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Biodiversity with a Catracho Name: A Tribute to Honduran Biologists

At Honduras Neotropical, we’ve told you about various fauna and flora species important to our country, shared a bit about conservation, paleontology, ethnobiology, unsolved mysteries (fish rain ;D), species of economic importance, and even a touch of citizen science. Behind every Honduras Neotropical article, there are biologists—whether as authors or as cited researchers—whose work has contributed to our understanding of the country’s biodiversity.



Today, November 6, we commemorate Honduran Biologist Day, a date that marks the founding of the Biology Program at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH). To honor the occasion, we bring you this feature on some of the new species described in honor of Honduran biologists. We tried to include as many species as possible, but feel free to comment if you know of any we might have missed.


Here you’ll find biologists/scientists whose careers have paved the way and significantly contributed to the knowledge and conservation of Honduran biodiversity—ranging from fish to mammals, and from plants to… well, more plants XD. Without further ado, the biologists:


  1. Cirilo Nelson Sutherland (R.I.P.)

His work was essential for the knowledge and conservation of Honduran flora. Throughout his career, he dedicated his efforts to studying and cataloging native plant species, many of which were previously unknown. He was a professor at UNAH, where he helped train new generations of biologists and botanists.


Figure 1. Cirilo Nelson (R.I.P.); Cuphea cyrilli-nelsonii ©Hermes Vega; Nototriton nelsoni ©Josiah Townsend.


Species described in his honor:

  • Eupatorium cyrilli-nelsonii (plant) – 1978

  • Psychotria cyrilli-nelsonii (plant) – 1989

  • Cuphea cyrilli-nelsonii (plant) – 1994

  • Justicia ciriloi (plant) – 2005

  • Arachnothryx nelsonii (plant, EN) – 2005

  • Diplazium nelsonianum (plant) – 2008

  • Thouinidium cyrilli-nelsonii (plant) – 2009

  • Nototriton nelsoni (salamander, CR) – 2016


  1. Gustavo Cruz


“El Profe,” as those of us who took his classes lovingly call him, has left a profound mark on Honduran natural history. Co-founder and former director of the UNAH Museum of Natural History, he has devoted his life to studying and conserving the country’s biological richness. His passion for Honduran biodiversity is also reflected in his role as an educator and mentor to many generations of biologists, and he also contributed to the creation of national parks and cloud forest legislation.


Figure 2. Gustavo Cruz and Craugastor cruzi (Sources: Fotorreportaje: El único Museo de Historia Natural en Honduras está en la UNAH, ¡conócelo! - Blogs UNAH; McCranie & Castañeda 2006).

  • Craugastor cruzi (frog, CR) – 1989

  • Sorex cruzi (shrew) – 2020


  1. Isis Melissa Medina Flores


In the words of the species’ authors: The species was named in honor of biologist Isis Melissa Medina-Flores. Melissa participated in the discovery and description of this species and four other endemic herpetofauna species (amphibians and reptiles). Tragically, in November 2016, Melissa disappeared on Cerro Las Minas in Celaque National Park (Townsend et al. 2020).


Figure 3. Isis Melissa Flores and Atlantihyla melissa (sources: Facebook page “Rescate Isis Melissa” and © Josiah Townsend).


  • Atlantihyla melissa (frog, CR) – 2020


  1. Julio Mérida


Honduran biologist dedicated to studying the country’s wildlife, and the current curator of the Museum of Natural History at UNAH.


Figure 4. Julio Mérida and Laemanctus julioi (Sources: Fotorreportaje: El único Museo de Historia Natural en Honduras está en la UNAH, ¡conócelo! - Blogs UNAH and © Josué Ramos Galdámez).


  • Laemanctus julioi (lizard) – 2018


  1. German Sandoval


He has spent decades exploring, documenting, and conserving Honduran flora from the TEFH Herbarium at UNAH. His deep knowledge of plants and field expedition experience have been fundamental to studying type specimens and describing new species, including the endemic cycad Zamia sandovalii, named in his honor. He also shares his knowledge with future generations of biologists, inspiring them to value the country’s botanical richness.


Figure 5. Germán Sandoval and Zamia sandovalii (Sources: Germán Sandoval and © Luis Herrera Hn).


  • Zamia sandovalii (cycad, EN) – 2005


  1. Franklin Castañeda


His passion for amphibians is reflected in the Field Guide to the Amphibians of Honduras (McCranie & Castañeda, 2007), which he co-authored. It is an invaluable resource for researchers, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts. Thanks to this work, many Honduran amphibians gained recognition, study, and protection. The species named in his honor, C. castanedai, was discovered with his support, and he photographed the species’ holotype.

