Cook Islands

Birds that are found only in the Cook Islands include the Rarotonga Fruit Dove (CI Biodiversity WM) (eBird), the Mangaia Kingfisher (ARKive WM) (eBird), the Atiu Swiftlet (eBird) (CIBED WM), the Rarotonga Monarch (iNaturalist) (ARKive WM), the Rarotonga Starling (eBird), the Cook Reed Warbler (ARKive WM) (eBird), and the extinct Mysterious Starling (CI Biodiversity WM).

The Rarotonga Tree Skink Emoia tuitarere (iNaturalist) (Zootaxa pdf) is an endemic lizard.

Two marine fish represent genera unique to the Cook Islands: the Cook Islands Flashlightfish Protoblepharon rosenblatti (CI Biodiversity WM) (BHL) and Powell’s False Moray Powellichthys ventriosus (GBIF) (CIBED WM).

Arthropods known exclusively from the Cook Islands include the Rarotonga Giant Weevil Rhyncogonus lineatus (CI Biodiversity WM) (iNaturalist), another weevil Proterhinus tauai (GBIF), a planthopper Atylana rarotongae (CI Biodiversity WM), a plant bug Campylomma cookensis (Discover Life), a seed bug Tomocoris cookensis (GBIF), the Rarotonga Spittlebug Lallemandana rarotongae (iNaturalist) (CIBED WM), the Cook Islands Fruitfly Bactrocera melanotus (CIBED WM) (GBIF), another fruit fly Drosophila rarotongae (figs. 13-20 at Australian Museum pdf), the Rarotonga Rata-Psyllid Trioza zimmermani (CI Biodiversity WM), the desid spiders Paratheuma andromeda (BHL) and Paratheuma ramseyae (BHL), a cribellate orb weaver Tangaroa vaka (ResearchGate), and a jumping spider Avaruarachne satchelli (CIBED WM).

Endemic landsnails (a list is at Wikipedia) include the Rarotonga Partula Partula assimilis (CI Biodiversity WM), Libera fratercula (CI Biodiversity WM), Lamprocystis venosa (CI Biodiversity WM), the Te Kou Landsnail Tekoulina pricei (CIBED WM), Atropis rarotongana and Nesopupa rarotonga (Te Papa), Microcystis buckorum (CIBED WM) (HathiTrust), Sinployea peasei (CI Biodiversity WM), and Sinployea atiensis (CI Biodiversity WM). The Cook Island Brittlestar Asterostegus maini (CI Biodiversity WM) is a marine endemic.

Among 32 endemic species of vascular plants are the Rarotonga Ground-Orchid (CI Biodiversity WM) (iNaturalist), the Mitiaro Daisy (CI Biodiversity WM), the Cook Islands Myrsine (CI Biodiversity WM), the Te Manga Cyrtandra (IUCN), the Rarotonga Peperomia (CI Biodiversity WM), the Rarotonga Sclerotheca (CI Biodiversity WM), the Makatea Geniostoma (CI Biodiversity WM), the Cook Islands Myoporum (CI Biodiversity WM), the Rarotonga Haloragis (CI Biodiversity WM), the Rarotonga Psychotria (CI Biodiversity WM), the Rarotonga Coprosma (IUCN) (iNaturalist), the Rarotonga Garnotia-Grass (IUCN), the Rough Tree-fern (CI Biodiversity WM), the Cook Islands Oak-leaf Fern (CIBED WM), the Cloud Grass-fern (CI Biodiversity WM) (iNaturalist), and Lepidium makateanum (p. 15 of NZBS pdf).

Endemic trees include the Mitiaro Fan-Palm (PACSOA WM), the Cook Islands Homalium (CI Biodiversity WM), the Rarotonga Fitchia (CI Biodiversity WM), the Cook Islands Pittosporum (CI Biodiversity WM), the Rarotonga Meryta (iNaturalist), and the Ngaputoru Pandanus (CI Biodiversity).

Endemic lichens include Canoparmelia rarotongensis (CI Biodiversity WM), Pertusaria rarotongensis (ResearchGate), and Buellia rarotongensis (ResearchGate). Endemic non-vascular plants include a liverwort Schistochila cheesemanii (iNaturalist) and the mosses Spiridens flagellosus (flickr) (iNaturalist) and Moenkemeyera rarotongae (BHL).

Included in the Polynesia-Micronesia biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots WM), the Cook Islands comprise the Cook Islands Tropical Moist Forests ecoregion (EoE) and part of the Central Polynesian Tropical Moist Forests ecoregion (EoE). The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan can be found at (CBD pdf). For lists of endemic species of plants and animals see (p. 34 of CBD pdf).