This form has up to now not been described, it is known only from subfossil remains, including at least one pronotum and one elytron.
The pronotum was dark reddish brown colored while the elytra had a very light, almost whitish ground color and were decorated with about seven, square-shaped, dark brown spots that formed a bark-like pattern.
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edited: 02.11.2020
The Tubuai Bark-gnawing Beetle was described in 2020, it is known from subfossil remains, including a head, parts of another head, a left mandible, at least one complete elytron as well as additional elytral fragments, and a incomplete prothorax, all recovered from sediment core samples taken at the Mihiru Swamp on the island of Tubuai in the Austral Islands.
These remains can be dated to an age of about 2500 to 2000 BP..
The Tubuai Bark-gnawing Beetle might have been the largest member of its genus, its size has been reconstructed to have been about 1,57 cm in length, which clearly sets it apart from the congeneric and sympatric Mihiura Bark-gnawing Beetle (Tenebroides mihiura Kolibáč & Porch). [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
Mihiura Bark-gnawing Beetle (Tenebroides mihiura)
This species was described in 2020, it is known only from the type material, a subfossil prothorax, that was collected from a sediment core sample that had been taken from the Mihiura Swamp on the island of Tubuai in the Austral Islands.
The species reached a size of about 0,6 cm in length; it might have been black 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
Tubuaian Fungus Beetle (Mumfordia sp.)
This species is known from subfossil remains recovered from deposits on the island of Tubuai, Austral Islands.
***
As far as I know, the genus today contains only three species, The Mountain Fungus Beetle (Mumfordia monticola Zimmerman) from Tahiti, Society Islands, and the Spined Fungus Beetle (Mumfordia spinata Van Dyke) as well as the Tubercled Fungus Beetle (Mumfordia tuberculata Van Dyke) from the Marquesas.
It is obviously quite clear that the genus once contained many more species.
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edited: 31.10.2020
Kondo‘s Microcystis-Schnecke (Microcystis kondoi)
This species, described in 1938, is endemic to the island of Tubuai, Austral Islands in French Polynesia. [1]
The species was not found during recent searches and is thought to be extinct. [2]
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References:
[1] H. Burrington Baker: Zonitid snails from Pacific Islands: Southern genera of Microcystinae. Bishop Museum Bulletins 158: 1-101. 1938
[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: 22.03.2018
Anderson’s Microcystis Snail (Microcystis andersoni)
Anderson’s Microcystis Snail was described in 1938, it is known from specimens that had been collected in 1934 under logs and stones at a hillside of Mt. Tavaetu on the island of Tubuai, Austral Islands.
The author gives a description of the life animal.:
“Animal similar to M. ornatella but with row of black dots between pedal grooves, similar squarish ones above this and vaguer, smaller ones below; mantle-lobes and shell-laps edged with dark spots.” [1]
***
The species could not be found during recent searches and is considered most likely extinct. [2]
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References:
[1] H. Burrington Baker: Zonitid snails from Pacific Islands: Southern genera of Microcystinae. Bishop Museum Bulletins 158: 1-101. 1938
[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: 16.05.2019
Vindex Snail (Cookeana vindex)
The Vindex Snail was described in 1938, specimens were collected in 1934 at the northeastern slope of Mt. Pane on the island of Tubuai, Austral Islands.
The shells were turbinate and had large whorls, they were light brown, dull and hairy above with a polished base and bright chestnut with a light-brown band just below the angle.
The author of the species also gives a description of the animal itself.:
“Animal with foot usually dark, more deeply pigmented between pedal grooves, in 3 middorsal stripes on head and over mantle-lobes and shell-lap; lung dark or with network of transparent, whitish patches around kidney and pulmonary vein; apical whorls with considerable dark pigment and with blood vessels outlined by chalky deposit, Tail with distinct dorsomedian groove and short tail horn.” [1]
***
This species was not found during all recent surveys and is believed to be extinct. [2]
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References:
[1] H. Burrington Baker: Zonitid snails from Pacific Islands: Southern genera of Microcystinae. Bishop Museum Bulletins 158: 1-101. 1938
[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: 16.05.2019
Cookeana Snail (Cookeana anathesis)
The Cookena Snail was described in 1938 based on specimens that had been collected in 1934 at a lowland hill side at Mt. Tavaetu on the island of Tubuai, Austral Islands. The species was originally found, apparently quite abundantly, on all kind of native vegetation as well as under logs and stones.
The Cookeana Snail was similar to the congeneric Vindex Snail (Cookeana vindex H. B. Baker), with which together it was described, but differed from that species by several characters including its shell-lap having a row of black dots. [1]
***
This species was not found during all recent surveys and is believed to be extinct. [2]
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References:
[1] H. Burrington Baker: Zonitid snails from Pacific Islands: Southern genera of Microcystinae. Bishop Museum Bulletins 158: 1-101. 1938
[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: 16.05.2019
Tubuai Ground Dove (Pampusana sp.)
This form is known from subfossil remains that were recovered from archaeological deposits on the island of Taubuai, Austral Islands. [1]
The Tubuai Ground Dove may be identical with one of the congeneric forms that had been found on the island of Rurutu, also in the Austral archipelago.
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References:
[1] Trevor H. Worthy; Robert Bollt: Prehistoric birds and bats from the Atihara Site, Tubuai, Austral Islands, East Polynesia. Pacific Science 65(1): 69-85. 2011
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edited: 09.03.2020
Burnt Microcystis Snail (Microcystis adusta)
The Burnt Microcystis Snail was described in 1938, it was in 1934 collected near the shore in littoral forest on the island of Tubuai, Austral Islands.
The species is described as having been similar to the congeneric Anderson’s Microcystis Snail (Microcystis andersoni H. B. Baker) with which tiogether it was described. [1]
***
The Burnt Microcystis snail was not recorded during recent field surveys and may be already extinct.
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References:
[1] H. Burrington Baker: Zonitid snails from Pacific Islands: Southern genera of Microcystinae. Bishop Museum Bulletins 158: 1-101. 1938
[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: 16.05.2019
Tubuai Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus sp.)
The Tubuai Fruit-Dove is known from subfossil remains that were recovered from a archaeological site on the island of Tubuai, Austral Islands.
These remains differ significantly from the bones of its geographically nearest congeners, the Rapa Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus huttoni Finsch) from Rapa, Austral Islands, and the Lilac-crowned Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus rarotongensis Hartlaub & Finsch) from Rarotonga, Cook islands.
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References:
[1] Trevor H. Worthy; Robert Bollt: Prehistoric birds and bats from the Atihara Site, Tubuai, Austral Islands, East Polynesia. Pacific Science 65(1): 69-85. 2011
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edited: 29.05.2019