Figure 6. Franklin Castañeda and Craugastor castanedai. © Franklin Castañeda – CBH 2022; C. castanedai © Franklin Castañeda (Berkeley CalPhotos).


  • Craugastor castanedai (frog, CR) – 2018


  1. Onán Reyes


In the words of the authors: This epithet is in honor of Onán Reyes, a student of the Biology Program at UNAH, who found the fertile plant after multiple excursions to the type locality (Nelson Sutherland & Sandoval González, 2008).


Figure 7. Onán Reyes and Zamia onan-reyesii © Josue Ramos Galdamez / iNaturalist.


  • Zamia onan-reyesii (plant, EN) – 2008


  1. Ciro Navarro (father and son) (R.I.P.)


Named in honor of Ing. Ciro Amed Navarro-Cruz and his son Ciro Vladimir Navarro-Umaña, notable contributors to the research, conservation, and sustainable management of Pico Bonito National Park.


Figure 8. Ciro Navarro Cruz, Ciro Navarro Umaña, and Magnolia ciroorum. (Credit: Ciro Navarro and © Fauna & Flora International)


  • Magnolia ciroorum (plant) – 2023


  1. Héctor Portillo


The species Tlaloc portillorum was named in honor of D. and Héctor Portillo, who guided the article’s author to the type locality and provided valuable natural history information for the area.


Figure 9. Héctor Portillo and Tlaloc portillorum (Credit: INCEBIO and Wilfredo Matamoros).


  1. Erasmo Sosa


The species was dedicated to professor Erasmo Sosa, who, as a student, collected the species’ holotype.


Figure 10. Erasmo Sosa and Robinsonella erasmi-sosae. Credit: ABE ART and Francisco Villamar.


  • Robinsonella erasmi-sosae (plant) – 1982


  1. Mario Espinal


The author dedicated Ninia espinali to Mario Espinal, his friend and occasional field companion, in recognition of his support and for collecting two paratypes of the taxon.


Figure 11. Specimen of Espinal’s coffee snake (Ninia espinali). Photo © Josiah Townsend.


  • Ninia espinali (snake) – 1995


  1. Hermes Vega and Paul House (R.I.P.)


Named in honor of the holotype collectors, Dr. Paul House and Hermes Vega Rodríguez. The authors reference Mount Olympus, “House” of the Greek gods such as Hermes, the messenger god.


Figure 12. Hermes Vega, Paul House, and Tantilla olympia. Photos by Hermes Vega, Iliam Rivera, and Josiah Townsend.


●        Tantilla olympia (snake) – 2013


  1. Roberto Andino

Named in honor of the TEFH Herbarium assistant at UNAH, with whom the species was found.


  • Nectandra roberto-andinoi (plant, VU) – 1992


  1. Jorge Escobar


Named in honor of the TEFH Herbarium assistant at UNAH, with whom the species was found.


Figure 13. Ocotea jorge-escobarii © O.M. Montiel.


  • Ocotea jorge-escobarii (plant, LC) – 1984


  1. Carlos O’Reilly


The species is dedicated to Carlos O’Reilly, then a biology student at UNAH and a volunteer at the TEFH herbarium, who participated in the expeditions where the specimens were found.


Figure 14. Carlos O’Reilly and Zamia oreillyi. Photos by Carlos O’Reilly and Hermes Vega.


  • Zamia oreillyi (plant, CR) – 2005


  1. Ramón Zúniga


Named in honor of the species’ collector.


  • Biophytum zunigae – 1993


  1. Eidy Yanina Guerrero


In the author’s words, this species name is a dedication to her work documenting Honduran plants, with special emphasis on orchids.


Figure 15. Eidy Yanina Guerrero and Sobralia yaninae. Photos by Eydi Yanina Guerrero and Luis Herrera Hn.


  • Sobralia yaninae – 2016


To the aspiring biologists reading this: Honduras is a country with incredible diversity, much of it still waiting to be discovered. We encourage you to leave your legacy in the knowledge and conservation of our species—not necessarily to have species named after you, but so we can understand and protect what is ours.


On this Honduran Biologist Day, we congratulate all our colleagues who contribute from the field, the lab, offices, classrooms, and every space in which they work, and whose efforts advance the knowledge and conservation of our natural resources.


Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @HondurasNeotropical 

Facebook: @HondurasNeotropical 


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References


Andino-Madrid, A. J., Merida, J. E. C., Pérez-Consuegra, S. G., & Matson, J. O. (2020). A new species of long-tailed shrew of the genus Sorex (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae) from Sierra de Omoa, Honduras. Zootaxa, 4809(1), 56-70.


Daniel, T. F. (2005). Catalog of Honduran Acanthaceae with taxonomic and phytogeographic notes. Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb., 24, 51-108.


