Tag Archives: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Erythrura sp. ‘Rota’

Mariana Parrot Finch (Erythrura sp.)

The Mariana Parrot Finch is known only from a subfossil humerus that was recovered from deposits on the island of Rota in the Mariana Islands; this single bone can be referred to that genus based on several characters but is larger than that of any congeneric species.

The species may have reached a length of about 15 cm, making it one of the largest members of its whole family; it was very likely most closely related to the Blue-faced Parrotfinch (Erythrura trichroa (Kittlitz)) (see depiction), a species that still occurs in parts of Micronesia today. [1]

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References:

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinct and extirpated birds from Rota, Mariana Islands. Micronesia 25(1): 71-84. 1992

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Blue-faced Parrotfinch (Erythrura trichroa)

Depiction from: ‘F. H. von Kittlitz: Über einige noch unbeschriebene Vögel von der Insel Luzon, den Carolinen und den Marianen. Mémoires présentés à l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg par divers Savants et lus dans ses Assemblées 2: 1-10. 1835’

(public domain)

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edited: 09.11.2021

Anatidae gen. & sp. ‘Mariana Islands’

Rota Duck (Anatidae gen. & sp.)

The Rota Duck is known so far only from subfossil bones that were recovered from deposits on the island of Rota in the Mariana Islands.

The species was small and probably flightless, not much else is known about it so far. [1]

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References:

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinct and extirpated birds from Rota, Mariana Islands. Micronesia 25(1): 71-84. 1992

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edited: 10.11.2021

Acrocephalus yamashinae (Taka-Tsukasa)

Pagan Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus yamashinae)

The Pagan Reed Warbler was endemic to Pagan, a volcanic island in the northern part of the Marianas archipelago in the Pacific Ocean.

The species reached a size of about 17 cm and superficially resembled the likewise extinct Nightingale Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus luscinius (Quoy & Gaimard)).

The Pagan Reed Warbler was restricted to the reeds around the two wetlands that exist on the island; it disappeared due to the introduction of ungulates who destroyed much of the island’s native vegetation. It was last seen in 1969 and is now clearly extinct.

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syn. Acrocephalus luscinius ssp. yamashinae (Taka-Tsukasa)

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edited: 12.01.2024

Porphyrio sp. ‘Rota’

Rota Swamphen (Porphyrio sp.)

Since the undescribed Tinian Swamphen (Porphyrio sp. ‘Tinian’) apparently was a flightless species, it is rather unlikely that the same species also inhabited Rota, thus the Rotan birds almost certainly were a distinct, though closely related species. [1]

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It might be of interest that the Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus (Temminck)) apparently is trying to reestablish a population in Micronesia. [2]

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References:  

[1] D. W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006
[2] D. W. Buden; J. Wichep; S. Fal’Mngar: First record of Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio in the Federated States of Micronesia, with remarks on vagrants and recently established populations of rallids in Micronesia. Bulletin of the British Ornthologists’ Club 131(1): 59-63. 2011

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edited: 01.09.2020

Pampusana sp. ‘Mariana Islands’

Large Mariana Islands Ground Dove (Pampusana sp.)

The Large Mariana Islands Ground Dove is known so far only from subfossil remains that were recovered from sites on the island of Rota, Mariana Islands.

The species was formerly sympatric with the congeneric White-throated Ground Dove (Pampusana xanthonura (Temminck)), which is still alive, but was apparently larger. [1]

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinct and extirpated birds from Rota, Mariana Islands. Micronesia 25(1): 71-84. 1992

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edited: 09.03.2020

Acrocephalus nijoi (Yamashina)

Aguiguan Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus nijoi)  

This species, formerly considered a subspecies of the Nightingale Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus luscinius (Quoy & Gaimard)) from Guam, is restricted to the tiny island of Aguiguan (also known as Aguigan or Aguijan; or Goat Island), which lies to the south of Saipan in the Mariana Islands chain. [3][4]  

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The Aguiguan Reed-Warbler differs from the Nightingale Reed Warbler by its much less warm-toned upperparts, the darker flanks and belly, and the slightly shorter bill. [3]  

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The island of Aguiguan is overrun with introduced goats, an eradication program conducted in 1990 was only partially successful, and the goat population on Aguijan in 1998 remained at an estimated 1500 animals. The feral goats affect the native forest by causing severe erosion and removing the understory, which is becoming dominated by the aggressively invasive Shrub Verbena (Lantana camara L.).  

