Fiji
Birds found only in Fiji include the Collared Lory (WPT), the Red-throated Lorikeet (NatureFiji), the Masked Shining Parrot (WPT), the Crimson Shining Parrot (ARKive), the Orange Dove (Kula Eco Park), the Golden Dove (Int'l Dove Soc.), the Whistling Dove (IBC), Peale's Imperial Pigeon (IBC), the Fiji Goshawk (IBC), the Fiji Petrel (BBC), the Silktail (NatureFiji), the Ogea Monarch (BirdLife Int'l), the Slaty Monarch (IBC), the Azure-crested Flycatcher (IBC), the Orange-breasted Honeyeater (Wikipedia), the Kadavu Honeyeater (IBC), the Giant Honeyeater (IBC), the Kadavu Fantail (Fiji Bird Watching), the Rotuma Myzomela (ARKive), the Fiji White-eye (IBC), the Fiji Bush Warbler (IBC), the Long-legged Thicketbird (ARKive), the Fiji Woodswallow (IBC), and the Pink-billed Parrotfinch (NatureFiji).
The
Fijian Monkey-faced Bat (NatureFiji)
(ARKive) is an endemic mammal.
Reptiles unique to Fiji include the Fijian Crested Iguana Brachylophus
vitiensis
(ARKive),
the recently discovered Fijian Banded Iguana Brachylophus
bulabula (Ryan
Photographic),
the Rotuman Forest Gecko Lepidodactylus gardineri
(IUCN Red
List), Mann's Forest Gecko Lepidodactylus manni
(Ryan
Photographic), the Onoilau Skink Leiolopisma alazon (NatureFiji),
the
Montane Emo Skink Emoia campbelli (Ryan
Photographic), the Fiji Green Emo Skink Emoia concolor (Ryan
Photographic), the Turquoise Tree Skink Emoia mokosariniveikau
(BioStor),
Emoia
parkeri (Internet
Archive),
Emoia oriva
(PBSW),
and the Pygmy Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus eximius (Ryan
Photographic). The Fijian
Burrowing Snake Ogmodon
vitianus
(NatureFiji)
is an endemic genus.
Two amphibians are known solely from
Fiji: the Fijian Tree Frog Platymantis vitiensis
(AmphibiaWeb)
and the Fijian Ground Frog Platymantis
vitianus
(NatureFiji).
A freshwater pipefish Hippichthys
albomaculosus (Wetlands Int'l),
a dartfish Parioglossus
triquetrus (p. 22 of Australian
Museum pdf file),
and several freshwater gobies are restricted to Fiji including Schismatogobius chrysonotus
(p. 18 of USAID
pdf file), the Hoofprint Goby Lairdina
hopletupus (RSNZ), Lever's Goby Redigobius leveri (Ryan
Photographic), and the recently described Redigobius lekutu (NatureFiji).
The Orange-spotted Therapon Mesopristes
kneri (FishBase)
is found in both freshwater and marine environments.
Endemic marine
fish include the Bicolored Foxface
Siganus
uspi
(eol),
the Twilight Fangblenny Petroscirtes
pylei (Zootaxa
pdf file), the Fiji Sponge Goby Bryaninops
dianneae (Ryan
Photographic), the gobies Eviota karaspila (Practical
Fishkeeping) and Tryssogobius
nigrolineatus (FishBase),
a
garden eel Gorgasia
thamani (CAS
pdf file), a damselfish Pomacentrus
microspilus (Fishwise),
the Fiji Blue Midnight Angelfish Centropyge
deborae (ReefBuilders),
the wrasses Paracheilinus
rubricaudalis (FishBase) and Cirrhilabrus
marjorie (FishBase),
and two combtooth blennies: Meiacanthus
oualanensis (eol)
and Ecsenius fijiensis
(eol). Eschmeyer nexus (Internet Archive)
is
the sole species in the endemic family Eschmeyeridae.
The Giant Fijian Longhorn Beetle Xixuthurus
heros (NatureFiji) is the world's second
largest beetle. Other endemic insects include the Fiji Swallowtail Papilio
schmeltzi (USP),
the Tailed Emperor Polyura
caphontis (WNS Stamps),
Xois sesara
(lepi.sakura.ne.jp),
an eggfly butterfly Hypolimnas
inopinata (Insect
Collector), a hawk moth Psilogramma
jordana (Sphingidae
of the Eastern Palaearctic), a uraniid moth Urapteroides anerces
(Moths
in Fiji), a damselfly Indolestes
vitiensis
(Bishop
Museum), a jewel beetle Paracupta
sulcata (World
of Jewel Beetles), a longhorned beetle Distenia dillonorum
(Bishop
Museum pdf file), a weevil Bulbogaster ctenostomides
(Insects
on Stamps), the cicadas Fijipsalta
tympanistria (Google
Books) and Raiateana
knowlesi (WNS Stamps),
a genus of ants Poecilomyrma
(eol),
and the Fijian Stick Insect Nisyrus
spinulosus (NatureFiji).
Other endemic invertebrates include a freshwater snail Fijidoma maculata (NatureFiji),
the landsnails Placostylus
malleatus and Orpiella
fragillima (both at Snails
on Stamps), a jumping spider Lagnus
monteithorum (Arachnologia
Polska pdf file), a freshwater sea slug Acochlidium fijiense
(NatureFiji), a cone snail Asprella fijisulcata
(Eddie
Hardy), and a
cowrie Austrasiatica deforgesi (Eddie
Hardy).
The most distinctive of the over 800 plant species found exclusively in
Fiji are the masiratus Degeneria
roseiflora and Degeneria
vitiensis (gigantopteroid.org),
the only members of the endemic family Degeneriaceae.
Other endemic genera include Squamellaria
(Internet
Archive), Gillespiea
(BHL),and
Hedstromia (JSTOR). All
of Fiji's native palms are endemic including
the Vilaito Neoveitchia
storkii (ARKive),
the Solitary Palm Heterospathe
longipes
(ARKive),
Thurston’s Fan Palm Pritchardia
thurstonii (PACSOA),
and Balaka macrocarpa
(NatureFiji).
Other endemic plants include the national flower, the
Tagimaucia Medinilla
waterhousei (NatureFiji),
the Fiji Christmas Bush Decaspermum
vitiense (WNS Stamps),
the Drautabua Acmopyle sahniana (NatureFiji),
Hoya megalantha
(flickr),
Gymnostoma vitiense
(Internet
Archive), Syzygium gracilipes (Internet
Archive), the orchids Bulbophyllum
phillipsianum (gigantopteroid.org)
and
Dendrobium
prasinum (IOPSE),
the Yanita Pterocymbium
oceanicum (NatureFiji),
Gmelina vitiensis
(Plant
Stamps of the World), and the Cibicibi Cynometra falcata (NatureFiji).
Fiji includes the Fiji Dry Tropical Forests (EoE)
and Fiji Tropical Moist Forests (EoE)
ecoregions and is part of the Polynesia-Micronesia
biodiversity hotspot (CI).
An
overview of Fiji's
biodiversity can be found in its Convention on Biological Diversity
report (CBD
pdf file).