Marshall Islands Biodiversity CHM

Endemic - "native of, but confined to, a definite geographic area, such as a single island of part of an island".
For the purpose of this listing, endemic refers to plants and animals native to the islands and atolls of Micronesia, (Caroline Islands, Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, the Mariana Islands, Kiribati and Nauru). A few that are Marshalls and limited nearby Polynesian or other island groups are also included. Endemicism is often hard to establish and upon further research, some of the species/subspecies listed below may prove to have a wider range. However, further research may also yield further endemics.

PLANTS

Class Hepaticae (liverworts)

Scientific name: Cololejeunea kapingaensis
Common name: liverwort
Range: Southern Marshalls, Carolines

Scientific name: Lejenea aloboidea
Common name: liverwort
Range: Southern Marshalls, Carolines

Scientific name: Lejenea clavata
Common name: liverwort
Range: Southern Marshalls, Carolines

Family Poaceae (grasses)

Scientific name: Lepturopetium marshallense
Common name: grass
Range: Enewetak, Kwajelein, Rota

Family Liliaceae (lilies)

Scientific name: Crinum bakeri
Common name: false spider lily
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati, some isolated Caroline atolls (figured to be of prehistoric horticultural origin)

ANIMALS

CNIDARIANS

Family Stylasteridae

Scientific name: Distichopora sp.
Common name: lace coral (violet with white tips)
Range: Micronesia

Family Gorgonia?

Scientific name: Acabaria sp.
Common name: sea fan
Range: Micronesia

Sea anemones, etc.

Scientific name: cf. Condylactis sp.
Common name: sea anemone in coral rubble
Range: Micronesia

Scientific name: Protopalythoa sp.
Common name: zoanthid
Range: Micronesia

Scientific name: Discosoma sp.
Common name: corallimorpharia
Range: Micronesia

MOLLUSKS

Order Mesogastropoda

Family Assimineidae

Scientific name: Paludinella semperi
Common name: operculate freshwater snail
Range: Marshalls, Palau

Family Strombidae

Scientific name: Strombus taurus
Common name: bull conch
Range: Marshalls, Marianas

Family Pupinidae

Scientific name: Pupina complanata
Common name: pupina
Range: Marshalls, Federated States of Micronesia

ARTHROPODS

ARACHNIDA

Order Pseudoscorpionida

Scientific name: Lechytia sakagamii
Common name: pseudoscorpion
Range: Marshalls, Caroline Atolls, Marcus

Scientific name: Nesidiochernes maculatus
Common name: pseudoscorpion
Range: Marshalls, Kosrae

Scientific name: Oratemnus samoanus whartoni
Common name: pseudoscorpion
Range: Enewetak, Western Carolines, Okinawa

Order Opiliones (harvestmen)

Scientific name: Zalmoxis soliataria
Common name: harvestman
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei

INSECTS

Order Embioptera (web spinners)

Scientific name: Oligotoma (Apothonia) micronesiae
Common name: web spinner
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati, Marianas

Order Psocoptera (book lice)

Scientific name: Entopsocus villosus
Common name: book louse
Range: Marshalls, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae

Scientific name: Heterocaecilius campanula
Common name: book louse
Range: Marshalls, Caroline Atolls, Pohnpei, Kiribati

Order Heteroptera (true bugs)

Scientific name: Chiastoplonia pygmaea
Common name: pygmy flat bug
Range: Marshalls, Carolines, Samoa

Scientific name: Nysius picipes
Common name: chinch bug
Range: Marshalls, Wake, Kiribati

Scientific name: Campylomma marshallensis
Common name: plant bugs
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati

Order Homoptera (hoppers, aphids, scales, etc.)

