Micronesia
Birds
found nowhere
else include the Caroline Ground-dove (eBird),
the Pohnpei Fruit-dove (eBird),
the Kosrae Fruit-dove (eBird),
the Pohnpei Lorikeet (iNaturalist), the Pohnpei Kingfisher
(eBird),
the
Caroline
Swiftlet (eBird),
the Chuuk Monarch (eBird),
the Yap Monarch (iNaturalist),
the Chuuk Flycatcher (eBird),
the Pohnpei Flycatcher (eBird),
the Pohnpei Fantail (eBird),
the Yap Cicadabird (iNaturalist),
the Pohnpei Cicadabird (Cornell),
the Kosrae
White-eye (eBird),
the Pohnpei White-eye (eBird),
the
Yap Olive White-eye (eBird),
the Yap Plain White-eye (eBird),
the
Caroline
Reed-warbler (eBird),
the
Pohnpei Starling (Wikipedia),
and the extinct Kosrae Starling (BHL)
and Kosrae Crake (Wikipedia)
(p. 10 of publikace.nm
pdf).
The Teardrop
White-eye (ARKive
WM)
and the Long-billed
White-eye (eBird)
represent an endemic genus.
Mammals unique to Micronesia include the Kosrae Flying Fox (iNaturalist)
(ScienceDirect),
the Chuuk Flying Fox (Mongabay)
(iNaturalist),
and
the Caroline
Flying Fox (iNaturalist)
(p. 11 of BirdQuest
WM
pdf).
The Yap Flying Fox (iNaturalist)
is sometimes considered a full species.
Endemic reptiles include the Pohnpei Skink Emoia ponapea (fig.
h at BHL),
the Mortlock Forest Gecko Lepidodactylus
oligoporus (GBIF)
(ScholarSpace
pdf),
the Ulithi Blindsnake Ramphotyphlops
hatmaliyeb (iNaturalist),
the
Ant Atoll
Blindsnake Ramphotyphlops
adocetus (USDA
WM
pdf). The Giant Saw-scaled
Gecko Perochirus
scutellatus
(ScholarSpace
pdf)
(figs. 26-30 at BHL)
may also be endemic.
Freshwater fish restricted to Micronesia include several gobies: Sicyopterus lividus (COM-FSM), Sicyopterus
eudentatus (iNaturalist),
Smilosicyopus
nigriradiatus (fig. c on p. 2 of BOREA
pdf),
Stiphodon caeruleus
(iNaturalist)
(Loaches
Online Forum),
and
Lentipes caroline
(BOREA
pdf)
(iNaturalist).
Endemic
marine fish include the Incandescent Hamlet Liopropoma incandescens
(ZooKeys),
the Yellowaxil Damselfish Pomacentrus flavoaxillaris (ResearchGate), the Pohnpei Coralbrotula Diancistrus
pohnpeiensis (FishBase),
the Vertical Hover Goby Parioglossus
verticalis (p.
26 of Australian
Museum pdf), the Yellowspot Groppo
Grammatonotus
xanthostigma
(Reef
Builders), the Barred Groppo Grammatonotus
pelipel (GBIF),
the Kapingamarangi Surgeonfish Acanthurus
chronixis (IUCN)
(Cite
Seer X WM pdf),
and the
Caroline Anchovy Stolephorus
multibranchus (FishBase)
(J-STAGE
pdf).
Insects found only in Micronesia include a dragonfly Hemicordulia erico (Kyushu
Univ. Museum WM), a damselfly Teinobasis ariel (GBIF),
a leaf insect Cryptophyllium
yapicum (GBIF),
the leafroller moths Adoxophyes
poecilogramma
(Tortricid.net WM)
and Dudua proxima
(GBIF),
a pyralid moth
Endotricha separata
(figs. 149-150 at BHL),
a grass moth Haritalodes kosralis (PLAZI), a raspy cricket Gryllacris
modestipennis (OSF),
a katydid Phisis vittata
(OSF),
the longhorn beetles Ropica
yapana (Smithsonian WM)
and Examnes ponapensis
(Smithsonian WM),
a ground beetle Ponapagonum
dybasi (p. 24 of Bishop
Museum WM pdf), a click beetle Simodactylus decoratus
(p.
