American Samoa

American Samoa is a territory of the United States of America and along with the nation of Samoa comprises the Samoan Islands. It forms part of the Samoan Tropical Moist Forests ecoregion (EoE).

Recently proposed endemic bird species include Peale's Kingfisher Todiramphus pealei (iNaturalist) (ResearchGate), the Manu'a Shrikebill Clytorhynchus powelli (ResearchGate) (iNaturalist), and the Manu'a Starling Aplonis manuae (iNaturalist) (ResearchGate).

A freshwater fish Fagasa tutuilae (BHL) may be endemic, although it has been suggested that it is merely a larval specimen of the widespread Dusky Sleeper Eleotris fusca (BHL). A marine flapheaded goby Callogobius tutuilae (Univ. Washington) (GBIF) is apparently known only from the holotype.

Among several species of land snails endemic to American Samoa are Samoana thurstoni (Samoan Land Snails WM), Samoana abbreviata (iNaturalist) (Samoan Land Snails WM), Samoana conica (iNaturalist), Eua zebrina (ARKive WM) (iNaturalist), Ostodes adjunctus and Ostodes strigatus (both at Samoan Land Snails WM) (iNaturalist), Sinployea clausa (Google Books), Minidonta manuaensis (Internet Archive), Tutuilana striata (Bishop Museum WM pdf), and the possibly extinct Diastole matafaoi (ARKive WM) which was known only from Mount Matafao.

Insects unique to American Samoa include the longhorn beetles Samolethrius subnitidus (Cerambycidae Species WM) and Phloeopsis (or Sciadella) minuta (fig. 4 at BHL), a stag beetle Aegus tutuilensis (iNaturalist) (BHL), a weevil Chaetectorus tutuilae (BHL), a lace bug Eteoneus samoaensis (BHL), a flatbug Neuroctenus pygmaeus (p. 6 of Bishop Museum WM pdf), the leafhoppers Stirellus affinis and Stirellus tauensis (both at Internet Archive), the bees Megachile wilmattae (BHL) and Lasioglossum semicyaneum (Discover Life), the flies Samoaia leonensis and Samoaia attenuata (both at The Node), a damselfly Ischnura chromostigma (BHL) (IUCN), a plant bug Hyalopeplus tutuilaensis (BHL), a seed bug Neocrompus kellersi (BHL), a leafroller moth Lobesia clavosa (tortricid.net WM), and a uraniid moth Phazaca kellersi (BHL). The Samoan Swallowtail Papilio godeffroyi (iNaturalist) (USGS) is now believed to survive only on Tutuila.

Other invertebrates found nowhere else include a leafcurling sac spider Clubiona zimmermani (BHL), a hermit crab Diogenes patae (ResearchGate), the ostracod crustaceans Cypridina mellentini (p. 4 of UH-Manoa pdf) and Asteropterygion samoa (GBIF), Nautilus samoaensis (ZooKeys), a marine top-snail Diloma samoaensis (Eddie Hardy) (BHL), the corals Porites randalli (ResearchGate) and Paracalyptrophora spiralis (GBIF), and a sponge Cinachyrella anatriaenilla (GBIF).

Plants known only from American Samoa include Psychotria garberiana (Higher Plants and Ferns of National Park of AS WM) (iNaturalist), Cyrtandra geminata (Rare Plants of American Samoa WM), Elatostema tutuilense (Rare Plants of American Samoa WM) (GBIF), Elatostema scabriusculum (JSTOR), Morinda mayorii (JSTOR), Melicope richii (Rare Plants of American Samoa WM) (GBIF), Syzygium subimbricatum (ASU), Hoya spencii (BHL), Hoya whistlerii (BHL), Hoya tiatuilaensis (BHL), Hoya tauensis (POWO) (p. 131 of issuu pdf), Hoya ofuensis (BHL), Hoya olosegaensis (BHL), and the orchids Liparis alavensis (Rare Plants of American Samoa WM) (JSTOR) and Taeniophyllum whistleri (Rare Plants of American Samoa WM) (GBIF).

Fungi known only from American Samoa include Cookeina cremeirosea (ascomycete.org), Moniliophthora aurantiaca (Semantic Scholar), Inocybe tauensis (Semantic Scholar), Hebeloma ifeleletorum (USU pdf), and Russula pallidirosea (GBIF). Endemic non-vascular plants include a moss Spiridens capilliferus (Univ. Michigan). Dissimularia tauensis (BOLD) is an endemic red algae.