Living National Treasures: Timor

Checklists of Endemics

The following account covers species endemic to the island of Timor that apparently occur in both Indonesia and Timor-Leste. The island of Timor is part of the Timor and Wetar Deciduous Forests terrestrial ecoregion (WWF), the Lesser Sunda Islands freshwater ecoregion (FEOW), the Sunda Islands coral reef hotspot (Reef Guardian pdf file), and the Wallacea biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots).

Birds unique to Timor include the Timor Green-pigeon (BirdLife Int'l), the Yellow-eared Honeyeater (Oriental Bird Images), the Streaky-breasted Honeyeater (IBC), the Timor Friarbird (Oriental Bird Images), the Timor Figbird (Oriental Bird Images), the White-bellied Bushchat (Oriental Bird Images), and the Timor Sparrow (BirdLife Int'l). The Buff-banded Grassbird (p. 25 of Darwin Initiative pdf file) is an endemic genus.

Mammals found nowhere else include the Timor Leaf-nosed Bat (IUCN Red List), the Timorese Horseshoe Bat (p. 3 of ABSN 4 MB pdf file), the Timor Shrew (IUCN Red List), and the Timor Forest Rat (IUCN Red List). The extinct Buehler’s Rat (IUCN Red List) represented an endemic genus.

Reptiles restricted to Timor include the Timor Gecko Cnemaspis timoriensis (Reptile Database), the skinks Glaphyromorphus (or Eremiascincus) antoniorum (Reptile Database) and Glaphyromorphus (or Eremiascincus) timorensis (Reptile Database), and the recently described Timor Longneck Turtle Chelodina timorensis (CRF pdf file) which was later described independently as Chelodina mccordi timorlestensis. Among amphibians, the Timor Wart Frog Limnonectes timorensis (Wikispecies) is sometimes considered an endemic species distinct from the more widespread Lesser Sundas Frog Hylarana elberti (IUCN Red List).

Freshwater fish exclusive to Timor include a ricefish Oryzias timorensis (FishBase), a freshwater goby Sicyopterus wichmanni (FishBase), and a hardyhead Craterocephalus laisapi (Aquapress Bleher). Marine fish known only from specimens collected off Timor include the Kupang Pony Fish Eubleekeria (or Leiognathus) kupanensis (p. 7 of Deep Blue pdf file), a sole Aseraggodes beauforti (FishBase), a snake eel Bascanichthys (or Callechelys) sibogae (Internet Archive), and a pearlfish Carapus sluiteri (FishBase).

Butterflies known solely from Timor include a birdwing Troides plato (Tony Nagypal), Papilio biseriatus (EntomID-PNG), the Timor Yellow Tiger Parantica timorica (EntomID-PNG), Delias lemoulti (Delias of the World), and Charaxes orilus (mushikiti.blog.so-net.ne.jp). Other endemic invertebrates include a longhorned beetle Nemophas batoceroides (Cerambycoidea.com), a leaf beetle Apophylia (or Malaxis) dilaticornis (Harvard), and a land snail Amphidromus reflexilabris (b-cabinet). Two families of nemertean worms have been described based exclusively on specimens collected off Timor: the Drepanobandidae consisting of Drepanobanda trilineata (WoRMS) and Siboganemertidae consisting of Siboganemertes weberi (p. 11 of jcs.biologists.org pdf file).

Vascular plant species confined to Timor include Dracaena timorensis (Kew), a palm Calamus timorensis (Kew), and several orchids: Aerides timorana (Nationaal Herbarium Nederland), Diuris fryana (Nationaal Herbarium Nederland), Habenaria ankylocentron (p. 8 of univie.ac.at pdf file), Habenaria cauda-porcelli (p. 9 of univie.ac.at pdf file), and Pterostylis timorensis (p. 15 of univie.ac.at pdf file). Sautiera tinctorum (IPNI) represents an endemic genus.