Marshall Islands
Marine
fish known only
from the Marshall Islands include the Three-banded Anemonefish Amphiprion tricinctus
(Underwater
Kwajalein), the Girdled Wrasse Cirrhilabrus balteatus
(eol),
Johnson’s Wrasse Cirrhilabrus
johnsoni (eol),
a wrasse Bodianus
neopercularis (FishBase),
the Fringelip Snake Eel Cirricaecula
johnsoni
(BHL),
a damselfish Pomacentrus
yoshii (FishBase),
a pipefish Ichthyocampus
bikiniensis (BHL),
a wormfish Gunnellichthys
grandoculis (fig. 2 at Internet
Archive), a sole Aseraggodes
heraldi (p. 4 of Univ.
Guam pdf file), the Marshall Slopebrotula Tuamotuichthys marshallensis
(Københavns
Universitet pdf file),
Bauchot's Goby Callogobius
bauchotae (FishBase),
and another goby Silhouettea
capitlineata (p. 10 of Univ.
Guam pdf file).
The Ratak Imperial Pigeon Ducula
oceanica ratakensis (MICS)
is an endemic subspecies.
Longhorned beetles unique to the Marshalls include Ceresium robustum (Smithsonian),
Prosoplus hibisci
(Smithsonian),
Oopsis
marshallensis (Smithsonian),
and Prosoplus major (Smithsonian).
Other endemic insects include a plant bug Campylomma eniwetok
(Discover
Life), a leaf-footed bug Riptortus
saileri (p. 18 of Bishop
Museum pdf file) and a click beetle Melanoxanthus
lariversi (p. 51 of Bishop
Museum pdf file). Endemic marine molluscs include a cowrie Palmadusta johnsonorum
(Underwater
Kwajalein), Depressipoma kwajaleina (Eddie Hardy), Depressipoma laddi (Eddie Hardy), Allochroa
nana (p. 6 of MPB
pdf file), and four sea slugs: Thorunna
purpuropedis
(Sea
Slug Forum), Halgerda
johnsonorum (Sea
Slug Forum), Trapania
circinata (Sea
Slug Forum), and Chromodoris
galactos (Sea
Slug Forum). The recent discovery of the Pacific Elkhorn
Coral (ScienceDaily)
at Arno Atoll may represent a new species. Other endemic invertebrates
include a shrimp Paraxiopsis
majuro (Univ.
Guam) and a pseudoscorpion Garypus ornatus (p.
20 of Bishop
Museum 7 MB pdf file).
The Marshall Islands are part of the Eastern Micronesia Tropical Moist
Forests ecoregion (EoE) and is
part of the Polynesia-Micronesia
biodiversity hotspot (CI). A list of endemic species is at (Marshall
Islands Biodiversity CHM).