Tag Archives: Rodrigues

Nactus sp. ‘Rodrigues’

Giant Rodrigues Night Gecko (Nactus sp.)

This is one of two species of the genus that formerly inhabited the island of Rodrigues in the Mascarene Islands.

The species disappeared shortly after the arrival of the first human settlers in the early 16th century. [1]

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References:

[1] Anthony Cheke; Julian P. Hume: Lost Land of the Dodo: The ecological history of Mauritius, Réunion, and Rodrigues. Yale University Press 2008

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edited: 04.05.2022

Megalomma sp. ‘Rodrigues 1’

Rodrigues Tiger Beetle (Megalomma sp.)

This species is known from subfossil material (at least one prothorax), which shows that the species apparently was shiny coppery-colored in life.

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The genus Megalomma contains at least six recent species, all endemic to the Mascarene Islands.

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The photo below shows a closely related species from the nearby island of Mauritius, the Shining Megalomma Tiger Beetle (Megalomma fulgens (W. Horn))

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Shining Megalomma Tiger Beetle (Megalomma fulgens)

Photo: CORDENOS Thierry
https://www.inaturalist.org/people/thierrycordenos
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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edited: 06.02.2024

Nesoenas rodericanus (Milne-Edwards)

Rodrigues Turtle Dove (Nesoenas rodericanus)

The Rodrigues Turtle Dove was described in 1874, when it was already extinct; it is known from subfossil remains and from contemporaneous accounts.

The species disappeared sometimes between 1726 and 1761.

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References:

[1] Julian P. Hume: Extinct Birds: Bloomsbury Natural History; 2nd edition 2017

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edited: 07.05.2022

Scarabaeoidea gen. & sp. ‘Rodrigues’

Rodrigues Dung Beetle(s) (Scarabaeoidea gen. & sp.)

At least 12 (!) genera/species of dung beetles are known from subfossil remains found on the island of Rodrigues.

These dung beetles were just a little part of a now mostly completely lost insect fauna that once occurred on that island, they very likely were adapted to the numerous tortoises that formerly roamed the island.

The dung beetles disappeared after the extinction of the two endemic tortoise species they had been attached to in the 19th century.

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I want to remind you, the blog readers, that these 12 genera/species are known from the island of Rodrigues alone, how many species did occur on the other Mascarene Islands – we will probably never know.

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edited: 31.10.2020

Cylindraspis peltastes (Dumeril & Bibron)

Domed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise (Cylindraspis peltastes)

The Domed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise was one of two tortoise species that formerly were endemic to the island of Rodrigues in the Mascarene Islands.

The species disappeared after the island was settled by Europeans in the 16th century, the last individuals survived apparently until the very beginning of the 19th century.

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edited: 19.01.2020

Cylindraspis vosmaeri (Suckow)

Saddle-backed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise (Cylindraspis vosmaeri)

The Saddle-backed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise was endemic to the island of Rodrigues, Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean.

The species was heavily hunted by the European settlers in the 16th century for its meat and was finally wiped out at the end of the 18th century.

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Depiction from: Joannis Davidis Schoepff: Historia testudinum iconibus illustrata. Erlangae: J. J. Palm 1792-1801

(not in copyright)

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edited: 19.01.2020

Perrottetia piriformis (Pfeiffer)

Pear-shaped Perrottetia Snail (Perrottetia piriformis)

This species was described in 1859; it was endemic to the island of Rodrigues in the Mascarenes, however, its taxonomic status is not resolved.:

Taxonomic issues arose concerning two species when they were submitted to experts, although they had never been reported as nonvalid species in the scientific literature; because their taxonomic status is unclear (the biological species designated by their names are unknown), they were classified as impossible to assess. However, due to this taxonomic uncertainty, no data are available apart from their original 19th-century descriptions, and the model evaluates them as extinct. These taxa are Coilostele acus and Perrottetia piriformis.” [1]

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The genus should not be confused with the plant genus of the same name.

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References:

[1] Claire Régnier; Guillaume Achaz; Amaury Lambert; Robert H. Cowie; Philippe Bouchet; Benoît Fontaine: Mass extinction in poorly known taxa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 1-6. 2015

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edited: 09.11.2021

Danais corymbosa Balf. f.

Corymbose Danais (Danais corymbosa)

This species was described in 1879, it is endemic to the island of Rodrigues in the Mascarene Islands.

This species is not common on the island and only occurs in the higher districts.

The Rodrigues plant is not unlike some of the forms of D. fragrans, Comm., but differs conspicuously in the form and long petiolation of its leaves and its longer paniculate inflorescence, the rachis exceeding considerably the petiole.
” [1]

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References:

[1] An Account of the Petrological, Botanical, and Zoological Collection Made in Kerguelen’s Land and Rodriguez during the Transit of Venus Expeditions. Botany. 302-419. 1874-75

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edited: 15.05.2021

Carabidae gen. & sp. ‘Rodrigues’

Rodrigues Ground Beetle(s) (Carabidae gen. & sp.)

