Endemic Animals of Argentina

The Pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) is the smallest species of armadillo first described by Richard Harlan in 1825. It is the only armadillo that has a dorsal shell that is almost completely separate from the body. This solitary, desert-adapted animal is native to central Argentina. It digs so fast it can bury itself in its burrow in seconds when threatened, the armor plate functioning as a cork to seal the entrance to the burrow. Less

The Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum) is a relatively large rodent found in open and semiopen habitats of South America. A population of this species has also been recorded in the northern United Arab Emirates, possibly as a result of escaped pets or captive animals. Less

Puma pumoides is an extinct prehistoric cat that was described in 1956 by Alfredo Castellanos using the scientific name Felis pumoides. Castellanos excavated its fossil remains in the Reartes Valley located in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, in a stratum called 'Brocherense bed', which probably dates to the Pliocene.Fossil remains comprised a maxilla, the orbital section of the frontal bone, a part of a mandible, a petrosal, a femur, a ...
lumbar vertebrae, and a few parts of each a humerus, tibia, ulna, and radius. Because of the similarity of these holotype parts with jaguarundi, it was preliminarily subordinated to the genus Puma. Less

The Chacoan pygmy opossum (Chacodelphys formosa ) is a recently described genus and species of didelphimorph marsupial. The only species in Chacodelphys, C. formosa, was known until 2004 from only one specimen collected in 1920 in the Chaco of Formosa Province, Argentina. The species is gaining popularity as a pocket pet. Less

The Chubut steamer duck or white-headed flightless steamer duck (Tachyeres leucocephalus ) is a flightless duck endemic to Argentina.It is the most recently recognized species of steamer duck, being described only in 1981. This is because it is only found along a rather small and sparsely populated stretch of coast around the Golfo San Jorge in southern Chubut and northern Santa Cruz Provinces, and because steamer ducks in general look fairly ...
similar in plumage. Less

The Ibera seedeater (Sporophila iberaensis ) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, formerly included within the family of American sparrows (Emberizidae).It is found in the Iberá Wetlands. It was described in 2016. Less

The cinnamon warbling finch (Poospiza ornata ) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest. Less

The white-throated cacholote (Pseudoseisura gutturalis ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina (Patagonia and the northwest).Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Less

Olrog's cinclodes (Cinclodes olrogi ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Argentina. The species is named after Swedish-Argentine biologist Claes C. Olrog.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland.It inhabits a narrow strip of land ranging from San Luis to north of Córdoba. Less

Moreno's ground dove (Metriopelia morenoi ) or the bare-eyed ground dove, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Argentina. Less

Leptoptilos patagonicus is an extinct species of large-bodied Leptoptilini stork that existed during the Late Miocene. Fossils of the species were discovered in the San Madryn Formation in Chubut Province, Argentina. L. patagonicus is the first fossil record discovery of a member of Leptoptilos in South America and the only one found so far in the New World. Less

Crypturellus reai is a species of Miocene fossil bird in the tinamou family. It was described in 2012 from material originally excavated by American palaeontologist Barnum Brown in 1899 in Patagonia. The specific epithet honours Amadeo M. Rea, an educator, mentor and friend of the describer. Less

The sandy gallito (Teledromas fuscus ) is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae, the tapaculos. It is endemic to Argentina. Less

The carbonated sierra finch (Porphyrospiza carbonaria ), also known as the carbon sierra finch, is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae.It is endemic to Argentina where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and temperate grassland. Less

The Salinas monjita (Neoxolmis salinarum ) is a species of bird in the tyrant flycatchers family Tyrannidae which is endemic to Argentina. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Steinbach's canastero (Pseudasthenes steinbachi ) or the chestnut canastero, is a species of bird in the canastero genus Asthenes in the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is endemic to western Argentina. Its natural habitat is steep valleys in subtropical high-altitude shrubland from 650–3,000 m (2,130–9,840 ft) above sea-level. Less

The buff-breasted earthcreeper (Upucerthia validirostris ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is found throughout the Puna grassland and mountains of northwestern Argentina.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.It has been lumped together with the plain-breasted earthcreeper based on song, continuous song, duet, and call. Less

