New Caledonia
New Caledonia has an exceptionally distinctive flora with over 2500 endemic species (ResearchGate) and the endemic families Amborellaceae (iNaturalist) and Phellinaceae (Endemia). Oncothecaceae (Endemia) is also frequently considered to represent an endemic family. Endemic conifers include Araucaria muelleri (RBGE), Neocallitropsis pancheri (ARKive WM), and the world's only parasitic gymnosperm Parasitaxus ustus (RBGE). Endemic orchid genera include Eriaxis (Endemia), Gonatostylis (Endemia), and Coilochilus (Endemia). Endemic palm genera include Cyphophoenix (PACSOA), Chambeyronia (iNaturalist), and Burretiokentia (PACSOA).
Other
endemic vascular plants
include the Panie Kauri (IUCN),
Paracryphia alticola
(Endemia),
Strasburgeria robusta
(Endemia), Virotia angustifolia
(Endemia),
Acropogon
paagoumenensis (p. 5 of Endemia
pdf),
Ixora
margaretae (Endemia),
Xanthostemon aurantiacus (Endemia),
Myodocarpus pinnatus
(Endemia),
Grevillea meisneri
(Endemia),
Peripterygia marginata
(p. 14 of Endemia
pdf), and Stromatopteris
moniliformis
(Endemia).
Bird genera found nowhere else include the Cloven-feathered
Dove (Endemia),
the Ouvea Parakeet (eBird),
the
Yellow-bellied Robin (eBird),
and
an
endemic family, the Kagu (eBird).
Other endemic birds include the New
Caledonian Imperial Pigeon (Endemia),
the
New Caledonian Lorikeet (Wikipedia),
the
White-bellied
Goshawk (eBird),
the New Caledonian
Owlet-nightjar (Wikipedia)
(EDGE),
the New Caledonian
Rail (Wikipedia),
the
New Caledonian Cicadabird (iNaturalist),
the
Crow Honeyeater (eBird),
the New Caledonian Friarbird (eBird),
the New Caledonian
Myzomela (eBird),
the
Striated Starling (eBird),
the
New Caledonian Thicketbird (eBird),
the New Caledonian Whistler (Endemia),
and the Red-throated
Parrotfinch (eBird).
The New
Caledonian Crow (Univ.
Auckland WM) (eBird)
is renowned for skill in tool use. The New Caledonian
Storm Petrel (Species
New to Science) is a breeding endemic.
Endemic mammals include the Ornate Flying Fox (Endemia),
the New Caledonian Flying Fox (Endemia),
the New Caledonian Blossom Bat (ARKive
WM) (Endemia),
the New Caledonian Wattled Bat (Endemia)
(iNaturalist),
the Loyalty Long-fingered Bat (Endemia),
and the New Caledonian Long-eared Bat (Endemia)
(ResearchGate).
Representing genera of geckos unique to New Caledonia are Bauer's
Chameleon Gecko (Reptile
Database),
the Forest Bavayia (iNaturalist),
the
Short-snouted Mossy Gecko (iNaturalist),
the New Caledonian Crested Gecko (Endemia),
the Poum Striped Gecko (iNaturalist),
the High Elevation Bavayia (IUCN),
the Marbled Gecko (IUCN),
and the world's largest living species, the New
Caledonian Giant Gecko (Endemia).
Endemic
skink genera include Graciliscincus
(Endemia),
Lacertoides
(Endemia),
Marmorosphax (Endemia), Lioscincus (ARKive
WM),
Nannoscincus
(ARKive
WM),
Phoboscincus (IUCN), Sigaloseps (Endemia), Simiscincus (Endemia), Kanakysaurus
(Endemia),
and Celatiscincus
(Endemia).
Endemic snakes include the New Caledonian Sea Krait (Endemia),
Laboute's Sea Snake (upper left on p. 10 of IRD
pdf),
and the Loyalty Islands Blind Snake (BHL).
Freshwater fish restricted to New Caledonia include endemic genera of
silverside Bleheratherina
(Endemia)
(iNaturalist)
and loach goby Protogobius (Vies
d'Ô douce WM).
Other endemic freshwater fish include
Galaxias
neocaledonicus (Endemia),
a dartfish Parioglossus
neocaledonicus (Endemia), the Dumbea Rive Pipefish Microphis cruentus
(Shoal),
the gobies Schismatogobius fuligimentus
(Endemia) and Sicyopterus sarasini
(FishBase),
and
an undescribed snakehead gudgeon (p. 163 of cen.nc
pdf).
Endemic
marine fish include the New Caledonia Catshark (Shark
References),
the Butterfly Stingaree (fig. 4 at IRD pdf), the
Freckled Dottyback
Ogilbyina
salvati (reefbuilders),
the
Glowtail Pipefish Dunckerocampus
chapmani (Endemia),
the Pygmy Thorny Seahorse (MNHN),
the New Caledonian Seabream (Image
du Monde WM), a goby Amblyeleotris bellicauda
(Image
du Monde), a cardinalfish Jaydia
catalai (FishBase),
the Sunrise Anthias Pyronotanthias timanoa
(Image
du Monde WM), the
New Caledonian Striped Triplefin (FishBase),
a
sandperch Parapercis albipinna (FishBase), and the New Caledonian Longtail Dragonet (iNaturalist). Endemic genera include a snake eel Rhinophichthus (p. 12 of VLIZ pdf) and a viviparous brotula Lapitaichthys (BHL).