Linares, J. L. (2019). Thouinidium cyrilli-nelsonii (Sapindaceae), a new tree species from El Salvador. Ceiba, 50(1), 18-20.


Linares, J.L., y Ancalmo, P. (2016). Una nueva especie de Sobralia (Orchidaceae) de Honduras. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, 10 (1):77-83


Lorence, D. H. (2005). Rubiacearum americanarum magna hama, pars xvii. A new species and four new combinations in Mesoamerican Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae). Novon, 15(3), 447-451.


Matamoros, W. A. (2010). A new species of Profundulus (Cyprinodontiformes: Profundulidae) from the Honduran Central highlands. J of Fish Biol 76: 1498-1507


McCranie, J.R. (2018). The lizards, crocodiles, and turtles of Honduras: Systematics, distribution, and conservation. Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology. 204 p


McCranie, J. R. (2018). A discussion of the phenetic-based Craugastor laticeps species group (Anura: Brachycephaloidea: Craugastoridae) from North-central Honduras, with the description of two new species. Herpetologica 74(2): 169-180


McCranie, J. R., Savage, J. M., Wilson, L. D. (1989). Description of two new species of the Eleutherodactylus milesi group (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae) from northern Honduras. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 102: 483-490


Mccranie, J.R., y Wilson, L.D. (1995). Two new species of Colubrid snakes of the genus Ninia from central America. Journal of Herpetology 29 (2): 224-232


Molina, A. (1978). Un nuevo Eupatorium de Honduras. Ceiba, 22(1), 39-40.


Molina, A. (1989). A New Psychotria (Rubiaceae) From HONDURAS. Ceiba, 30(1): 65.


Nelson, C. (1984). Una Ocotea (Lauraceae), una Salvia (Labiatae) y un Eupatorium (Compositae) Nuevos de Honduras. Ceiba 25(2):173.


Nelson, C. (1993). A new species of Biophytum (Oxalidaceae) from Honduras. Phytologia 75(3): 190-191.


Nelson Sutherland, C. H. (1982). A new Robinsonella (Malvaceae) from Honduras. Phytologia 51(6): 381-383.


Nelson Sutherland, C. H. (1992). Un nuevo Pleurothyrium (Lauraceae) de Honduras. Phytologia 72(6):402-403.


Nelson Sutherland, C. H. (2005). Dos plantas nuevas del género Zamia (Zamiaceae, Gymnospermae) en Honduras. Ceiba 46 (1-2): 55-58.


Nelson Sutherland, C.H., y Sandoval González, G.G. (2008). Una especie nueva de Zamia (Zamiaceae) de Honduras. Ceiba, 49(1): 135-136.


Nelson Sutherland, C. H., Molina, A., & Standley, P. C. (1981). A new Psychotria (Rubiaceae) from Nicaragua and Honduras [P. jinotegensis]. Phytologia, 50(1), 1-2. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15909577


Rojas, A. F. (2008). Five new species and new records in Diplazium (Athyriaceae) from the neotropics. Mét. Ecol. Sist., 3(1), 30-40.


Townsend, J.H. (2016). Taxonomic revision of the moss salamander Nototriton barbouri (Schmidt)(Caudata: Plethodontidae), with description of two new species from the Cordillera Nombre de Dios, Honduras. Zootaxa 4196: 511-528.


Townsend, J. H., Herrera-B., L. A., Hofmann, E. P., Luque-Montess, I. R., Ross, A. N., Dudek Jr., D., Krygeris, C., Duchamp, J. E., Wilson, D. L. (2020). A critically endangered new species of polymorphic stream frog (Anura: Hylidae: Atlantihyla) from the montane rainforest of Refugio de Vida Silvestre Texiguat, Honduras. Vertebrate Zoology, 70(4): 731-756. https://doi.org/10.26049/VZ70-4-2020-12


Townsend, J.H., Wilson, L.D., Medina-Flores, M., y Herrera-B, L.A. (2013). A New Species of Centipede Snake in the Tantilla taeniata Group (Squamata: Colubridae) from Premontane Rainforest in Refugio De Vida Silvestre Texíguat, Honduras. Journal of Herpetology 47(1): 191-200


Vázquez-García, J. Antonio, Estrada, Sergio, Martínez, Abraham Heriberto, Aguirre, Donovan, Cubas, Kelvin, Muñiz-Castro, Miguel Á. (2023).  Magnolia cirorum (Magnolia sect. Talauma, Magnoliaceae), a new species from Pico Bonito National Park, Atlántida, Honduras. Phytotaxa 629 (2): 129-138, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.629.2.2


Zúniga, R. (1994). A new Cuphea (Lythraceae) from Honduras. Ceiba, 35(1), 63-64.


 
 
 

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