Costa Rica is an active member of the international community and, in 1983, claimed it was for neutrality. Due to certain powerful constituencies favoring its methods, it has a weight in world affairs far beyond its size. The country lobbied aggressively for the establishment of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and became the first nation to recognize the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Human Rights Court, based in San José.
Dracontium is a genus of flowering plants similar to those of Amorphophallus. Unlike Amorphophallus which is found in the Old World, this genus has a New World distribution and is native to South America, Central America, southern Mexico, and the West Indies.
Choeradodis is a genus of praying mantises with common names such as shield mantis, hood mantis, and leaf mantis because of their extended, leaf-like thoraces. The distinguishing characteristic of Choreododis from which it takes its common names is a laterally expanded thorax. This adaptation for the purpose of camouflage, as well as a rounded wing case and a habit of staying relatively flattened, aid its leaf mimicry.
Hierodula patellifera, common name giant Asian mantis, Asian mantis, Indochina mantis or Harabiro Mantis, is a species of praying mantis belonging to genus Hierodula.
Hoplocorypha nana is a species of praying mantis found in Uganda and South Africa (Zululand).
Hoplocorypha nigra is a species of praying mantis found in the region of the Congo River.
Hoplocorypha carli is a species of praying mantis found in Rwanda.
Hoplocorypha acuta is a species of praying mantis found on Madagascar and in Tanzania.
Hoplocorypha dentata is a species of praying mantis found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Hoplocorypha foliata is a species of praying mantis found in Tanzania.
Sphodromantis gastrica, with the common names African mantis or common green mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa.
Pseudovates peruviana, common name Peruvian stick mantis, is a medium-sized species of praying mantis endemic to Peru.
Choeradodis rhomboidea, common names tropical shield mantis, hood mantis, and leaf mantis, is a species of praying mantis. A native of Central America, C. rhomboidea is a lowland species.
Choeradodis stalii is a species of praying mantis with common names that include tropical shield mantis, hooded mantis, and leaf mantis. It is found in Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, and Peru.
Choeradodis columbica, or Columbian shield mantis, is a species of praying mantis native to Colombia.
Thesprotia insolita, the Costa Rican grass mantis, is a species of mantis found in Costa Rica.
Thesprotia macilenta, the Bolivian grass mantis, is a species of mantis found in Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Paraguay.
Acanthops falcata, common name South American dead leaf mantis or boxer mantis, is a species of praying mantis in the subfamily Acanthopinae of the family Acanthopidae and is one of many praying mantises from various genera that resembles a dead leaf.
Angela guianensis is a species of praying mantis from the genus Angela of the family Mantidae. It was first described by the entomologist Rehn in 1906.
Tricharia vainioi is a species of foliicolous lichen in the family Gomphillaceae. It is widely distributed, having been recorded in Africa, Asia, Australia, Central and South America.
