Tag Archives: Viti Levu

Aglaia fragilis A. C. Sm.

Fragile Aglaia (Aglaia fragilis)  

The Fragile Aglaia was described in 1942, it is known exclusively from the type material that had been collected one year prior to its description allegedly near the summit of Mt. Nanggaranambuluta, which probably is today’s Mt. Lomalangi in the Nadarivatu region in the northern part of Viti Levu, Fiji. [1]

The species was never found since and is considered extinct. 

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Referenzen:  

[1] Albert C. Smith: Flora Vitiensis Nova: A new flora of Fiji (Spermatophytes only). Vol. 3. Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii 1985

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edited: 04.09.2019

Levuana iridescens Bethune-Baker

Levuana Moth (Levuana iridescens)

The Levuana Moth was described in 1906; it is only known from the island of Viti Levu, Fiji; it is, however, almost certainly not native and more likely originates from some place west to the Fijian Islands, maybe Vanuatu.

the species has a wingspan of about 1.6 cm; its head and the thorax are steely blue; the abdomen is ochreous; the forewings are iridescent blue and somewhat subhyaline, so are the hind wings.

The larvae feed upon the leaves of coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.) and therefore, the Levuana Moth was considered a serious pest for Coconut plantations and thus for the copra production.

Because of that, a biological control program was started in 1925 to solve the problem, this involved the introduction of the Malayan Tachinid Fly (Bessa remota (Aldrich)) and was a total ‘success’ as it led to the complete extinction of the moth species.

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Depiction from: PaDIL
https://www.padil.gov.au
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en 

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edited: 17.02.2024

Volia athollandersoni Molnar, Worthy & Willis

Fijian Terrestrial Crocodile (Volia athollandersoni)

The Fijian Terrestrial Crocodile was described in 2002 based on numerous fossil or subfossil remains that were excavated on the island of Viti Levu. It was a member of the Mekosuchinae, a now extinct subfamily of rather strange, smaller crocodylians most of which were terrestrial animals and some obviously even tree-dwellers.

The Fijian species reached a size of 2 to 3 m and thus was the largest terrestrial carnivore and most likely preyed upon other large reptiles like iguanas and birds.

The Fijian Terrestrial Crocodile very likely was a favorite hunting target of the first humans and was soon completely eradicated. [1]

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References:

[1] R. E. Molnar; T. Worthy; P. M. A. Willis: An extinct Pleistocene endemic Mekosuchine Crocodylian from Fiji. Journal of Vertebrate Paelontology 22(3): 612-628. 2002

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edited: 04.10.2020

Tachybaptus novaehollandiae ssp. ‘Fiji’

Undetermined Fijian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae ssp.)

This form is known only from subfossil bones that were recovered from deposits on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji. [1]

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This might be identical with the Solomon Islands Tricolored Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis ssp. collaris (Mayr)), which is the form closest geographically, or it might have been an endemic subspecies or 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: 07.05.2021

Vitirallus watlingi T. H. Worthy

Viti Levu Rail (Vitirallus watlingi)

The Viti Levu Rail was described in 2004 based on subfossil remains collected from cave deposits on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji.

The species was flightless, it reached about the same size as the likewise extinct Bar-winged Rail (Gallirallus poecilopterus (Hartlaub)) but had a distinctly elongated beak. [1]

The Viti Levu Rail probably disappeared sometimes after the Fijian Islands were settled by humans some 3000 to 4000 years before present, it is, however, quite possible that this species might have survived into the time of the first appearance of Europeans even when there is yet no evidence for that.

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References:

[1] Trevor H. Worthy: The fossil rails (Aves: Rallidae) of Fiji with descriptions of a new genus species. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 34 (3): 295–314. 2004

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edited: 16.09.2020

Charmosyna amabilis (Ramsay)

Red-throated Lorikeet (Charmosyna amabilis)  

This small, mainly green colored bird is deemed to be the rarest parrot of the Fiji Islands, where it formerly inhabited the islands of Ovalau, Taveuni, Vanua Levu, and Viti Levu.  

The Red-throated Lorikeet reached a size of 18 cm, its biology is virtually unknown, the same applies to its breeding behavior, the size of the clutch and similar data. The species is, resp. was known to the natives of the Fijian islands by several names, including Mihi (?), Kula, Kulawai, and Talaki ni medra wai na kula.  

