<p>The insular Caribbean is one of the most important hotspots of biodiversity in the world in terms of endemism and ranks first for reptiles and seventh for amphibians. However, the amount of scientific information available on the Caribbean herpetofauna varies considerably across taxa, with potential consequences in terms of management and conservation. I, therefore, analyzed the drivers of scientific attention given to the Caribbean-endemic terrestrial herpetofauna based on a quantitative review of the scientific literature. I first assessed the influence of species features (natural history and ecology) and country characteristics (geographic and socio-economic data) on the amount of scientific attention towards species (as measured from published articles in scientific journals). I then examined to what extent scientific attention given to the various reptile and amphibian species is related to their IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) status. I finally assessed the contribution of local researchers to scientific knowledge by examining the authorship of published articles. Scientific research on endemic herpetofauna was positively influenced by societal interest, human use and presence in protected areas as well as by the level of development (HDI) of the territories, with still limited implications from researchers affiliated to Caribbean institutions. Research efforts continue to be strongly influenced by the conservation status of species. The species not evaluated are less scientifically studied than the evaluated species. Among endemic evaluated reptiles and amphibians, threatened species are the least studied. I discuss the relevance of our results for understanding the current state of research and conservation of Caribbean herpetofauna. I then provide recommendations for future research, particularly to enhance capacity building and leadership in countries where expertise is limited.</p>