List of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha animals extinct in the Holocene

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Location of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in United Kingdom.svg
Location of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean.
The Saint Helena hoopoe (Upupa antaios) became extinct soon after the island was discovered in 1502. Upupa antaios.JPG
The Saint Helena hoopoe (Upupa antaios) became extinct soon after the island was discovered in 1502.

This is a list of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha animals extinct in the Holocene that covers extinctions from the Holocene epoch, a geologic epoch that began about 11,650 years before present (about 9700 BCE) [lower-alpha 1] and continues to the present day. [1]

Contents

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha is a British Overseas Territory located in the South Atlantic. The territory consists of Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and the archipelago of Tristan da Cunha (including Gough Island), all of volcanic origin.

Numerous animal species have disappeared from Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha as part of the ongoing Holocene extinction, driven by human activity.

Birds (class Aves)

Cuckoos (order Cuculiformes)

Cuckoos (family Cuculidae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeComments
Saint Helena cuckoo Nannococcyx psixSaint HelenaMost recent remains dated to around 1640. [2] It likely became extinct when the island was deforested. Since the Saint Helena cuckoo was unusually small for a cuckoo, it likely parasited a small forest passerine species that is also extinct now. [3]

Pigeons and doves (order Columbiformes)

Pigeons and doves (family Columbidae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeComments
Saint Helena dove Dysmoropelia dekarchiskosSaint HelenaDescribed from Middle Pleistocene remains, but speculated to have survived until settlement due a 1584 mention of doves in the island. It was the fourth largest pigeon ever (after the dodo, Rodrigues solitaire, and Viti Levu giant pigeon) and likely flightless, which would have made it easy prey of humans or introduced mammals. [3]

Rails and cranes (order Gruiformes)

Rails (family Rallidae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeCommentsPictures
Saint Helena rail Aphanocrex podarcesSaint HelenaMost recent remains dated to around 1640. [2] Saint Helena rail skull.png
Tristan moorhen Gallinula nesiotisTristan da CunhaLast recorded in 1873. Became extinct due to hunting, predation by introduced rats, cats, and pigs, and habitat destruction by fire. [4] GallinulaNesiotusJury.jpg
Ascension crake Mundia elpenorAscension IslandLast recorded in 1656. It probably became extinct after the introduction of rats in the 18th century, or cats in 1815. [5] Ascension crake.svg
Saint Helena crake Zapornia astrictocarpusSaint HelenaMost recent remains dated to around 1640. [2]

Shorebirds (order Charadriiformes)

Gulls, terns, and skimmers (family Laridae)

Locally extinct
Common nameScientific nameRangeCommentsPictures
Kelp gull Larus dominicanus Southern Hemisphere coastsPresent in Saint Helena before c. 1640. It is unknown if it bred on the island. [2] Cape Gull RWD.jpg

Albatrosses and petrels (order Procellariiformes)

Petrels and shearwaters (family Procellariidae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeComments
Olson's petrel Bulweria bifaxSaint HelenaMost recent remains at Sandy Bay dated to around 1640. It was replaced afterwards by Bulwer's petrel. [2]
Saint Helena petrel Pseudobulweria rupinarumSaint HelenaMost recent remains at Prosperous Bay dated to around 1640. The species nested on the ground and was vulnerable to predation by cats and other introduced mammals. [2]
Saint Helena shearwater Puffinus pacificoidesSaint HelenaKnown from fossils dated to around 14,000 years ago, but could have survived until the Holocene and become extinct when the climate ameliorated. [2]

Pelicans, herons, and ibises (order Pelecaniformes)

Herons (family Ardeidae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeComments
Ascension night heron Nycticorax olsoniAscension IslandLikely the "aponar" (an old name for the great auk) mentioned by André Thévet in 1555. It was flightless or a poor flyer and nested on the ground, making it vulnerable to hunting and predation by introduced mammals. [3]

Hornbills and hoopoes (order Bucerotiformes)

Hoopoes (family Upupidae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeCommentsPictures
Saint Helena hoopoe Upupa antaiosSaint HelenaMost recent remains at Prosperous Bay dated to around 1640. It was flightless or a poor flyer, making it easy prey for introduced cats and rats. [2] Upupa antaios.JPG

Insects (class Insecta)

Dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata)

Skimmers, perchers, and relatives (family Libellulidae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeComments
Saint Helena darter Sympetrum dilatatumSaint HelenaLast collected in 1963. The causes of extinction are unknown, but habitat destruction has been suggested. [6]

Earwigs (order Dermaptera)

Striped earwigs (order Labiduridae)

Common nameScientific nameRangeCommentsPictures
Saint Helena earwig Labidura herculeanaSaint HelenaLast collected in 1967. Isolated exoskeleton pieces of individuals that were ingested by birds and spiders were found as late as 2014, but the large size and robustness of the species make it impossible to guess how recent they are. The earwig's habitat has been degraded by construction since it was last seen alive, while invasive predators like rats, mice, spiders, and the centipede Scolopendra morsitans have increased. [7] Labidura herculeana restoration.jpg

Beetles (order Coleoptera)

Ground beetles (family Carabidae)

Scientific nameRangeCommentsPictures
Aplothorax burchelli Saint HelenaLast collected in 1966-1967. [8] Aplothorax burchelli.jpg

Slugs and snails (class Gastropoda)