25 of Bishop
Museum WM pdf), a minute tree-fungus beetle Scolytocis insularis
(ResearchGate),
a bark beetle Hemicryphalus
atomus (Bark
Beetles WM),
a
stag beetle Figulus
luminosus (Un
Monde en Couleurs), a stink bug Glaucias lucidus
(fig. 7a at Bishop
Museum WM pdf), a plant bug Creontiades
yapensis (fig. 47 at Bishop
Museum WM pdf), the flower flies Dissoptera yapensis
(GBIF)
and Archimicrodon
purpurescens (GBIF),
the
bees Hylaeus chuukensis (Frontiers) and Lasioglossum
nummatum (Smithsonian)
and Halictus auriger
(Smithsonian),
a wasp Pison ponape
(GBIF),
and the ants Camponotus
erythrocephalus
(AntWiki)
and Vollenhovia kaselela
(AntWiki).
Endemic land snails include Thaanumella cookei (ResearchGate), Partula emersoni (IUCN), Partula martensiana (figs. 15 & 16 at BHL), Ponapella pihapiha (p. 2 of Bishop Museum WM pdf), Brazieria lutaria (conchology.be), Palaina doliolium (Femorale WM), Trochomorpha contigua (Femorale WM), Kusaiea frivola (Femorale WM), and Kubaryiellus kubaryi and Russatus nigrescens (both at BHL).
Other
endemic invertebrates include the jumping spiders Sobasina
yapensis (BHL)
and Phintella
planiceps (BHL),
a
wolf spider Zoica
carolinensis (BHL),
the Chuuk
Islands Giant Millipede Acladocricus
setigerus (ScholarSpace
pdf),
another millipede Eurhinocricus
naufragus (BHL),
a centipede Cormocephalus
amphieurys (fig. 15 at BHL),
a harvestman Strandibalonius
esakii (fig. 3 of Bishop
Museum WM pdf), a freshwater shrimp Caridina
variabilirostris (Species
New to Science), a freshwater amphipod Floresorchestia pohnpei
(GBIF),
a freshwater snail Thaanumella
angulosa (Femorale WM),
the marine gastropods Vexillum
oterai (figs. 1-3 at BHL)
and Leucorhynchia
kosraensis (GBIF),
a
marine amphipod Elasmopus
aduncus (Semantic
Scholar), and a sponge Coscinoderma
wenoa (ResearchGate).
Among more than 100 vascular plant species known solely from Micronesia
(ResearchGate)
are the palms Clinostigma
ponapensis (COM-FSM),
Metroxylon amicarum
(ARKive
WM),
Ponapea hosinoi
(flickr),
and Ponapea
ledermanniana (Palmpedia).
Other endemic plants include the Ka Tree Terminalia carolinensis
(flickr),
the Pohnpei Cinnamon Tree Cinnamomum
carolinense (COM-FSM),
a pepper Piper ponapense
(COM-FSM),
Claoxylon carolinianum
(iNaturalist),
a giant ginger Alpinia
carolinensis (COM-FSM),
Horsfieldia nunu
(iNaturalist),
a tree fern
Cyathea
nigricans (COM-FSM),
a screwpine Pandanus
yapensis (p. 29 of USFS
WM
pdf),
Medinella diversifolia
(flickr),
Hoya schneei
(flickr), Hedyotis ponapensis (iNaturalist),
Astronidium ponapense
(flickr), Astronidium carolinense (iNaturalist),
Palaquium karrak (GBIF),
a
mangosteen Garcinia
volkensii (p. 82 of USFS
WM
pdf),
Trichospermum
ikutai (p. 241 of USFS
WM
pdf), Timonius albus
(p.
215 of USFS
WM
pdf),
Vavaea pauciflora
(p. 157 of USFS
WM
pdf), Drypetes
yapensis (p. 93 of USFS
WM
pdf), Ilex volkensiana (iNaturalist), and
several orchids: Dendrobium
kraemeri (IOPSE WM),
Dendrobium adamsii
(iNaturalist),
Phreatia pacifica
(TAI
WM),
and Glomera carolinensis
(HUH).
Endemic non-vascular plants include the liverworts Drepanolejeunea canceroides
(GBIF)
and Riccardia trukensis
(fig. 39 at Micronesica
pdf) and several mosses: Taxiphyllum
whittierianum
(fig. 44 at Micronesica
pdf), Fissidens kondoi
(Fig.
3 at J-STAGE
pdf), and Dicranella
ponapensis (fig. 4 at Micronesica
pdf). Marine algae known only from Micronesia include Dictyosphaeria mutica
(macroalgae.org).
Micronesia includes the Carolines
Tropical Moist Forests (EoE)
and the Yap Tropical Dry Forests (EoE)
ecoregions and is part of the Polynesia-Micronesia
biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots WM). For overviews of
the biodiversity of Micronesia see (pp. 32 & 72 of SIDS
WM
pdf) and (SPREP
pdf).