The subfossil record of the island of Rodrigues, Mascarene Islands held about two or three genera of now extinct platyine carabid beetles.

These species were members of a now completely extinct and still almost unknown insect fauna that disappeared shortly after the islands were settled by European settlers and their livestock.

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edited: 31.10.2020

Oryctes minor Waterhouse

Small Rodrigues Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes minor)

The Small Rodrigues Rhinoceros Beetle was described in 1876, it is only known from the type specimen, a female (or from two specimens, according to other sources).

The species reached a length of 2,5 cm; “The elytra are covered with rather large horseshoe punctures, among which may be traced the usual two pairs of punctured lines; the surface between the large punctures has small punctures scattered here and there.” [1]

The species is now considered extinct.

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References:

[1] Charles O Waterhouse: New species of coleoptera from the island of Rodriguez, collected by the naturalists accompanying the Transit-of-Venus Expedition. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Zoology, Botany, and Geology 4(18): 105-121. 1876

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Photo from: ‘Sergio M. Latorre; Matthias Herrmann; M. J. Paulsen; Christian Rödelsperger; Andreea Dréau; Waltraud Röseler; Ralf J. Sommer; Hernán A. Burbano: Museum phylogenomics of extinct Oryctes beetles from the Mascarene Islands. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 2020’

(under creative commons license (4.0))
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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edited: 29.04.2022

Ptinidae gen. & sp. ‘Rodrigues’

Rodrigues Ptinidid Beetle (Ptinidae gen. & sp.)

This species is known from several subfossil specimens, including at least three elytra, which because of their toast-shaped punctures were nicknamed as ‘bread’ by Nick Porch, an Australian entomologist who is a specialist for subfossil insect remains.

The elytra are glossy black and, in some cases, bear corn-colored filaments in the frontal and the distal parts as well as on their margins, when alive, the beetle might have been completely covered by them ….

The species is very likely extinct. 

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edited: 30.10.2020

Hypoestes inconspicua Balf. f.

Inconspicuous Hypoestes (Hypoestes inconspicua)  

The Inconspicuous Hypoestes was described in 1877, it was endemic to the island of Rodrigues, Mascarene Islands.

The plant had a trailing habit with very small, indeed inconspicuous leaves.

The Inconspicuous Hypoestes is now considered extinct.

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edited: 03.11.2020

Tropidophora desmazuresi (Crosse)

Desmazures’ Tropidophora Snail (Tropidophora desmazuresi)  

Desmazures’ Tropidophora Snail was described in 1873; it was apparently restricted to the forested slopes of Mt. Limon, the highest peak of Rodrigues.

This species was also for some time considered to be a variety of the Beautiful Tropidophora Snail (Tropidophora pulchra (Gray)), which, however, is endemic to the Seychelles. [1]

The species is now considered extinct.

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References:

[1] Louis Germain: Faune malacologique terrestre et fluviatile des Iles Mascareignes. Paris 1921

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edited: 29.04.2021

Necropsittacus rodericanus (Milne-Edwards)

Rodrigues Parrot (Necropsittacus rodericanus)

This species was described in 1867 based on subfossil remains that were recovered from deposits on the island of Rodrigues, Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.

The species was a member of a rather large radiation of parrots of which today only a single species, the Echo Parakeet (Psittacula eques ssp. echo (Newton & Newton)), is surviving on the island of Mauritius.

There is also a somewhat detailed description of the bird in life, made by a man named Tafforet in 1725.:

The largest are larger than a pigeon, and have a tail very long, the head large as well as the beak. They mostly come on the islets which are to the south of the island, where they eat a small black seed, which produces a small shrub whose leaves have the smell of the orange tree, and come to the mainland to drink water … they have their plumage green.” [1]

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References:

[1] Julian Pender Hume: Reappraisal of the parrots (Aves: Psittacidae) from the Mascarene Islands, with comments on their ecology, morphology, and affinities. Zootaxa 1513: 1-76. 2007 

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edited: 10.08.2022

Hypoestes rodriguesiana Balf. f.

Rodrigues Hypoestes (Hypoestes rodriguesiana)  

The Rodrigues Hypoestes was described in 1877, it was endemic to the island of Rodrigues in the Mascarene Islands, where it apparently was restricted to Mont Malartic, the island’s highest mountain.

The species is now extinct.