Butterflies known solely from New Caledonia include the Blue
Swallowtail
(Endemia),
Graphium gelon
(Endemia),
Delias ellipsis
(Endemia), Elodina signata (iNaturalist),
Nacaduba deplorans
(iNaturalist),
Polyura gamma (Endemia),
Paratisiphone lyrnessa
(Endemia),
Euploea helcita
(iNaturalist), and Austroypthima
petersi (Endemia).
Endemic moths include Compsulyx cochereaui
(Endemia),
Sabatinca kristenseni
(iNaturalist),
and Amerila albivitrea
(iNaturalist).
Other endemic insects include the longhorn beetles Caledonandra austrocaledonica (iNaturalist) and Agrianome fairmairei (iNaturalist), a tiger beetle Caledonica mniszechi (Endemia), a ground beetle Cyphocoleus monteithi (iNaturalist), the weevils Pterapion monstrosum (iNaturalist) and Callistomorphus farinosus (ZooKeys), a cicada Kanakia typica (Endemia), a cricket Pixibinthus sonicus (PLOS ONE), the Coconut Grasshopper (Endemia), the stick insects Gigantophasma bicolor (iNaturalist) and Cnipsus rhachis (Endemia), a leaf insect Trolicaphyllium sarrameaense (ZooKeys), a mantis Notomantis brunneriana (iNaturalist), a damselfly Caledopteryx maculata (Endemia), a dragonfly Synthemis miranda (iNaturalist), a hoverfly Ceriana antipoda (iNaturalist), a genus of caddisflies Mecynostomella (BOLD), a leafcutting bee Megachile australis (Endemia), a paper wasp Ropalidia clavata (iNaturalist), and the ants Leptomyrmex nigriceps (Image du Monde) and Paraparatrechina foreli (iNaturalist).
Endemic invertebrate families include harvestmen Troglosironidae (iNaturalist) (AAS WM pdf), a bryozoan Clathrolunulidae (Bryozoa.net WM), a brittle star Ophiojuridae (Live Science), and a crinoid Eudesicrinidae (Google Books) (GBIF).
The endemic land snails include Placostylus fibratus (iNaturalist), Pararhytida dictyodes (Endemia), Tropidotropis trichocoma (iNaturalist), Micromphalia abax (iNaturalist), Leuchocharis pancheri (GBIF), and an endemic family, the Draparnaudiidae (iNaturalist) (Femorale WM). Other endemic invertebrates include the freshwater snail genera Kanakyella and Caledoconcha (both at ResearchGate), the spider genera Caledomedes (iNaturalist) and Corambis (GBIF) and Bradystichus (AMNH WM pdf), the harvestmen genera Martensopsalis (GBIF) and Diaenobunus (iNaturalist), a scorpion Liocheles neocaledonicus (Endemia), a whip spider Charinus neocaledonicus (iNaturalist), a springtail Caledonimeria mirabilis (iNaturalist), a millipede Rhinotus ducalis (iNaturalist), a centipede Easonobius tridentatus (BHL), a woodlouse Xestodillo zebricolor (iNaturalist), a crab Odiomaris pilosus (Endemia), a freshwater shrimp Paratya caledonica (iNaturalist), a land planarian Australopacifica sarasiniana (iNaturalist), an earthworm Acanthodrilus barrieri (ResearchGate), a sea urchin Coelopleurus exquisitus (GBIF), a mushroom coral Cantharellus noumeae (NOAA), the nudibranchs Verconia catalai (Endemia) and Hypselodoris lacteola (Endemia), and the cone snails Conus gondwanensis (IUCN) and Conus goudeyi (GBIF).
Endemic
fungi include Podoserpula
miranda (IUCN WM)
and Hymenopellis
atroruginosus (IUCN WM).
Endemic lichens include Astrochapsa
verruculosa (fig 1A at ResearchGate)
and Ocellularia
pulchella (ResearchGate).
Endemic non-vascular plants include the mosses Leratia neocaledonica
(Endemia)
and Bryum pancheri
(Endemia)
and the liverworts Meinungeria
mouensis (Endemia)
and Otoscyphus crassicaulis (MNHN).
Endemic marine algae include Laurencia
vieillardii (GBIF)
and Callithamnion
vieillardii (GBIF).
New Caledonia is a territory of France
and forms its own biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots WM).
The marine fauna of New Caledonia is considered
one of the world's most important marine centers of endemism (Columbia
Univ. WM pdf). The Inventaire National du
Patrimoine Naturel provides lists of endemic animals (INPN)
and endemic plants (INPN).
An overview of marine life is at (IRD
pdf).