Family Cixidae - FAMILY ENDEMIC TO CENTRAL EASTERN CAROLINES AND MARSHALLS

Scientific name: Myndus apicalis
Common name: cixid insect
Range: Marshalls, Caroline Atolls, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae

Scientific name: Myndus praecanus
Common name: cixid insect
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei, Kosrae

Family Delphacidae

Scientific name: Ugyops superciliata
Common name: delphacid insect
Range: Marshalls, Caroline Atolls

Family Derbidae

Scientific name: Flaccia dione
Common name: derbid insect
Range: Marshalls, Caroline Atolls, Kosrae

Family Diaspididae

Scientific name: Furcapsis oceanica
Common name: coconut red scale
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Family Pseudococcidae

Scientific name: Pseudococcus marshallensis
Common name: Marshall's mealybug
Range: Marshalls, Kosrae

Scientific name: Pseudococcus microadonidum
Common name: mealybug
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati, Chuuk, Pohnpei

Order Coleoptera (beetles)

Family Anthicidae

Scientific name: Anthicus insularis
Common name: anthicid beetle
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Scientific name: Anthicus vexator
Common name: anthicid beetle
Range: Marshalls, Carolines, Kiribati, Phoenix, Hawaii

Family Cerambycidae (longhorn beetles)

Scientific name: Parmeopedus minimus
Common name: longhorn beetle
Range: Marshalls, Caroline Atolls, Chuuk, Pohnpei

Scientific name: Prosoplus atlanticus atlanticus
Common name: longhorn beetle
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei

Scientific name: Prosoplus xyalopus
Common name: longhorn beetle
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati, Yap, Caroline Atolls

Family Chrisomelidae

Scientific name: Brontispa chalybeipennis
Common name: Pohnpei coconut leaf beetle
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei, Kosrae (introduced into Hawaii)

Family Coccinellidae (ladybird beetles)

Scientific name: Scymnus uncinus
Common name: ladybird beetle
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati

Family Curculionidae (weevils)

Scientific name: Trigonops hirsuta
Common name: weevil
Range: Marshalls, Guam

Family Oedemeridae

Scientific name: Eobia new sp.
Common name: oedemid beetle
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati "

Family Propalticidae

Scientific name: Propalticus insularis
Common name: propalticid beetle
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Family Scolytidae (bark beetles)

Scientific name: Cryphalomophus nubilus
Common name: bark beetle
Range: Marshalls, Kosrae, Caroline Atolls

Family Tenebrionidae (darkling ground beetles)

Scientific name: Uloma lariversi
Common name: darkling ground beetle
Range: Marshalls, Kosrae

Order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies)

Family Noctuidae

Scientific name: Nagia hieratica
Common name: cutworm
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati, Yap, Pohnpei

Order Diptera (flies, gnats, midges, etc.)

Family Canaceidae - FAMILY ENDEMIC TO MICRONESIA

Scientific name: Procanace townesi
Common name: canaceid
Range: Marshalls, Kosrae

Family Ceratopogonidae (biting midges, sand flies, no-see-ums)

Scientific name: Dasyhelea flavibasalis
Common name: sand fly/no-see-um
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei?

Scientific name: Dasyhelea pallivitta
Common name: sand fly/no-see-um
Range: Marshalls, Kosrae

Family Chironomidae

Scientific name: Smittia yapensis
Common name: chironomid
Range: Marshalls, Yap, Chuuk, Caroline Atolls

Family Culicidae (mosquitos)

Scientific name: Aedes marshallensis
Common name: tree-hole mosquito
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati, Caroline Atolls, Kosrae

Family Dropsophilidae (vinegar flies)

Scientific name: Microdrosophila errator
Common name: vinegar fly
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei, Kosrae

Family Neiidae - FAMILY ENDEMIC TO MICRONESIA

Scientific name: Telostlinus longicoxa
Common name: neiid
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Family Platystomatidae

Scientific name: Scholastes carolinensis
Common name: platystomatid
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei

Family Scatopsidae

Scientific name: Hologlagis guamensis
Common name: scatopsid
Range: Marshalls, Guam, Carolines, Hawaii

Family Stratiomyidae (aquatic soldier flies)

Scientific name: Cephlochrysa rugulosa
Common name: aquatic soldier fly
Range: Marshalls, Pohnpei, Kosrae

Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

Family Cynipidae (gall wasps)

Scientific name: Pseudeucoila gressitti
Common name: gall wasp
Range: Marshalls, Chuuk

Family Eucharidae - FAMILY ENDEMIC TO MICRONESIA

Scientific name: Parachalcura maculata
Common name: eucharid
Range: Marshalls, Caroline Atolls