The rusty-backed monjita (Neoxolmis rubetra ) is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and pastureland. Less

The Córdoba cinclodes or Comechingones cinclodes (Cinclodes comechingonus ) is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae.It is endemic to Argentina.It inhabits a narrow strip of land ranging from San Luis to San José de las Salinas.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. Less

Asthenes modesta serrana is a small South American bird, a subspecies of the cordilleran canastero. It is found in the Sierra de Famatina, in La Rioja Province of northern Argentina, at an altitude of about 3200 m. Less

Rhinella achalensis is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae that is endemic to northern Argentina (Córdoba and San Luis provinces).Its natural habitats are rocky outcrops in montane grasslands where it reproduces in mountain streams. Juveniles and adults seem to avoid heavily grazed areas, using instead rocky outcrops that offer more protection.Rhinella achalensis is threatened by cattle ranching and pollution of water by cattle. Less

Gastrotheca chrysosticta is a species of frog in the family Hemiphractidae.It is found in Argentina and Bolivia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Atelognathus nitoi is a species of frog in the family Batrachylidae found in Chile and Argentina. Its natural habitats are sub-antarctic forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, sub-antarctic grassland, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. Less

Atelognathus praebasalticus is a species of frog in the family Batrachylidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, temperate grassland, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The Tucuman robber frog, Oreobates discoidalis, is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae.It is found on the eastern flanks of the Andes in northern Argentina and Bolivia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Batrachyla fitzroya is a species of frog in the family Batrachylidae. It is endemic to Argentina and only known from its type locality, Isla Grande in Lake Menéndez, in the Los Alerces National Park, Chubut Province. The specific name fitzroya refers to Fitzroya cupressoides, a prominent tree at the type locality. Less

Boana cordobae is a species of frog in the family Hylidae that is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. Its status is insufficiently known. Less

Gastrotheca christiani is a species of frog in the family Hemiphractidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rocky areas.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Rhinella gallardoi is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae that is endemic to Argentina. Its natural habitat is temperate forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Telmatobius schreiteri is a species of frog in the family Telmatobiidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitat is rivers.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Pleurodema cordobae is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. It is endemic to the Sierras de Córdoba of Argentina. This endemic species also resides with the highly similar species, Pleurodema kriegi. P. cordobae exhibits particular characteristics that differentiate it from other frogs in the Pleurodema genus, including the fact that the species is octoploid, as compared to the P. kriegi and Pleurodema bibroni, which are tetraploid. ...
P. cordobae inhabits temporary and semi-permanent ponds. As this species is only found in isolated locations such as the Sierra Grande, little is known about its very limited population. Less

Rhinella gnustae is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae that is endemic to Argentina. Its natural habitat is rivers.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Atelognathus reverberii is a species of frog in the family Batrachylidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, temperate grassland, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Telmatobius scrocchii is a species of frog in the family Telmatobiidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitat is rivers.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Telmatobius pisanoi is a species of frog in the family Telmatobiidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are rivers and swampland.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Telmatobius pinguiculus is a species of frog in the family Telmatobiidae.It is endemic to the Catamarca Province of Argentina.Its natural habitats are rivers located in wetlands and grasslands. Major threats to the survival of the species include pollution, loss of habitats due to human actions, and invasive species. Less

Melanophryniscus cupreuscapularis is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and intermittent freshwater marshes.It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Melanophryniscus krauczuki is a species of toads in the family Bufonidae. It is found in the Misiones Province in northeastern Argentina and the Itapúa Department in the adjacent Paraguay. The specific name krauczuki honors naturalist and ornithologist Ernesto Krauczuk. Common name Krauczuk's redbelly toad has been proposed for this species. Less

Ololygon aromothyella is a species of frog in the family Hylidae.It is found in Argentina, Uruguay and possibly Brazil.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, rivers, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes. Less

Bothrops ammodytoides is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Argentina. No subspecies are currently recognized. Less

Philodryas trilineata is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. Less

Leposternon bagual is a worm lizard species in the family Amphisbaenidae. It is found in Argentina. Less