spp.). These geckos are part of the Phelsuma group, which consists of in excess of 70 species and subspecies. They are commonly referred to as the Madagascar giant day gecko, due to their large size. They are found in areas of tropical and subtropical forest in northern Madagascar. P. grandis feeds on various invertebrates, very small vertebrates, and nectars. less ↑

Heterixalus alboguttatus is a species of frogs in the Hyperoliidae family endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, heavily degraded former forests, ponds, irrigated land, and seasonally flooded agricultural land. less ↑

Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), is a gecko that is found on the island Nosy Bé near Madagascar, as well as on the mainland Madagascar itself, in the region of Ankaranafantsika. These geckos live an arboreal lifestyle, often venturing down to the ground only to lay eggs in soft soil and leaflitter. There are two different morphs of these geckos; the Nosy Bé form, and the mainland Madagascar form, and they can be distinguished by their... less ↑