The Red-throated Lorikeet was last found only in the higher regions at Mt. Tomanivi on the island of Viti Levu, the largest of the Fijian Islands, where it was last recorded in the year 1993, it is now most probably extinct. [1][2][3][4]

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References:  

[1] E. L. Layard: Notes on the Birds of the Navigators’ and Friendly Islands, with some Additions to the Ornithology of Fiji. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 490-506. 1876 
[2] H. Douglas Pratt, Phillip L. Bruner, Delwyn G. Berrett: A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton University Press 1987 
[3] Tony Juniper; Mike Parr: Parrots; A Guide to Parrots of the World. Yale University Press 1998 
[4] David W. Steadman: Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University Of Chicago Press 2006

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Depiction from: ‘G. D. Rowley: The Birds of the Fiji Islands. Ornithological Miscellany 1: 259-262. 1876’  

(public domain)

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edited: 12.02.2020

Aglaia unifolia P. T. Li & X. M. Chen

Single-leafed Aglaia (Aglaia unifolia)  

The Single-leafed Aglaia is known from the type material which allegedly was collected in 1947 somewhere near a mountain named Mt. Nanggaranambuluta, which may or may not be today’s Mt. Lomalangi in the Nadarivatu region in the northern part of Viti Levu, Fiji.

The species was never recorded since and is considered extinct.

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The Single-leafed Aglaia, however, is not mentioned at all in Albert C. Smith’s “Flora Vitiensis Nova: A new flora of Fiji” from 1985, thus this might indeed be one of the many cases in which a plant is considered extinct which probably never really existed but turns out some day to be just a different species with a wrong label. [1]

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Referenzen:  

[1] Albert C. Smith: Flora Vitiensis Nova: A new flora of Fiji (Spermatophytes only). Vol. 3. Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii 1985

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edited: 04.09.2019

Aglaia amplexicaulis A. C. Smith

Stem-clasping Aglaia (Aglaia amplexicaulis)  

The Stem-clasping Aglaia, described in the year 1936, is known only from three collections.  The plant is a smaller tree, up to 10 m tall and grows (or grew) in dense forests at elevations of 200 to 600 m.  

The species is known from at least two islands in the Fiji group, Kadavu and Viti Levu, and may be already extinct now.  

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edited: 18.03.2017

Syzygium minus A. C. Sm.

Mt. Evans Rose Apple (Syzygium minus)

The Mt. Evans Rose Apple was described in 1985, it was restricted to the Mt. Evans Range on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji.

The species is known from only two specimens that were collected in 1964, it was never found again since and is feared to be extinct. 

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edited: 04.09.2019

Nesobasis aurantiaca Tillyard

Orange Fiji Damselfly (Nesobasis aurantiaca)

The Orange Fiji Damselfly was described in 1924; it is only known from a single male specimen that had been collected on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji. 

The species is mainly red colored, bearing some black longitudinal stripes along the dorsal part of its thorax.

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The Orange Fiji Damselfly might by conspecific with Martina’s Fiji Damselfly (Nesobasis martina Marinov), which was only described in 2021 and which itself is only known by a single female specimen. [1]

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References:

[1] Milen Marinov: On the Fijian endemic genus Nesobasis Selys, 1891 with introduction of N. martina sp. nov. and N. monika sp. nov. (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) IDF-Report 165: 1-17. 2021

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edited: 10.01.2024

Anas sp. ‚Viti Levu‘

Fiji Teal (Anas sp.)  

This, up to now undescribed species is known only from a single subfossil bone, a scapula that was found in the Vatumu cave near the city of Nadi in the west part of the island of Viti Levu.  

The species was most probably closely related to the Australian Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea (Eyton)) resp. to the Australian Grey Teal (Anas gracilis Buller). [1]  

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References:  

[1] Geoffrey Richard Clark; Atholl Anderson: The early prehistory of Fiji. Terra Australis 31, Canberra: ANU ePress, December 2009

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edited: 18.10.2020

Ducula sp. ‘Viti Levu’

Viti Levu Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula sp.)

The Viti Levu Imperial-Pigeon is an undescribed species that is known only from subfossil remains that were recovered from the island of Viti Levu, Fiji.

The species is said to have been similar in size to the Lakeba Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula lakeba Worthy) and both may in fact have been identical to each other. [1]

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References:

[1] T. H. Worthy: A giant flightless pigeon gen. et sp. nov. and a new species of Ducula (Aves: Columbidae), from Quaternary deposits in Fiji. Journal of the royal Society of new Zealand 31(4): 763-794. 2001

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edited: 14.05.2019

Parkia parrii Horne ex Baker

Parr’s Parkia (Parkia parrii)

Parr’s Parkia was described in 1883, it is known only from the type collection that was allegedly made on the enigmatic ‘Parr’s Coffee Plantation’ somewhere along the Rewa River on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji, a locality that now cannot be traced anymore. 

According the the information accompanying the type, however, it was also found on the island of Vanua Levu.

The species was described as being an about 21 m tall tree with a 12 m tall trunk, the finely divided leaves are said to be about 30 cm long with six to eight opposite pairs of 10 to 12,5 cm long pinnae, which again bear about 1,6 to 1,9 cm long opposite leaflets.

The Fijian name was said to be vaivai, which is a generic name given to many legume species with finely divided leaves. [1]

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References:

[1] Helen C. Fortune Hopkins: The Indo-Pacific species of Parkia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae). Kew Bulletin 49(2): 181-234. 1994

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edited: 10.05.2019