Tag Archives: Taravai

Ducula tihonireasini Rigal, Kirch & Worthy

Mangarevan Imperial Pigeon (Ducula tihonireasini)

This species was already known from subfossil remains for several years when it was described in 2018.

The Mangarevan Imperial Pigeon apparently was still alive when the first Europeans set foot on the Gambier Islands in the 1820s.:  

“Of the feathered tribe, oceanic bird form the greater part; but even these are rare compared with the numbers that usually frequent the islands of the Pacific, arising, no doubt, from the Gambier Islands being inhabited. The whole consist of three kinds of tern, the white, black, and slate-coloured – of which the first are most numerous, and the last very scarce; together with a species of procellaria, the white heron, and the tropic and egg birds. Those frequent the shore are a kind of pharmatopus, curlew, charadrine, and totanus; and the woods, the wood-pigeon, and a species of turdus, somewhat resembling a thrush in plumage, but smaller, possessing a similar though less harmonious note.” [1]

It died out sometimes later.

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References:

[1] Narrative of a voyage to the Pacific and Beering’s Strait, to co-operate with the polar expeditions : performed in His Majesty’s ship Blossom, under the command of Captain F. W. Beechey in the years 1825, 26, 27, 28. London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley 1831
[2] Stanislas Rigal; Patrick V. Kirch; Trevor H. Worthy: New prehistoric avifaunas from the Gambier Group, French Polynesia. Palaeontologia Electronica 21.3.4A 1-35. 2018

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edited: 04.05.2021

Minidonta simulata Solem & Cooke

Gambier Islands Minidonta Snail (Minidonta simulata)  

This species was described in 1976.  

The species was originally known from specimens that had been collected on the islands of Agakuitai, Aukena and Mangareva, Gambier Islands, but was subsequently found on Akamaru and Taravai too. [1][2]  

The shells are quite large for the genus, reaching about 0,24 to 0,29 cm in diameter. [1]  

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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 
[2] 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: 05.10.2017

Gambiodonta mangarevana Solem & Cooke

Mangarevan Gambiodonta Snail (Gambiodonta mangarevana)

The Mangarevan Gambiodonta Snail was described in 1976 based on only six specimens, two adults and four juveniles, that had been collected in 1934 on the island of Mangareva, Gambier Islands.

The species is quite similar to the Domed Gambiodonta Snail (Gambiodonta tumida Cooke & Solem) but smaller, its shells reached average sizes of about 0,45 cm in diameter. [1]

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The species occurred also on the small island of Taravai, next to Mangareva Island, where its subfossil shells were discovered during field searches in 1997. [2]  

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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
[2] Ahmed Abdou; Philippe Bouchet: Noveaux gastéropodes Endodontidae et Punctidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) récemment éteints de l’archipel des Gambier (Polynésie). Zoosystea 22(4): 689-707. 2000

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edited: 19.04.2019

Ptilinopus sp. ‘Gambier Islands’

Gambier Islands Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus sp.)

The Atoll Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus coralensis Peale) is distributed all over the Tuamotu Archipelago and was formerly also believed to have occurred on the Gambier Islands, however, no such specimen appears to have ever been collected and thus the former occurence of fruit-doves on these islands is actually known only from accounts. [1][2][3]

There are, however, at least three subfssil bones found on the island of Taravai, the second largest of the Gambier Islands, that can be assigned to the genus Ptilinopus, but apparently not to the Atoll Fruit-Dove. [2]

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The Atoll Fruit-Dove is actually a species that appears to be very well adapted to the low coral atolls it is inhabiting, thus the form that once occurred on the Gambier Islands most likely was a distinct one; its native name is given as having been kuku. [2]

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References:

[1] David Gibbs, Eustace Barnes, John Cox: Pigeons and Doves, A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Sussex 2001
[2] Jean-Claude Thibault; Alice Cibois: From early Polynesian settlement to the present: bird extinctions in the Gambier Islands. Pacific Science 66(3): 271-281. 2012
[3] Stanislas Rigal; Patrick V. Kirch; Trevor H. Worthy: New prehistoric avifaunas from the Gambier Group, French Polynesia. Palaeontologia Electronica 21.3.4A 1-35. 2018

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edited: 17.03.2020

Nesiocina gambierensis Richling & Bouchet

Gambier Islands Nesiocina Snail (Nesiocina gambierensis)  

This species was described in 2013 based on only 11 highly eroded and worn specimens that were found on three islands of the Gambier Islands group.  

The species was the smallest member of its genus, the tiny shells are only about 1,5 to 1,8 cm in diameter.  

