List of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha animals extinct in the Holocene
This is a list of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha animals extinct in the Holocene that covers extinctions from the Holocene epoch, a geologic epoch that began about 11,650 years before present (about 9700 BCE)[a] and continues to the present day.[1]
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha is a British Overseas Territory located in the South Atlantic. The territory consists of Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and the archipelago of Tristan da Cunha (including Gough Island), all of volcanic origin.
Numerous animal species have disappeared from Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha as part of the ongoing Holocene extinction, driven by human activity.
Most recent remains dated to around 1640.[2] It likely became extinct when the island was deforested. Since the Saint Helena cuckoo was unusually small for a cuckoo, it likely parasited a small forest passerine species that is also extinct now.[3]
Described from Middle Pleistocene remains, but speculated to have survived until settlement due a 1584 mention of doves in the island. It was the fourth largest pigeon ever (after the dodo, Rodrigues solitaire, and Viti Levu giant pigeon) and likely flightless, which would have made it easy prey of humans or introduced mammals.[3]
Most recent remains at Prosperous Bay dated to around 1640. The species nested on the ground and was vulnerable to predation by cats and other introduced mammals.[2]
Likely the "aponar" (an old name for the great auk) mentioned by André Thévet in 1555. It was flightless or a poor flyer and nested on the ground, making it vulnerable to hunting and predation by introduced mammals.[3]
Last collected in 1967. Isolated exoskeleton pieces of individuals that were ingested by birds and spiders were found as late as 2014, but the large size and robustness of the species make it impossible to guess how recent they are. The earwig's habitat has been degraded by construction since it was last seen alive, while invasive predators like rats, mice, spiders, and the centipedeScolopendra morsitans have increased.[7]
Described from subfossil shells in 1875. It probably disappeared due to habitat modification caused by introduced goats, pigs, and rabbits, or predation by rats, mice, and the centipede Scolopendra morsitans.[13]
^The source gives "11,700 calendar yr b2k (before CE 2000)". But "BP" means "before CE 1950". Therefore, the Holocene began 11,650 BP. Doing the math, that is c. 9700 BCE.
References
^Walker, Mike; Johnsen, Sigfus; Rasmussen, Sune Olander; Popp, Trevor; Steffensen, Jorgen-Peder; Gibrard, Phil; Hoek, Wim; Lowe, John; Andrews, John; Bjo Rck, Svante; Cwynar, Les C.; Hughen, Konrad; Kersahw, Peter; Kromer, Bernd; Litt, Thomas; Lowe, David J.; Nakagawa, Takeshi; Newnham, Rewi; Schwander, Jakob (2009). "Formal definition and dating of the GSSP (Global Stratotype Section and Point) for the base of the Holocene using the Greenland NGRIP ice core, and selected auxiliary records" (PDF). Journal of Quaternary Science. 24 (1): 3–17. Bibcode:2009JQS....24....3W. doi:10.1002/jqs.1227. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
^ abcdefghLewis, C. A. (2008). The Late Glacial and Holocene avifauna of the island of St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 63(2), 128-144.
^BirdLife International (2016). "Gallinula nesiotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22728763A94995836. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728763A94995836.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^BirdLife International (2016). "Mundia elpenor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22728746A94995240. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728746A94995240.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
^Suhling, F. & Martens, A. (2011). "Sympetrum dilatatum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T21226A9259879. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T21226A9259879.en.
^Pryce, D.; White, L. (2014). "Labidura herculeana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T11073A21425735. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T11073A21425735.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Sota, T., Hori, M., Scholtz, C., Karagyan, G., Liang, H. B., Ikeda, H., & Takami, Y. (2020). The origin of the giant ground beetle Aplothorax burchelli on St Helena Island. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 131(1), 50-60.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis blofeldi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T4635A11050958. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4635A11050958.en.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis exulatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T4636A11046264. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4636A11046264.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis helena". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T4637A11052036. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4637A11052036.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis melanoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T4638A11047667. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4638A11047667.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Pryce, D.; White, L. (2014). "Chilonopsis nonpareil". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T4639A64303734. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T4639A64303734.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis subplicatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T4640A11052120. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4640A11052120.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis subtruncatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T4641A11052989. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4641A11052989.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Chilonopsis turtoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T4642A11054757. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4642A11054757.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha leptalea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9765A13014709. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9765A13014709.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha minutissima". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9766A13014755. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9766A13014755.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha polyodon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9767A13014801. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9767A13014801.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha pseustes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9768A13014847. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9768A13014847.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenoconcha sexdentata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9769A13014893. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9769A13014893.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenodiscus bilamellata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9770A13014939. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9770A13014939.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Helenodiscus vernoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9771A13014985. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9771A13014985.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Pseudohelenoconcha spurca". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T29614A9504837. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T29614A9504837.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Pupilla obliquicosta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T18912A8687380. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T18912A8687380.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). "Campolaemus perexilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T3714A10036311. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T3714A10036311.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.