Family Eulophidae

Scientific name: Hemiptarsenus carolinsis
Common name: eulophid
Range: Marshalls, Kiribati, Yap, Caroline Atolls

Scientific name: Echromomorpha agrostoria subsp.
Common name: eulophid
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Scientific name: Echromomorpha agrostoria subsp.
Common name: eulophid
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Scientific name: Echromomorpha agrostoria subsp.
Common name: eulophid
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Scientific name: Eulophidae sp.
Common name: eulophid
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

Scientific name: Eulophidae sp.
Common name: eulophid
Range: Marshalls, Micronesia

ECHINODERMS

Family Crinoidea (crinoids, feather stars)

Scientific name: Liparometra regalis
Common name: crinoid
Range: Marshalls, Tonga

FISHES

Family Muraenidae (morays)

Scientific name: Gymnothorax marshallensis
Common name: Marshall Islands moray
Range: Marshalls, Carolines, Marianas

Family Ophichthidae (snake eels)

Scientific name: Mauaenichthys sibogae
Common name: snake eel
Range: Arno, Timor, Samoa

Family Gobiesocidae (clingfishes)

Scientific name: Liobranchio stria
Common name: minute clingfish
Range: Marshalls, Marianas

Family Cirrhitidae (hawkfishes)

Scientific name: Isocirrhites sexfasciatus
Common name: six-banded hawkfish
Range: Marshalls, Tuamotus

Family Chaetodonidae (butterflyfishes)

Scientific name: Chaetodon tinkeri
Common name: Tinker's butterflyfish
Range: Marshalls, Johnston, Hawaii

Family Pomacanthidae (angelfishes)

Scientific name: Centropyge multicolor
Common name: multicolor angelfish
Range: Marshalls, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Society, Hawaii

Family Pomacentridae (damselfishes)

Scientific name: Chrysiptera traceyi
Common name: Tracy's demoiselle
Range: Marshalls, other major Micronesian island groups

Scientific name: Pomochromis exilis
Common name: slender reef-damsel
Range: Enewetak, Chuuk

Family Labridae (wrasses)

Scientific name: Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus
Common name: yellowband wrasse
Range: Enewetak, Kwajelein, Pohnpei

Scientific name: Cirrhilabrus new sp.
Common name: wrasse
Range: Marshalls, Chuuk (others?)

Scientific name: Labropsis micronesica
Common name: Micronesian wrasse
Range: Marshalls, Carolines, Marianas

Family Tripterygiidae (triplefins)

Scientific name: Enneaptergius nanus
Common name: pygmy triplefin
Range: Marshalls, Marianas

Family Blenniidae (blennies)

Scientific name: Rhabdoblennius rhabdotrachelus
Common name: blenny
Range: Marshalls, Carolines, Marianas, Marquesa, Ducie

Family Gobiidae (gobies)

Scientific name: Fusigobius signipinnis
Common name: signal goby
Range: Marshalls (?), Guam, Ryukyus

Scientific name: Oplopomops diacanthus
Common name: hole goby
Range: Marshalls, Kapingamarangi (?), Phoenix Island

Family Kraemeriidae (sand darts)

Scientific name: Kraemeria bryani
Common name: Bryan's sand dart
Range: Marshalls, Hawaii, Societies

Family Soleidae (soles)

Scientific name: Aseraggodes whitakeri
Common name: Whitaker's sole
Range: Rongerik, Societies

REPTILES

Family Scincidae (skinks)

Scientific name: Emoia arnoensis
Common name: Arno skink
Range: Marshalls, Carolines, Nauru

Scientific name: Emoia boettgeri
Common name: Boettger's skink
Range: Marshalls, Carolines

BIRDS

Family Columbidae (pigeons and doves)

Scientific name: Ducula oceanica
Common name: Micronesian Pigeon x
Range: Marshalls, Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Kiribati
Ducula oceanica ©photo by Beth Flint, provided by Michael N Trevor

Ducula oceanica ©photo by Beth Flint, provided by Michael N Trevor

Scientific name: Ducula oceanica oceanica
Common name: oceanic Micronesian Pigeon
Range: Ailinglaplap, Namdrik, Jaluit, Kosrae

