Rimataran Bark Beetle (Bitoma sp.)
This up to now undescribed form is known only from subfossil remains, including at least one pronotum and one elytron, that were found on the island of Rimatara in the Austral Islands.
The species had a dark ochre ground color, the elytra were decorated with a pattern of very dark brown square-shaped spots that melted into a complete brown-colored outer margin.
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edited: 02.11.2020
Tag Archives: Rimatara
Tenebroides rimatara Kolibáč & Porch
Rimatara Bark-gnawing Beetle (Tenebroides rimatara)
This species was described in 2020 on the basis of subfossil remains, ncluding an articulated head and prothorax as well as at least three elytra, that were recovered from sediment cores that had been obtained on the island of Rimatara in the Austral Islands.
The remains can be dates to an age of about 4500 to 3500 BP..
the Rimatara Bark-gnawing Beetle reached a size of about 0,48 cm in length, it appears to have been dark brown in color. [1]
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References:
[1] Jiří Kolibáč; Milada Bocakova; James K. Liebherr; Thibould Ramage; Nick Porch: Extinct and extant Pacific Trogossitidae and the evolution of Cleroidea (Coleoptera) after the Late Triassic biotic crisis. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 20: 1-37. 2020
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edited: 02.11.2020
Curculionidae gen. & sp. ‘Rimatara’
Rimataran Cossonine Weevil(s) (Curculionidae gen. & sp.)
The weevils (Curculionidae) are in fact the most species-rich family of the whole animal kingdom, the family is divided into several subfamilies of which the Cossininae is one.
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The subfossil record of the island of Rimatara, Austral Islands has produced the remains of at least 18 (!) genera/species of cossinine weevils, this shows how species-rich the island faunas once, before the arrival of humans, were … and, how much has already been lost.
The remains are currently under review by Nick Porch, an Australian entomologist specialized in subfossil insect remains.
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edited: 31.10.2020
Hydrophilidae gen. & sp. ‘Rimatara’
Rimataran Chasmogenus-like Beetle (Hydrophiidae gen. & sp.)
This species, apparently not yet closer inspected, is known from subfossil remains recovered from deposits on the island of Rimatara, Austral Islands.
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edited: 31.10.2020
Tubuaia voyana ssp. oromanaensis Kondo
Oromana Tubuaia Snail (Tubuaia voyana ssp. oromanaensis)
The Oromana Tubuaia Snail was described in 1962; it was only ever known from its type locality, the Oromana Hills on the island of Rimatara in the Austral archipelago, a place that today is completely degraded and transformed into agricultural fields (like actually most of the island).
This snail is now clearly extinct. [1]
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References:
[1] Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: A Global Overview of the Terrestrial and Freshwater Molluscs. In: Jean-Yves Meyer; Elin. M. Claridge: Biodiversity of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia. Muséum national d´Histoire naturelle, Paris. 55-91. 2014
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edited: 02.05.2022
Australdonta rimatarana Solem
Rimatara Australdonta Snail (Australdonta rimatarana)
The Rimatara Australdonta Snail was described in 1976; it is known from about 12 specimens that were collected near Anapoto, a village in western Rurutu on the Austral Islands.
The shells reach sizes of 0.29 to 0.32 cm; they are light yellow horn-colored with rather broad, irregular, reddish flammulations that fade out on the shell’s base.
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References:
[1] Alan Solem: Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I, Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, Illinois 1976
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edited: 18.02.2024
Australdonta sp. ‘Rimatara 3’
Undescribed Australdonta Snail (Australdonta sp.)
This form is known only on the basis of subfossil material that was found on the island of Rurutu, Austral Islands.
The taxon is apparently not identical with any of the already described taxa from the island but apparently the remains are too scanty for a proper description yet. [1]
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References:
[1] Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: A Global Overview of the Terrestrial and Freshwater Molluscs. In: Jean-Yves Meyer; Elin. M. Claridge: Biodiversity of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia. Muséum national d´Histoire naturelle, Paris. 55-91. 2014
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edited: 18.02.2024
Australdonta sp. ‘Rimatara 1’
Undescribed Australdonta Snail (Australdonta sp.)
This form is known only on the basis of subfossil material that was found on the island of Rurutu, Austral Islands.
The taxon is apparently not identical with any of the already described taxa from the island but apparently the remains are too scanty for a proper description yet. [1]
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References:
[1] Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: A Global Overview of the Terrestrial and Freshwater Molluscs. In: Jean-Yves Meyer; Elin. M. Claridge: Biodiversity of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia. Muséum national d´Histoire naturelle, Paris. 55-91. 2014
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edited: 18.02.2024
Australdonta degagei (Garrett)
De Gage’s Australdonta Snail (Australdonta degagei)
De Gage’s Australdonta Snail was described in 1879; it is allegedly known from specimens collected in Ma’uke, Cook Islands as well as from Rimatara and Rurutu, Austral Islands, which is very strange.
The shells reach sizes of about 0.28 to 0.35 cm in diameter; they are light yellow horn-colored with light somewhat irregular, reddish flammulations.
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References:
[1] Alan Solem: Endodontoid land snails from Pacific Islands (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Sigmurethra). Part I, Family Endodontidae. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, Illinois 1976
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edited: 18.02.2024
Myoporum rimatarense F. Br.
Rimatara Myoporum (Myoporum rimatarense)
This species, described in 1935, is known only from the type, collected at the beach near the village of Amaru on the island of Rimatara in the Austral Archipelago.
The material is sufficient enough to prove that this is indeed a distinct species that differs from the other two Myoporum species that are known to occur on the Austral Archipelago (Myoporum rapense F. Br. and Myoporum stokesii F. Br.).
The species is considered extinct. [1]
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References:
[1] R. J. Chinnock: Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Plant Family Myoporaceae. Rosenberg Pub. 2007
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edited: 23.09.2017
Samoana sp. ‘Rimatara’
Rimatara Samoana Snail (Samoana sp.)
This form is known only on the basis of subfossil material that hasn’t been described so far; nevertheless, it might very well represent a distinct species, endemic to the island of Rimatara, and now extinct. [1]
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References:
[1] Olivier Gargominy; Benoît Fontaine: A Global Overview of the Terrestrial and Freshwater Molluscs. In: Jean-Yves Meyer; Elin. M. Claridge: Biodiversity of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia. Muséum national d´Histoire naturelle, Paris. 55-91. 2014
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edited: 04.06.2021