Order Stylommatophora

Family Achatinidae

Common nameScientific nameRangeCommentsPictures
Chilonopsis blofeldi Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [9]
Chilonopsis exulatus Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [10]
Chilonopsis helena Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [11]
Chilonopsis melanoides Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [12]
Great Saint Helena awl snail Chilonopsis nonpareilSaint HelenaDescribed from subfossil shells in 1875. It probably disappeared due to habitat modification caused by introduced goats, pigs, and rabbits, or predation by rats, mice, and the centipede Scolopendra morsitans. [13] Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.MOL.269633 - Chilonopsis nonpareil (Perry, 1811) - Subulinidae - Mollusc shell.jpeg
Chilonopsis subplicatus Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [14]
Chilonopsis subtruncatus Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [15]
Chilonopsis turtoni Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [16]

Family Charopidae

Scientific nameRangeComments
Helenoconcha leptalea Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [17]
Helenoconcha minutissima Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [18]
Helenoconcha polyodon Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [19]
Helenoconcha pseustes Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [20]
Helenoconcha sexdentata Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [21]
Helenodiscus bilamellata Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [22]
Helenodiscus vernoni Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [23]
Pseudohelenoconcha spurca Saint Helena [24]

Family Pupillidae

Scientific nameRangeComments
Pupilla obliquicosta Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [25]

Whorl snails (family Vertiginidae)

Scientific nameRangeComments
Campolaemus perexilis Saint HelenaLast seen in the 1870s. [26]

Notes

  1. ↑ The source gives "11,700 calendar yr b2k (before CE 2000)". But "BP" means "before CE 1950". Therefore, the Holocene began 11,650 BP. Doing the math, that is c. 9700 BCE.

Related Research Articles

†Chilonopsis exulatus was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.

Chilonopsis helena is an extinct species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.

†Chilonopsis melanoides was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.

Chilonopsis subplicatus was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Achatinidae. This species was endemic to Saint Helena. It is now extinct.

Chilonopsis subtruncatus was a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.

†Helenoconcha leptalea is an extinct species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.

†Helenoconcha polyodon was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.

†Helenoconcha pseustes was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.

†Helenoconcha sexdentata was a species of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Charopidae.

<i>Partula taeniata</i> Species of gastropod

Partula taeniata, common name the Moorean viviparous tree snail, is a species of terrestrial gastropod in the Partulidae family. It is endemic to French Polynesia.

<i>Frankenia portulacifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Frankenia portulacifolia, also called Saint Helena tea or tea plant, is a species of salt-tolerant plant in the Frankeniaceae family. It is endemic to the islands of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Its natural habitats are inhospitable, dry and rocky areas and rocky shores, often on weathered volcanic ash. As its total population has been estimated at only around 3,500 individuals, it is currently classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

References

  1. ↑ Walker, Mike; Johnsen, Sigfus; Rasmussen, Sune Olander; Popp, Trevor; Steffensen, Jorgen-Peder; Gibrard, Phil; Hoek, Wim; Lowe, John; Andrews, John; Bjo Rck, Svante; Cwynar, Les C.; Hughen, Konrad; Kersahw, Peter; Kromer, Bernd; Litt, Thomas; Lowe, David J.; Nakagawa, Takeshi; Newnham, Rewi; Schwander, Jakob (2009). "Formal definition and dating of the GSSP (Global Stratotype Section and Point) for the base of the Holocene using the Greenland NGRIP ice core, and selected auxiliary records" (PDF). Journal of Quaternary Science . 24 (1): 3–17. Bibcode:2009JQS....24....3W. doi: 10.1002/jqs.1227 . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lewis, C. A. (2008). The Late Glacial and Holocene avifauna of the island of St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 63(2), 128-144.
  3. 1 2 3 Hume, J.P. (2017) Extinct Birds. Bloomsbury Publishing, 560 pages.
  4. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Gallinula nesiotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22728763A94995836. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728763A94995836.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  5. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Mundia elpenor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22728746A94995240. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728746A94995240.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Suhling, F. & Martens, A. (2011). "Sympetrum dilatatum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2011: e.T21226A9259879. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T21226A9259879.en .
  7. ↑ Pryce, D.; White, L. (2014). "Labidura herculeana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T11073A21425735. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T11073A21425735.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  8. ↑ Sota, T., Hori, M., Scholtz, C., Karagyan, G., Liang, H. B., Ikeda, H., & Takami, Y. (2020). The origin of the giant ground beetle Aplothorax burchelli on St Helena Island. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 131(1), 50-60.
  9. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis blofeldi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T4635A11050958. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4635A11050958.en .
  10. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis exulatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T4636A11046264. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4636A11046264.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  11. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis helena". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T4637A11052036. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4637A11052036.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  12. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis melanoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T4638A11047667. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4638A11047667.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  13. ↑ Pryce, D.; White, L. (2014). "Chilonopsis nonpareil". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T4639A64303734. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T4639A64303734.en . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  14. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis subplicatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T4640A11052120. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4640A11052120.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  15. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis subtruncatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T4641A11052989. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4641A11052989.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  16. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis turtoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T4642A11054757. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4642A11054757.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  17. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha leptalea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9765A13014709. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9765A13014709.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  18. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha minutissima". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9766A13014755. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9766A13014755.en . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  19. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha polyodon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9767A13014801. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9767A13014801.en . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  20. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha pseustes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9768A13014847. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9768A13014847.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  21. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha sexdentata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9769A13014893. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9769A13014893.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  22. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenodiscus bilamellata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9770A13014939. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9770A13014939.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  23. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenodiscus vernoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9771A13014985. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9771A13014985.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  24. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Pseudohelenoconcha spurca". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T29614A9504837. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T29614A9504837.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  25. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Pupilla obliquicosta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T18912A8687380. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T18912A8687380.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  26. ↑ Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Campolaemus perexilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T3714A10036311. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T3714A10036311.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
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