“A species is classified as being endemic to a country or an ecoregion if all or a major part (+75 %) of its range is found in it. The percentage depends on which group or taxa the species belongs to. Biologists working on mammals, amphibians and reptiles usually use 75%, those working on birds usually use 90 %, while for plants, fish, insects and arachnids only species with 100 % of their populations and ranges in Namibia are considered to be endemic” (Namibia Nature Foundation 2009).
The table below shows the endemic species list for the whole of Namibia. The number of endemic species inside the Kunene basin, at least on the Namibian side, is likely to be much lower because many endemic species in Namibia occur outside of the basin.
No comprehensive data on endemic species is available for Angola due to the limited biological research over the last 30 years. Species richness is likely to be underrepresented.
Number of Endemic Species in Angola and Namibia
|
Taxon
|
Endemic species in Angola
|
Endemic species in Namibia
|
|
Plants
|
Unknown
|
687
|
|
Reptiles
|
Unknown
|
71
|
|
Amphibians
|
Unknown
|
6
|
|
Fish
|
Unknown
|
5
|
|
Arachnids
|
Unknown
|
89
|
|
Birds
|
Unknown
|
14
|
|
Mammals
|
Unknown
|
1
|
|
Insects
|
Unknown
|
1 541
|
Source: Adapted from the Namibia Nature Foundation 2009
 Namaqua chameleon. Source: Clark 2006 ( click to enlarge ) |
 The Welwitschia plant (Welwitscha mirabilis). Source: Gottrop 2004 ( click to enlarge ) |
Endemic Species of the Main Ecoregions in the Kunene River Basin
Mammals
-
Black-faced Impala (Aepyceros melampus petersi)
-
Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae)
-
Mountain Ground Squirrel (Xerus princeps)
-
Kaokoveld Rock Dassie (Procavia capensis welwitschii)
-
Angolawing-gland Bat (Myotis seabrai)
-
Bat (Laephotis namibensis)
-
Bush Rat (Aethomys Thomasi)
-
White-toothed Shrews (Crocidura erica, C. nigricans)
Plants
-
Welwitscha mirabilis
-
Kaokochloa sp.
-
Barleria solitaria
-
Indigofera cunensis
-
Merremia multisecta
-
Stipagrostis ramulosa
Birds
-
Cinderella Waxbill (Estrilda thomensis, LR) Kunene Riverbed only
-
Grey-striped Francolin (Francolinus griseostriatus)
-
Red-crested Tauraco (Tauraco erythrolophus)
-
Angola Helmetshrike (Prionops gabela)
-
White-fronted Wattle-eye (Platysteira albifrons)
-
Angolaslaty-Flycatcher (Dioptrornis brunneus)
-
Gabela Akalat (Sheppardia gabela)
-
Angola Cave-chat (Xenocopsychus ansorgei)
-
Pulitzer’s Longbill (Macrosphenus pulitzeri)
-
Golden-backed Bishop (Euplectes aureus)
-
Orangebreasted Bush Shrike (Laniarius brauni)
-
Gabela Bush Shrike (Laniarius amboimensis )
-
Rockrunner (Achaetops pycnopygius)
-
Grey Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus)
-
Carp’s Tit (Parus carpi)
-
Southern Violet Woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus damarensis)
-
Bradfield’s Hornbill (Tockus bradfieldi)
-
Monteiro’s Hornbill (Tockus monteiri)
-
Barecheeked Babbler (Turdoides gymnogenys)
-
Blackfaced Babbler (Turdoides melanops).
Fish
-
Kneria maydelli
-
Orthochromis machadoi
-
Sargochromis coulteri
-
Thoracochromis albolabris
-
Thoracochromis buysi
-
Clariallabes sp.
Reptiles
-
Namaqua Chameleon (Chamaeleo namaquensis)
-
Barbosa’s Leaf-toed Gecko (Hemidactylus bayonii)
-
Ruben's Sand Lizard (Pedioplanis rubens)
-
Skaapsteker (Psammophylax ocellatus)
-
Wedge-snouted Sand Lizard (Meroles cuneirostris)
-
Barking Gecko (Ptenopus kochi)
-
Small-scaled Sand Lizard (M. micropholidotus)
-
Day Gecko (Rhoptropus bradfieldi)
-
Monopeltis luandae
-
Afrogecko ansorgii
-
Coluber zebrina
-
Pedioplania benguellensis
-
Palmatogecko vanzeyli
Frogs
-
Angola Ornate Frog (Hildbrandtia ornatissima)
-
Huila Forest Tree Frog (Leptopeltis anchietae)
-
Breviceps macrops
-
Ptychadena mapacha
Adapted from the WWF ecoregions of the world, in Encyclopaedia of the World and various sources 2010