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Depiction from: ‘An account of the petrological, botanical, and zoological collections made in Kerguelen’s Land and Rodriguez during the Transit of Venus Expeditions carried out by order of her Majesty’s Government in the years 1874-75. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 168. 1879’

(public domain)

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edited: 03.11.2020

Tropidophora bipartita (Morelet)

Two-parted Tropidophora Snail (Tropidophora bipartita)

This species was described in 1875 based on subfossil specimens that had been recovered from the island of Rodrigues.:

subfossile, mêlé à des ossements de Dronte dans les cavernes du littoral de l’île.

translation:

subfossil, mixed with bones of the Dronte in the caves at the coast of the island.” [1]

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References:

[1] Louis Germain: Faune malacologique terrestre et fluviatile des Iles Mascareignes. Paris 1921

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Depiction from: ‘A. Morelet: Appendice à la Conchyliologie de l’île Rodrigues. Journal de Conchyliologie 23: 21-30. 1875’

(public domain)

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edited: 24.04.2019

Tornatellinops jauffreti (Madge)

Jauffret’s Elasmias Snail (Tornatellinops jauffreti)  

This very enigmatic species was apparently described in 1946, it is said to have been endemic either to the island of Mauritius or Rodrigues, Mascarene Islands.  

The species is either placed in the genus Elasmias or Tornatellinops and the species name is variably given as jauffreti or jaurffreti. [1]  

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I could not found any further piece of information.  

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References:  

[1] C. Montague Cooke Jr.; Yoshio Kondo: Revision of Tornatellinidae and Achatinellidae (Gastropoda, Pulmonata). Bishop Museum Bulletins 221: 1-303. 1960  

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edited: 23.04.2019

Necropsar rodericanus Günther & Newton

Rodrigues Starling (Necropsar rodericanus)

The Rodrigues Starling was endemic to the island of Rodrigues, Mascarene Islands, it was described in 1879 based on subfossil material.

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A French sailor named Julien Tafforet, who was stranded on the island of Rodrigues from 1725 to 1726, reported an interesting sighting.:

On trouve un petit oiseau qui n’est pas fort commun, car il ne se trouve pas sur la grande terre; on en vout sur l’île au Mât, qui est au sud de la grande terre, et je crois qu’il se tient sur cette île à cause des oiseaux de proie qui sont à la grande terre, comme aussi pur vivre avec plus de facilité de oefs ou quelques tortues mortes de faim qu’ils savent assez bien déchirer. Ces ouiseaux sont un peu plus gros qu’un merle et ont le plumage blanc, une partie des aîles et de la queue noire, le bec jaune aussi bein que les pattes, et ont un ramage merveillex; je dis un ramage quoiqu’ils en aient plusieurs, et tous différents, et chacun de plus jolis. Nous en avons nourri quelques uns avec de la viande cuite hachée bien menu, qu’ils mangeaient préférablement aux graines de bois.

translation:

There is a small bird that is not very common, because it is not on the mainland; you can see it on islet au Mât [Île Gombrani], which is south of the mainland, and I think it stands on this island because of the birds of prey that are on the mainland, as well as pure living and the ease of eggs [of seabirds, that they obviously fed upon], or some turtles dead from hunger, which they know well enough to tear [out of their shells]. These birds are a little larger than a blackbird [Réunion Bulbul (Hypsipetes borbonicus J. R. Forster)], and have white plumage, a part of the elbows and tail black, the bill is as yellow as the legs, and has a marvelous warbling; I say a warbling even though they have several notes, and all different, and each one more beautiful. We fed some with well-chopped cooked meat, which they ate preferably with wood seeds.” 

This contemporary account lead Masauji Hachisuka in 1937 to describe a corvid (?) species (Testudophaga bicolor). It is now, however, thought that this account refers to a species of starling, very likely the Rodrigues Starling.

The species had obviously already disappeared from the island of Rodrigues in the middle of the 18th century and was restricted to offshore islets as its last bastion. 

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References:

[1] The Marquess Hachisuka: Extinct Cough from Rodriguez. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 50: 211-214. 1937

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edited: 24.04.2019

Dancea bewsheriana (Morelet)

Bewsher’s Plegma Snail (Dancea bewsheriana 

This species was described in 1875.  

The species was endemic to the island of Rodrigues, Mascarene Islands, and is apparently known exclusively from subfossil specimens. [1]  

Bewsher’s Plegma Snail was a quite large species, the shells reached sizes of over 3 cm in diameter.  

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References:  

[1] Vincent Florens: Mollusques terrestres récoltés dans les grottes de Rodrigues. Bulletin Phaethon 3: 42-43. 1996  

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Depiction from: ‘A. Morelet: Appendice à la Conchyliologie de l’île Rodrigues. Journal de Conchyliologie 23: 21-30. 1875’

(public domain) 

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edited: 31.10.2017