Heard Island and McDonald Islands

The Heard Island Shag Phalacrocorax nivalis (NIPR WM) (eBird) is sometimes considered a full species while other authorities consider it to be a subspecies of the Imperial Shag Phalacrocorax atriceps. The Heard Island Sheathbill Chionis minor nasicornis (flickr) (eBird) is an endemic subspecies of the Black-faced Sheathbill.

Invertebrates known only from Heard Island include a bird louse Austrogoniodes bicornutus (figs. 8-9 at Phthiraptera pdf) (GBIF), a rotifer Encentrum heardensis (p. 6 of Univ. Tasmania pdf), a marine isopod Limnoria carptora (p. 3 of Museums Victoria pdf), a marine amphipod crustacean Stegocephalina wolf (BHL), a tardigrade Hypsibius heardensis (PLAZI), an octocoral Imbricacis foliata (fig. 26A at MDPI), and a subspecies of land snail Notodiscus hookeri heardensis (Internet Archive). Undescribed species of sea cucumbers, brittle stars, and a starfish have been recently discovered (pp. 194-196 of heardisland.aq WM pdf). For an overview of marine benthic invertebrates see (heardlisland.aq WM pdf).

There are no endemic vascular plant species. Lichens known only from Heard Island include Ephelidium heardense (GBIF), Pannaria xanthorioides and Fellhaneropsis subantarctica (both at ScienceDirect), Gyalideopsis heardense (p. 4 of Lutzoni Lab pdf), and Collemopsidium heardense (p. 16 of ANBG pdf).

Heard Island and McDonald Islands are a territory of Australia and are protected as a marine reserve. Heard Island and McDonald Islands are part of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands Tundra ecoregion (EoE). For more information on the flora and fauna of this territory see (AMCS pdf) and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve Management Plan (heardisland.aq WM pdf).