Scientific name: Ptilinopus porphyraceus hemsheimi
Common name: purple-capped fruit-dove
Range: Ebon, Kosrae; EXTIRPATED ON EBON

MAMMALS

Scientific name: Monochus schauinslandi
Common name: Hawaiian monk seal
Range: Hawaii (seems to occasionally wander to Marshalls)

REFERENCES

National Biodiversity Team of the RMI, 2000. The Marshall Islands - Living Atols Amidst the Living Sea/ The National Biodiversity Report of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. © RMI Biodiversity Project. ISBN 982-9045-02-1, St. Hildegard Publishing Company, Santa Clarita, CA, USA.

Abbott, R. Tucker and S. Peter Dance 1990. Compendium of Seashells. American Malacologists, Inc. Melbourne, Florida

Baker, Rollin H. 1951. The Avifauna of Micronesia, Its Origin, Evolution, and Distribution. University of Kansas Publications, Lawrence, Kansas

Brown, Walter C. 1991. Lizards of the Genus Emoia (Scincidae) with Observations of Their Evolution and Biogeography

Eldredge, Lucius Q. 1990. Annotated Checklist of Marine Mammals of Micronesia. Micronesica, Vol. 24 (2), pp. 217-230

Fosberg, F. R., Marie-Helene Sachet and Royce Oliver 1987. A Geographical Checklist of the Micronesian Monocotyledonae. Micronesica, Vol. 20 (1-2), pp. 19-129

Gosliner, Terrance M., David W. Behrens, and Gary C. Williams 1996. Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific. Sea Challengers, Montery, California

Kay, E. Alison and Scott Johnson 1987. Mollusca of Enewetak Atoll, pp. 105-146. in Devaney, Dennis M., Ernst S. Reese, Beatrice L. Burch, and Philip Helfrich (eds.). The Natural History of Enewetak Atoll, Vol. II, Biogeography and Systematics. United States Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.

Lieske, Ewald and Robert Myers. Coral Reef Fishes. HarperCollins Publishers, London, England

Miller, Harvey Alfred 1968b. Hepaticae from Truk, Caroline Islands. Micronesica, Vol. 4 (2), pp. 239-254

Myers, Robert F. 1989. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics, Barridgada, Guam

Pratt, H. Douglas, Phillip L. Bruner and Delwyn G. Berrett 1987. The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey

Randall, John E. 1988. Five New Wrasses of the Genera Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilus (Perciformes: Labridae) from the Marshall Islands. Micronesica, Vol. 21 (1-2), pp. 199-226

Roth, Alex Jr. 1990. Mollusks of the Southern Marianas Islands. Aljemasu Enterprises, Tamuning, Guam

Rutherford, Joan, Alele Museum Shell Collection

Samuelson, G. Alien and Gordon M. Nishida 1987. Insects and Allies (Arthropoda) of Enewetak Atoll, pp. 147-178. in Devaney, Dennis M., Ernst S. Reese, Beatrice L. Burch, and Philip Helfrich (eds.). The Natural History of Enewetak Atoll, Vol. II, Biogeography and Systematics. United States Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.

Smith, Barry D. 1992. Working List of the Prosobranch Gastropods of Guam (revised). Marine Laboratory, University of Guam

Usinger, R. L and Ira La Rivers 1953. The Insect Life of Arno. Atoll Reseach Bulletin, No. 15, pp. 1-28

Whistler, Art and Otto Steele, 1999. Botanical Survey of Kwajelein Atoll (USAKA) Islands. Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and The U.S. Army Environmental Center

Zmarzley, D. L. 1984. Distribution and Ecology of Shallow-water Crinoids at Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands, with an Annotated Checklist of Their Symbiots. Pacific Science, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp.105-122

_________ 1987. The Shallow-water Crinoid Fauna of Kwajelein Atoll, Marshall Islands: Ecological Observations, Interatoll Comparisons and Zoogeographic Affinities. Pacific Science, Vol. 39, No. 4

What's new

Endemic Species and Subspecies of the Marshalls and Micronesia