Timor

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 (EoE), the Lesser Sunda Islands freshwater ecoregion (FEOW WM), the Sunda Islands coral reef hotspot (Columbia Univ. WM pdf), and the Wallacea biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots WM).

Birds unique to Timor include the Timor Green-pigeon (eBird), the Flame-eared Honeyeater (eBird), the Streak-breasted Honeyeater (eBird), the Black-breasted Myzomela (eBird), the Timor Friarbird (eBird), the Timor Figbird (eBird), the Timor Oriole (eBird), the White-bellied Bushchat (eBird), the Black-banded Flycatcher (eBird), the Spot-breasted White-eye (eBird), the Timor Flowerpecker (Markus Lagerqvist) (eBird), and the Timor Sparrow (eBird). The Timor Boobook (eBird) is sometimes considered a distinct species. The Mount Mutis Parrotfinch (Birdpacker WM) (eBird) has not yet been formally described. The Buff-banded Bushbird (eBird) is sometimes placed in the endemic genus Buettikoferella.

Mammals found nowhere else include the Timorese Horseshoe Bat (PLAZI) (Internet Archive), the Timor Leaf-nosed Bat (GBIF) (BHL), the Timor White-toothed Shrew (GBIF) (IUCN), and the Timor Forest Rat (BHL). The Timor Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus timoriensis (Australian Museum pdf) (GBIF) is likely also endemic. The recently extinct Buehler’s Giant Rat (IUCN) (ResearchGate) represented an endemic genus and was the largest rat known.

Reptiles restricted to Timor include the Timor Monitor (iNaturalist), the Timor Rainbow Skink (iNaturalist), another skink Carlia spinauris (fig. 4 at Internet Archive), Schlegel's Snake-eyed Skink (iNaturalist), the bent-toed geckos Cyrtodactylus celatus (Species New to Science) (ResearchGate) and Cyrtodactylus santana (ZooKeys), the skinks Eremiascincus antoniorum (Reptile Database) and Eremiascincus timorensis (p. 4 of ResearchGate), and the Timor Ground Snake (ResearchGate). The Timor Longneck Turtle Chelodina timorensis (CRF WM pdf) is often considered a subspecies of Chelodina mccordi. Accounts of a number of undescribed endemic reptile species can be found at (ZooKeys).

The Timor River Frog Limnonectes timorensis (Mark O'Shea) (iNaturalist) is an endemic amphibian. A likely undescribed species of Kaloula (p. 10 of Mark O'Shea pdf) has also been discovered.

Freshwater fish exclusive to Timor include the Timor Ricefish Oryzias timorensis (FishBase) and a hardyhead Craterocephalus laisapi (aqua WM). Marine fish known only from specimens collected off Timor include the Kupang Pony Fish Eubleekeria (or Leiognathus) kupanensis (ResearchGate), Santana's Dwarf Goby Eviota santanai (GBIF), a sole Aseraggodes texturatus (BHL), and the Redanal Triplefin Helcogramma atauroensis (ResearchGate).

Butterflies known solely from Timor include the Silver Birdwing Troides plato (iNaturalist), the Timor Yellow Tiger Parantica timorica (fig. 4 at BHL), Delias lemoulti and Delias eileenae (both at ResearchGate), Cepora laeta (iNaturalist), Charaxes marki (BHL), Phaedyma mimetica (figs 3-4 at Google Books), Rapala christopheri (iNaturalist) (BHL), and Vanessa dilecta (fig. h at Internet Archive) (iNaturalist). Endemic moths include Antheraea lorosae (BHL), Utetheisa timorensis (fig. 39 at ResearchGate), Nemophora timorella (fig. 2 at Zootaxa pdf), and Kamalia timorensis (iNaturalist).

Other endemic insects include the damselflies Nososticta impercepta (iNaturalist) and Indolestes lafaeci (iNaturalist) and Pseudagrion schmidtianum (ResearchGate), a pygmy grasshopper Timoritettix platynotus (iNaturalist), a mantis Rhombodera kirbyi (iNaturalist), the longhorn beetles Nemophas batoceroides (iNaturalist) and Acalolepta timorensis (iNaturalist) and Rhaphuma timorica (fig. 12a at S&R pdf), the leaf beetles Trichochrysea igneipennis (iNaturalist) and Apophylia (or Malaxia) dilaticornis (Harvard), a rhinoceros beetle Oryctes heros (zin.ru pdf), the jewel beetles Lampetis timoriensis (iNaturalist) and Chrysodema jakli (GBIF), a pumpkin beetle Aulacophora wallacii (GBIF), a diving beetle Necterosoma timorense (ResearchGate), a death-watch beetle Trichodesma timorensis (ResearchGate), a weevil Sundaxena timorensis (GBIF), a potter wasp Coeleumenes timorensis (p. 20 of Zootaxa pdf), a bee Gnathonomia timor (Atlas Hymenoptera WM), the ants Tetramorium rekhefe (GBIF) and Strumigenys berkalial (GBIF), a cicada Cryptotympana timorica (iNaturalist), a soapberry bug Leptocoris minusculus (Soapberry Bugs of the World WM), and a stick insect Nesiophasma sobesonbaii (ResearchGate) (Mongabay).

Endemic land snails include Amphidromus reflexilabris (b-cabinet), Amphidromus chrisabbasi (BHL), Phaedusa ramelauensis (figs. F & G at ResearchGate), Parachloritis afranio (figs. B & C at ResearchGate), and Apoecus ramelauensis (WoRMS). Two families of nemertean worms have been described based exclusively on specimens collected off Timor: the Drepanobandidae consisting of Drepanobanda trilineata (WoRMS) (GBIF) and Siboganemertidae consisting of Siboganemertes weberi (BHL) (GBIF).

Among about 150 vascular plant species confined to Timor are the Timor Black Bamboo Bambusa lako (Wikipedia), Dicksonia timorense (ResearchGate), a palm Calamus timorensis (p. 7 of Jurnal Pro-Life WM pdf), Begonia stilpnophylla (ResearchGate), Callicarpa laciniata (GBIF), Argyreia paiva (ResearchGate), Strobilanthes hirsuta (GBIF), Vernonia lamii (GBIF), Freycinetia timorensis (BHL), Glochidion pubescens (MNHN), Dracaena timorensis (POWO), and several orchids: Thelymitra forbesii (iNaturalist), Diuris fryana (IOSPE), Aerides timorana (Orchid Roots), Habenaria ankylocentron (p. 8 of Univ. Wien WM pdf), Habenaria cauda-porcelli (p. 9 of Univ. Wien WM pdf), and Pterostylis timorensis (p. 15 of Univ. Wien WM pdf). Sautiera (JSTOR) (fig. D at ResearchGate) is sometimes recognized as an endemic genus distinct from Dyschoriste.

Trees known only from Timor include Eucalyptus orophila (Don Franklin), Grewia salutaris (GBIF), Mammea timorensis (iNaturalist), and Glochidion timorense (GBIF).

Non-vascular plants known only from Timor include a liverwort Lepidozia newtonii (CJBG) (BHL).