The reed-warbler population was estimated at only about four to 15 birds in the mid-1980s. [1]  

The species was believed extinct since 1985, but was rediscovered in 1992, when two males were heard singing [2]  

The Aguiguan Reed-Warbler was not seen since and is now believed to be probably finally extinct. [5]  

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References:

[1] J. Engbring; F. L Ramsay; V. J. Wildman: Micronesian forest bird survey, 1982: Saipan Tinian, Aguijan, and Rota. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report 1986 
[2] Robert J. Craig; Ravi Chandran: Wildlife species recorded during the Aguiguan Expedition: 20-25 May, 1992. In: Robert J. Craig: The Aguiguan Expedition. Proceedings of a Symposium held at Northern Marianas College 1993 
[3] Peter Kennerly; David Pearson: Reed and Bush Warblers. Christopher Helm 2010 
[4] Takema Saitoh; Alice Cibois; Sayaka Kobayash; Eric Pasquet; Jean-Claude Thibault: The complex systematics of the Acrocephalus of the Mariana Islands, western Pacific. Emu 112(4): 343–349. 2012 
[5] Fred Amidon; Richard J. Camp; Ann P. Marshall; Thane K. Pratt: Terrestrial bird population trends on Aguiguan (Goat Island), Mariana Islands. Bird Conservation International 24(4): 505-517. 2014

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edited: 02.10.2020

Partula desolata Baumann & Kerr

Desolate Tree-Snail (Partula desolata)

This species was described in 2013 based on subfossil shells that were recovered from Holocene deposits on the island of Rota, Mariana Islands.

The species occurred sympatrically with the Humped Tree-Snail (Partula gibba Férussac), which, however, still survives until today.

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References:

[1] Scott Baumann; Alexander M. Kerr: Partula desolata sp. nov. (Pulmonata: Partulidae), an extinct land snail from Rota, Mariana Islands, micronesia. Micronesica 5: 1-2. 2013

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edited: 18.06.2019

Vagrans egestina (Quoy & Gaimard)

Mariana Wandering Butterfly (Vagrans egestina)  

The Mariana Wandering Butterfly was restricted to the islands of Guam and Rota in the southern part of the Mariana Islands chain.

The butterfly inhabited the forests on the lime cliffs wherever Luluhut (Maytenus thompsonii (Merr.) Fosberg), the food plant of its caterpillars was found. [1]

The local name of this butterfly is Ababbang (in Chamorro), bzw. Libwueibogh (in Carolinian).  

The species was last seen on Guam in 1979 and is considered as being extinct at least there, the last record of the species on the neighboring island of Rota took place in 1995, when only some male specimens were found but no female ones nor any eggs or caterpillars.

The Mariana Wandering Butterfly is now most likely globally extinct. 

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References:  

[1] Ilse Schreiner; Donald Nafus: Survey of rare butterflies in the Mariana Islands. Preliminary report to USFWS. 1-10. 1995  

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Depiction from: ‘M. Louis de Freycinet: Voyage autour du monde: fait par ordre du Roi, sur les corvettes de S. M. l’Uranie et la Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819 et 1820. Paris: Chez Pillet aìné 1824-1844’ 

(not in copyright)

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edited: 20.09.2020

Zapornia sp. ‚Tinian‘

Tinian Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

The about 100 km² large island of Tinian in the Mariana island chain was once the home of yet another small, flightless species of rail, which is known today only from subfossil remains.  

These harmless little birds certainly were among the first victims of the dogs, pigs, and rats that had been introduced to the islands by the first human settlers. [1]  

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The island of Saipan, Tinian’s neighbor, very likely once harbored its own endemic species of the same genus, but remains are not known so far. [1]  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006  

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edited: 20.03.2018

Gallirallus sp. ‚Saipan‘

Saipan Rail (Gallirallus sp.)

This up to now undescribed species is only known from subfossil bones found on Saipan Island in the Mariana Archipelago.  

The species resembled the only surviving endemic rail species of the Mariana Islands, the Guam rail (Gallirallus owstoni (Rotschild)). [1]

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References:

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006

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edited: 02.05.2021