Tag Archives: Vanuatu

Ducula sp. ‘Erromango’

Erromango Imperial Pigeon (Ducula sp.)

This taxon is known from subfossil remains that were found on the island of Erromango, Vanuatu and apparently cannot be assigned to any of the congeneric forms found on that island today and may thus in fact constitute an extinct species.

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006

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edited: 29.01.2024

Pampusana sp. ‘Efate’

Efate Ground Dove (Pampusana sp.)

This form is known on the basis of subfossil remains that indicate a bird of similar size to the Friendly Ground Dove (Pampusana stairi (Gray)), a species that inhabits the islnds of western Polynesia.

The Efate Ground Dove was sympatric with the still existing smaller Santa Cruz Ground Dove (Pampusana sanctaecrucis (Mayr)). [1]

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References:  

[1] Trevor H. Worthy; Start Hawkins; Stuart Bedford; Matthew Spriggs: Avifauna from the Teouma Lapita site, Efate Island, Vanuatu, including a new genus and species of megapode. Pacific Science 69(2): 205-254. 2015

Eclectus infectus ssp. ‘Vanuatu’

Vanuatu Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus infectus ssp.)

This taxon is known from only two bones, a tibiotarsus and an ulna, that were recovered from a Late Holocene archaeological site on the island of Malakula, Vanuatu.

I personally would like to give that form a distinct subspecific placement, since other Eclectus Parrot taxa (Eclectus cornelia Bonaparte, Eclectus polychloros (Scopoli), Eclectus riedeli Meyer, Eclectus roratus (Müller)) are also usually restricted to single islands or island groups.

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References:

[1] David W. Steadman: A new species of extinct parrot (Psittacidae: Eclectus) from Tonga and Vanuatu, South Pacific. Pacific Science 60(1): 137-145. 2006

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edited: 19.05.2022

Prosopeia sp. ‘Tanna’

Tanna Parrot (Prosopeia sp.

There is a little account, or rather a kind of side note, that tells us of a parrot that once appers to have existed on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu. This little account from August 16, 1774 was made by Georg Forster on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu during James Cook’s second voyage around the world.:

The next morning we came ashore again, and immediately walked into the woods on the plain. We saw a great number of large and beautiful parroquets, of black, red, and yellow plumage; but they kept on the tops of the highest fig-trees, where they were wholly out of the reach of small shot, guarded by the thick foliage.” [1]

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Julian P. Hume thinks that this account most likely refers to a species of the genus Prosopeia, which otherwise is only known from the Fijian Islands. [2]

I personally, reading about the colors given in the account, do rather think that this account might rather be attributed to some kind of lorikeet, most likely from the genus Chalcopsitta or maybe Lorius, I will nevertheless maintain the name Prosopeia sp. given by Mr. Hume to avoid any confusions.

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References:

[1] George Forster: A voyage round the world, in his Britannic Majesty’s Sloop, Resolution, commanded by Capt. James Cook, during the years 1772, 3, 4, and 5. London: printed for B. White, Fleet-Street; J. Robson, Bond-Street; P. Elmsly, Strand; and G. Robinson, Pater-noster-Row. Vol. II. 1778
[2] Julian P. Hume: Extinct Birds: 2nd edition 2017

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edited: 11.02.2020

cf. Porphyrio sp. ‘Efate’

Efate Swamphen (cf. Porphyrio sp.)

Throughout the Pacific region we now know of several radiations of rails, which sometimes include congeneric pairs or triplets of species inhabiting, respectively having formerly inhabited, single islands.

The excavations that took place on the island of Efate, Vanuatu produced subfossil bones of several well-known rails, including the Pacific Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus ssp. samoensis Peale), but yet also of another, relatively large rail species that may have been a member of the same genus.

This form was similar in size and apparently in proportions to the likewise extinct Island Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli (Owen)) from New Zealand.

Yet, the currently known material isn’t sufficient enough to determine the genus exactly, let alone a species. [1]

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References:

[1] Trevor H. Worthy; Stuart Hawkins; Stuart Bedford; Matthew Spriggs: Avifauna from the Teouma Lapita Site, Efate Island, Vanuatu, including a new genus and species of Megapode. Pacific Science 69(2): 205-254. 2015

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edited: 01.09.2020

Aplonis sp. ‘Erromango’

Erromango Starling (Aplonis sp.)

The Erromango Starling is known from subfossil remains found on the island of Erromango, Vanuatu, which apparently cannot be assigned to one of the starling species that inhabit Vanuatu today, the Mountain Starling (Aplonis santovestris Harrison & Marshall), and the Rusty-winged starling (Aplonis zelandica (Quoy & Gaimard)).

This form apparently disappeared sometime after the arrival of humans onto the island. [1]

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References:

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006

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edited: 30.04.2021

Eclectus infectus ssp. infectus Steadman

Oceanic Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus infectus ssp. infectus)

The Oceanic Eclectus Parrot was described in 2006 based on subfossil remains that were recovered from archaeological sites in Tonga and Vanuatu.

The species almost certainly has survived into the late 18th century, because it apparently was depicted by an unknown artist during Alessandro Malaspina’s Pacific Expedition in 1793 (see depiction below) on the island of ‘Uta Vava’u, Tonga.

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References:

[1] David W. Steadman: A new species of extinct parrot (Psittacidae: Eclectus) from Tonga and Vanuatu, South Pacific. Pacific Science 60(1): 137-145. 2006

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Depiction made during the Malaspina Expedition between 1789 & 1794

(public domain)

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edited: 19.05.2022

Pampusana ferruginea (Forster)

Tanna Ground Dove (Pampusana ferruginea)

The Tanna Ground-Dove was originally known from two specimens, a male and a female collected on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, which, however, both are now lost.

The species is often thought to have been most closely related to the Santa Cruz Ground Dove (Pampusana sanctaecrucis (Mayr)) from the Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands north of Vanuatu, however, I personally have some doubts and prefer, for geographical reasons, to think that it may have been more closely related to the Friendly Ground Dove from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

All of these Pacific groud dove species are now highly threatened with extinction.

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The only ‘remain’ that proves the former existence of the tanna ground Dove is a drawing of the female specimens made by G. Forster in the 18th century.

The local name of this species was recorded as having been mahk.

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Depiction: Georg Forster, 1774

(public domain)

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edited: 09.03.2020

Zapornia sp. ‚Malakula‘

Malakula Swamphen (Zapornia sp.)  

This is one the countless rail forms that are represented by several subfossil bones only, which, on the one hand, are sufficient enough to show them to be new, but, on the other hand, are not sufficient enough to describe them as new species.  

The bones of this form were excavated on the island of Malakula, Vanuatu.  

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References:  

[1] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press 2006

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edited: 18.10.2020