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[1] Ira Richling; Philippe Bouchet: Extinct even before scientific recognition: a remarkable radiation of helicinid snails (Helicinidae) on the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia. Biodiversity and Conservation 22: 2433-2468. 2013  

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edited: 10.10.2017

Minidonta extraria Cooke & Solem

Strange Minidonta Snail (Minidonta extraria)  

This species was described in 1976 based on three specimens, each found on another island of the Gambier group respectively.  

The shells reached sizes of about 0,27 to 0,3 cm in diameter.  

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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 
[2] Ahmed Abdou; Philippe Bouchet: Nouveaux gastéropodes Endodontidae et Punctidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) récemment éteints da l’archipel des Gambier (Polynésie). Zoosystema 22(4): 689-707. 2000  

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edited: 05.10.2017

Nesiocina mangarevae Richling & Bouchet

Mangarevan Nesiocina Snail (Nesiocina mangarevae)  

This species was described in 2013, it is only known from empty, subfossil specimens that were collected in 1997 on the islands of Mangareva and Taravai, Gambier Islands.  

The shells reach sizes of 0,21 to 0,24 cm in diameter, they are whitish to yellowish and glossy.  

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[1] Ira Richling; Philippe Bouchet: Extinct even before scientific recognition: a remarkable radiation of helicinid snails (Helicinidae) on the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia. Biodiversity and Conservation 22: 2433-2468. 2013  

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edited: 10.10.2017

Gambiodonta agakauitaiana Solem & Cooke

Agakauitai Gambiodonta Snail (Gambiodonta agakauitaiana)

This species was described in 1976 based on specimens that had been collected in 1934 on the small islet of Agakauitai which lies about 300 m south of Mangareva, Gambier Islands.

The shells reached sizes of 0,39 to 0,4 cm in dimater. [1]

***

The species was originally only known from the small islet of Agakauitai, but subfossil shells were discovered in 1997 on the islands of Mangareva and Taravai, the two largest of the Gambier Islands, as well. [2] 

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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
[2] Ahmed Abdou; Philippe Bouchet: Noveaux gastéropodes Endodontidae et Punctidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) récemment éteints de l’archipel des Gambier (Polynésie). Zoosystea 22(4): 689-707. 2000

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edited: 19.04.2019

Anceyodonta umbilicata Abdou & Bouchet

Umbilicated Disc Snail (Anceyodonta umbilicata)  

This species, which was described based on subfossil shells in 2000, is known exclusively from the island of Taravai, Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. [1]  

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References  

[1] Ahmed Abdou; Philippe Bouchet: Nouveaux gastéropodes Endodontidae et Punctidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) récemment éteints da l’archipel des Gambier (Polynésie). Zoosystema 22(4): 689-707. 2000  

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edited: 21.03.2018

Minidonta micra Solem & Cooke

Minute Minidonta Snail (Minidonta micra)  

This species was described in 1976 based on specimens that had been collected in 1934 from a cave on the tiny islet of Aukena in the Gambier group.  

The shells are very small, only about 0,16 to 0,19 cm in diameter. [1]  

***

The species was originally known only from Aukena, but other specimens were subsequently found on the islands of Akamaru, Mangareva and Taravai as well. [2]  

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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 
[2] Ahmed Abdou; Philippe Bouchet: Nouveaux gastéropodes Endodontidae et Punctidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) récemment éteints da l’archipel des Gambier (Polynésie). Zoosystema 22(4): 689-707. 2000  

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edited: 04.10.2017

Minidonta vallonia Abdou & Bouchet

Vallonia Minidonta Snail (Minidonta vallonia)  

This species was described in 2000 based on subfossil shells that were discovered near the cemetery of an abandoned village on the island of Taravai, Gambier Islands.  

The shells are about 0,18 cm in diameter. [1]  

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References:  

[1] Ahmed Abdou; Philippe Bouchet: Nouveaux gastéropodes Endodontidae et Punctidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) récemment éteints da l’archipel des Gambier (Polynésie). Zoosystema 22(4): 689-707. 2000  

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edited: 05.10.2017

Gambiodonta tumida Cooke & Solem

Dome-shaped Gambiodonta Snail (Gambiodonta tumida)

The Dome-shaped Gambiodonta Snail was described in 1976 based on 33 specimens that had been collected in 1934 on the island of Mangareva, Gambier Islands.

The shells reached average sizes of 0,58 to 0,64 cm in diameter. [1]

***

The Dome-shaped Gambiodonta Snail was originally known only from specimens collected on the island of Mangareva alone, however, further subfossil shells were later discovered on the islets of Aukena and Taravai, offshore Mangareva Island as well. [2]

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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
[2] Ahmed Abdou; Philippe Bouchet: Noveaux gastéropodes Endodontidae et Punctidae (Mollusca, Pulmonata) récemment éteints de l’archipel des Gambier (Polynésie). Zoosystea 22(4): 689-707. 2000

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edited: 19.04.2019