The Arfak Cryptocarya is a small tree that is known only from the type material that was collected in 1940 in the Arfak Mountains in the West Papua Province of the Indonesian part of New Guinea.
The species has never been recorded since; given the constant threat of deforestation and habitat destruction, it is possible that it is already extinct.
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edited: 28.04.2022
The Dancing Flat-winged Damselfly was described in 1956, it is apparently restricted to the Milne Bay Province in eastern New Guinea, where it apparently had been collected at elevations of about 1550 m.
The species’ hindwings reach lenghts of about 2,9 to 3,1 cm; it is said to be easily recognisable based on the extreme expansion of the tip of its abdomen.
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The name of this species appears in listings of extinct species and is thus also mentioned here.
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References:
[1] Vincent Kalkman; Albert Orr: Field Guide to the damselflies of New Guinea
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edited: 06.11.2020
Linsley’s Spreadwing was described in 1960, it apparently occurs, or maybe occurred near Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea.
The species has a wingspan of about 4,4 cm; the males have distinctly shaped hindwings with a rounded flap in the anal region. [1]
It is now thought to be possibly extinct.
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References:
[1] Vincent Kalkman; Albert Orr: Field Guide to the damselflies of New Guinea. Brachytron 2013
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edited: 13.11.2021
New Ireland Crow (Corvus sp.)
This probable species is known exclusively from well-preserved subfossil bones excavated from deposits on the island of New Ireland in the Bismarck Archipelago off the northeastern coast of New Guinea.
The remains point towards a bird that was larger than the Torresian Crow (Corvus orru Bonaparte), the only crow now living on the island. They may represent the Grey Crow (Corvus tristis Lesson & Garnot), which is confined to mainland New Guinea, or a closely related form. [1]
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[1] David W. Steadman; J. Peter White; Jim Allen: Prehistoric birds from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea: Extinctions on a large Melanesian island. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 96: 2563-2568. 1999
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edited: 01.10.2017
New Ireland Rail (Gallirallus ernstmayri)
The New Ireland Rail was described in 2006, it was restricted to the island of New Ireland.
The species was among the larger members of its genus, probably reaching a size of about 30 cm, it was completely flightless. [1]
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The New Ireland Rail very likely was closely related to the Pink-legged Rail (Gallirallus insignis (P. L. Sclater)) (see depiction below), a large, flightless rail from the neighboring island of New Britain.
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References:
[1] Jeremy J. Kirchman; David W. Steadman: Rails (Rallidae: Gallirallus) from prehistoric archaeological sites in Western Oceania. Zootaxa 1316: 1-31. 2006
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edited: 22.05.2019
The Big Spreadwing was described in 1909, it is known from only one male specimen, which is now lost, as well as from three female specimens; it was found at an unspecified place on new Guinea.
The species reaches a wingspan of about 4,2 cm and is said to be easily recognizable by the shape of the base of the hindwings as well as by the presence of a patch of long black setae in this area in the males. [1]
It is now thought to be possibly extinct.
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References:
[1] Vincent Kalkman; Albert Orr: Field Guide to the damselflies of New Guinea. Brachytron 2013
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edited: 13.11.2021
Lundquist’s Spreadwing was described in 1949, it apparently was restricted to what today is the city of Merauke in southern Papua New Guinea.
The species reaches a wingspan of about 4,8 cm; the males have distinctly shaped hindwings.
It is now thought to be possibly extinct.
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References:
[1] Vincent Kalkman; Albert Orr: Field Guide to the damselflies of New Guinea. Brachytron 2013
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edited: 13.11.2021
Ayamaru Triok (Dactylopsila kambuayai)
This species was described in 1999 based on [sub]fossil remains that were found on the Ayamaru Plateau of the Vogelkop Peninsula, Neuguinea.
The Ayamaru Triok was closely related to two other species that still inhabit parts of New Guinea today, the Long-fingered Triok (Dactylonax palpator Milne-Edwards), and Tate’s Triok (Dactylopsila tatei Laurie).
The species disappeared around about 7000 to 8000 BC., or probably even later.
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edited: 06.11.2017