CHAGOS (British Indian Ocean Territory)

The Chagos Islands (formerly known as the British Indian Ocean Territory) comprises the islands of the Chagos Archipelago and recently the United Kingdom has ceded sovereignty to Mauritius. It is part of the Maldives-Lakshadweep-Chagos Archipelago Tropical Moist Forests ecoregion (EoE) and part of the Northern Indian Ocean coral reef hotspot (Columbia Univ. WM pdf). An overview of the natural history of the territory is provided at (JNCC WM pdf).

Marine fish unique to the Chagos include the Chagos Dottyback Chlidichthys chagosensis (FishBase), the Rosyscaled Fairy Wrasse Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis (ZooKeys), the Small Sandlance Ammodytoides praematura (FishBase), a wormfish Paragunnellichthys fehlmani (BHL), and a deep sea anglerfish Sladenia gardineri (BHL) (IUCN).

Endemic insects include the St. Valentine's Day Moth Stictoptera hironsi (PPDRDG), the grass moths Sufetula chagosalis (fig. 6 at BHL) and Lamprosema salomonalis (fig. 10 at BHL) and Lamprosema chagosalis (fig. 9 at BHL), a subspecies of the Meadow Argus Butterfly Junonia villida chagosensis (BHL) (iNaturalist), a cricket Scottiola chagosensis (fig. 10 at Internet Archive) (OSF), and a chalcid wasp Stibula insularis (BHL). The insects of Diego Garcia are described at (Smithsonian pdf).

Isopod crustaceans described from the Chagos include Eurydice humilis (fig. A at BHL), Apanthura xenocheir (fig. B at BHL), and Gigantione rathbunae (fig. A at BHL). Endemic amphipod crustaceans include Elasmopus atollicus (GBIF), Quadrimaera frater (GBIF), and Latigammaropsis salomanensis (ResearchGate). Other crustaceans described from the Chagos include a crab Neolioxantho latifrons (figs. 1-2 at BHL) and a copepod Raptolaophonte ardua (Taylor & Francis pdf). Marine molluscs known only from the British Indian Ocean Territory include Nymph’s Cowrie Erronea nymphae (Eddie Hardy) and the margin shells Prunum chagosi (MNHN) (BHL) and Marginella henrikasi (Eddie Hardy). The Chagos Brain Coral Ctenella chagius (CHiP) is a near endemic.

Endemic marine algae include Struveopsis chagoensis (BHL) (GBIF).