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Vol 3 Land Resource Inventory Report - Department of Environment ...

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23% endemism (McGinley, 2007). Some <strong>of</strong> the species <strong>of</strong> flora and fauna that are<br />

enedemic to Fiji include the following:<br />

Primitive tree – Degeneraceae.<br />

cycad, Cycas rumphi.<br />

giant Agathis macrophylla<br />

Dacrydium nausoriense<br />

24 native palm species<br />

Fiji Ground Frog (Platymantis vitianus)<br />

Fiji Tree Frog (Platymantis vitiensis)<br />

One terrestrial snake, Ogmodon vitiensis<br />

4 native passerines<br />

3 parrots<br />

4 pigeons<br />

Striking crested Iguana<br />

Banded Iguana<br />

silktail (Lamprolia victoriae)<br />

orange dove (Ptilinopus victor)<br />

golden dove (P. luteovirens)<br />

whistling dove (P. layardi)<br />

The long-legged warbler (Trichocichla rufa)<br />

bar-winged rail (Rallus poecilopterus)<br />

monkey-faced fruit bat (Pteralopex acrodonta)<br />

mastiff bat (Tadarida jobensis)<br />

pink-billed parrotfinch (Erythrura kleinschmidti)<br />

Peale‘s pigeon (Ducula latrans)<br />

Red-throated lorikeet (Charmosyna amabilis)<br />

Further the Wallis and Futuna Islands have endemic land snails and 5 endemic bird<br />

subspecies (Gill, 1995 as cited in McGinley 2007). Over half <strong>of</strong> the native flora <strong>of</strong> Fiji is<br />

made up <strong>of</strong> endemic species. Some <strong>of</strong> these endemics have narrow or limited distribution.<br />

For the palms 24 are endemics (except Calamus vitiensis). There is uncertainty whether<br />

Pritchardia pacifica is indigenous or was introduced when the islands were settled.<br />

Fiji has a total <strong>of</strong> 27 endemic species, the Fiji Petrel being the only endemic seabird<br />

species. Watling (2001) recognised 85 sub-species that are endemic to Fiji. These<br />

endemic birds are <strong>of</strong>ten confined on a single island. Such endemics include the Rotuman<br />

Polynesian Starling (Aplonis tabuensis rotumae) and Lesser Shrikebill (Clytorhynchus<br />

vitiensis wiglesworthi) found only in Rotuma, the Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus<br />

chloris eximia) and Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus ruficeps) <strong>of</strong> Kadavu and the<br />

Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis vitiensis) <strong>of</strong> Gau.<br />

Of these 225 known species <strong>of</strong> terrestrial gastropod mollusc fauna <strong>of</strong> Fiji, 43 are native<br />

(indigenous), 166 are endemic and 16 are introduced. This represents a level <strong>of</strong> 74%<br />

endemism, confirming the importance <strong>of</strong> the unique Fijian fauna at a national, regional<br />

and global level. The majority <strong>of</strong> native and endemic fauna appear to be associated with<br />

native forest habitats, that is, thirty-five members <strong>of</strong> three different families; namely,<br />

(Assimineidae, Ellobiidae and Truncatellidae) are considered to be associated with a high<br />

407

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