Kevevs – a person with your education should know that nothing lives in the atacama desert.
Loads of stuff lives there, at least if Yahoo Answers is to be believed:
Nandu (Pterocnemia pennata) also called Suri, Grey-Hooded Sierra-Finch (Phrygilus gayi), Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia), Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Andean Flicker (Colaptes rupicola), and etc.
Atacama Fauna;
Culpeo Fox (Dusicyon culpaeus), Vicuñas (Vicuna vicugna), Guanacos (Lama guanicoe), Viscacha (Lagidium viscacia), Mountain Viscacha (Lagidium viscacia), Desert foxes, and etc.
Atacama Reptiles;
Iguana Chilena (Callopistes palluma), Saltflat Lizard, and etc.
Atacama Flora;
Ananuca Amarilla (Rhodophiala bagnoldii), Suspiro (Nolana elegans), Garra de Leon or Lions Claw (Leontochir ovallei), Ananuca Roja (Rhodophiala phycelloides), Caiophora andina, Oreja de Zorro Amarilla (Aristolochia pearsei), Pata de Guanaco (Calandrinia), Terciopelo or Cartucho (Argylia radiata) and etc.
Atacama Cacti;
Copiapoa, Candelabro Cactus (Browningia Candelaris), Cardon Grande (Echinopsis atacamensis), and etc.
Atacama Desert Flower;
Cistanthe celosioides, Cistanthe arancioana, Oxalis carnosae, Piojillo (Malesherbia humilis ), and etc.
Source(s):
Check here;http://www.atacamaphoto.com/atacama-flora/desert-flora-1.htm
;http://www.atacamaphoto.com/atacama-flora/desert-flora-6.htm
;http://www.atacamaphoto.com/atacama-flora/desert-flora-3.htm
;http://www.atacamaphoto.com/atacama-fauna/atacamafauna-1.htm
;http://www.atacamaphoto.com/atacama-fauna/atacamafauna-2.htm