Brassavola is a genus of 21 orchids. They were named in 1813 by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown. The name comes from the Italian nobleman and physician Antonio Musa Brassavola. This genus is abbreviated B. in trade journals.
Anyphaenidae is a family of araneomorph spiders, sometimes called anyphaenid sac spiders. They are distinguished from the sac spiders of the family Clubionidae and other spiders by having the abdominal spiracle placed one third to one half of the way anterior to the spinnerets toward the epigastric furrow on the underside of the abdomen. In most spiders the spiracle is just anterior to the spinnerets. Like clubionids, anyphaenids have eight eyes arranged in two rows, conical anterior spinnerets and are wandering predators that build silken retreats, or sacs, usually on plant terminals, between leaves, under bark or under rocks. There are more than 500 species in over 50 genera worldwide.
The Aniliidae are a monotypic family created for the monotypic genus Anilius that contains the single species A. scytale. Common names include American pipe snake and false coral snake. It is found in South America. This snake possesses a vestigial pelvic girdle that is visible as a pair of cloacal spurs. It is ovoviviparous. It is non-venomous, and its diet consists mainly of amphibians and other reptiles. Currently, two subspecies are recognized, including the typical form described here.
Corinnidae is a family of araneomorph spiders, sometimes called corinnid sac spiders. The family, like other "clubionoid" families, has a confusing taxonomic history. Once it was a part of the large catch-all taxon Clubionidae, now very much smaller. The original members of the family are apparently similar only in that they have eight eyes arranged in two rows, conical anterior spinnerets that touch and are generally wandering predators that build silken retreats, or sacs, usually on plant terminals, between leaves, under bark or under rocks.
Pera is a genus of the flowering plant family Peraceae, first described as a genus in 1784. It is native to tropical America, from southern Mexico and the West Indies south as far as Paraguay.
The ray spiders (Theridiosomatidae) are a family of spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1881. They are most recognizable for their construction of cone-shaped webs.
Mabea is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described in 1775. It is native to Central and South America as well as Mexico and Trinidad.
Huntleya is a small orchid genus native to South America, Central America and Trinidad.
Trechaleidae is a family of araneomorph spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1890, and includes about 140 described species in 16 genera. They all live in Central and South America except for Shinobius orientalis, which is endemic to Japan.
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.
Oenocarpus is a genus of pinnate-leaved palms (Arecaceae) native to Trinidad, southern Central and tropical South America. With nine species and one natural hybrid, the genus is distributed from Costa Rica and Trinidad in the north to Brazil and Bolivia in the south.
Eschweilera is a genus of woody plants in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus in 1828. It is native to southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and Trinidad.
Arawacus is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. They are commonly called stripestreaks. The species of this genus are found in the Neotropical realm.
Aegiphila is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, first described in 1763. It was formerly classified in the Verbenaceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, the West Indies, and Florida.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to South America.
Prestonia is a genus of plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1810. It is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and the West Indies. It is closely related to Artia and Parsonsia.
Batemannia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.
Dimerandra, abbreviated Dmd. in the horticultural trade, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. The group is found across tropical America: southern Mexico, Central America, the West Indies and northern South America.
Calycophyllum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It was described by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1830. The genus is found from Mexico, Central America, South America and the West Indies.
Tripogandra is a genus of flowering plants in the spiderwort family, Commelinaceae. It is native to the Western Hemisphere from central Mexico and the West Indies south to Argentina.
