Aldabra is the world's second-largest coral atoll, lying south-east of the continent of Africa. It is part of the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles, with a distance of 1,120 km (700 mi) southwest of the capital, Victoria on Mahé Island.
The Aldabra giant tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is endemic to the Seychelles, with the nominate subspecies, A. g. gigantea native to Aldabra atoll. It is one of the largest tortoises in the world. Historically, giant tortoises were found on many of the western Indian Ocean islands, as well as Madagascar, and the fossil record indicates giant tortoises once occurred on every continent and many islands with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. Many of the Indian Ocean species were thought to be driven to extinction by over-exploitation by European sailors, and they were all seemingly extinct by 1840 with the exception of the Aldabran giant tortoise on the island atoll of Aldabra. Although some remnant individuals of A. g. hololissa and A. g. arnoldi may remain in captivity, in recent times, these have all been reduced as subspecies of A. gigantea.
This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the world's various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.
Erythroxylum (Erythroxylon) is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Erythroxylaceae. Many of the approximately 200 species contain the substance cocaine, and two of the species within this genus, Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novogranatense, both native to South America, are the main commercial source of cocaine and of the mild stimulant coca tea. Another species, Erythroxylum vaccinifolium is used as an aphrodisiac in Brazilian drinks and herbal medicine.
Cassia aldabrensis is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae endemic to Assumption and Aldabra near the Seychelles. It is threatened by habitat destruction.
The Malagasy coucal or Madagascar coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Madagascar and in the Seychelles, where it occurs on Aldabra and was formerly present on Assumption Island and Cosmoledo. Its natural habitats are dense vegetation in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, mangrove forests, rough grassland, marshes and reedbeds.
The Comoros blue pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Comoros and the coralline Seychelles. It is rated as a species of near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species.
The white-throated rail or Cuvier's rail, is a species of bird in the family Rallidae.
The Aldabra flying fox is a species of megabat in the genus Pteropus. It is endemic to the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, like Chaerephon pusilla, though the latter may be the same species as the little free-tailed bat.
Erythroxylum sechellarum is a species of plant in the Erythroxylaceae family. It is endemic to Seychelles.
Malleastrum depauperatum is a species of plant in the family Meliaceae. It is endemic to Comoros and Aldabra in the Seychelles. It is also known by the synonym Malleastrum leroyi.
Thecacoris trichogyne, synonym Thecacoris annobonae, is a species of plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is found in west-central and south tropical Africa. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in wet tropical habitats.
The Wildlife of Seychelles comprises the flora and fauna of the Seychelles islands off the eastern coast of Africa in the western Indian Ocean.
Sclerodactylon is a genus of plants in the grass family, native to eastern Africa and to various islands in the Indian Ocean.
Ludia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Salicaceae.
Rhododendron selense (多变杜鹃) is a rhododendron species native to southwestern Sichuan, eastern Xizang, and western Yunnan in China, where it grows at altitudes of 2,700–4,000 m (8,900–13,100 ft). It is an evergreen shrub that grows to 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) in height, with leaves that are oblong-elliptic or obovate to elliptic, 4–8 by 2–4 cm in size. The flowers are pink.
Antidesma montanum is a species of tree in the family Phyllanthaceae, native to Southeast Asia, from India to the Philippines. It can grow up to 10 m (33 ft). The fruits are edible. Four varieties have been accepted, each of which has multiple synonyms, which include Antidesma obliquinervium for A. montanum var. montanum.
Tabernaemontana coffeoides is a species of flowering plant in the Apocynaceae family. It grows as a shrub or small tree up to 10 metres (33 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 20 centimetres (8 in). Its fragrant flowers feature white corolla lobes. Its habitat is on dunes or on rocks in dry forest, bush or savanna from sea level to 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) altitude. Local medicinal uses include for weight loss and to combat fatigue. Tabernaemontana coffeoides is native to Seychelles, the Comoros and Madagascar. It is also rich in pharmacologically interesting indole alkaloids.
Bridelia ovata is a species of flowering plant in the family Phyllanthaceae, native from Indo-China to west Malesia. It was first described by Joseph Decaisne in 1834.
Anodendron parviflorum is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to tropical Asia. It was first described by William Roxburgh in 1832 as Echites parviflorus.
