List of mammals of Christmas Island

This is a list of the mammal species recorded on Christmas Island. The island had five native and endemic land mammal species, of which four are now believed to be extinct.[1] In addition, five exotic wild mammals have been introduced to Christmas Island.

Carnivora

Name Species Authority Order Family Notes
Feral cat[2]
Felis catus
Linnaeus, 1758
CarnivoraFelidaeintroduced to Christmas Island.
Wild dog[2]
Canis lupus familiaris
Linnaeus, 1758
CarnivoraCanidaeintroduced to Christmas Island.

Chiroptera

Name Species Authority Order Family Notes Red List
Christmas Island pipistrellePipistrellus murrayi
Andrews, 1900
ChiropteraVespertilionidaeendemic to Christmas Island; possibly extinct since 2009.[3][4]
Christmas Island flying fox
Pteropus natalis
Andrews, 1900
ChiropteraPteropodidaeendemic to Christmas Island.[5][6]

Eulipotyphla

Name Species Authority Order Family Notes Red List
Christmas Island shrewCrocidura trichura
Dobson, 1889
EulipotyphlaSoricidaeendemic to Christmas Island. Possibly extinct; last observed in 1985.[1][7]

Rodentia

At the time of human settlement, Christmas Island hosted two endemic rodents, the bulldog rat and Maclear's rat. However, both species were extinct by 1908.[8][9] There is evidence that black rats, introduced to the island in 1899, carried the infectious parasite Trypanosoma lewisi, which was fatal to the native rodents.[10]

Name Species Authority Order Family Notes Red List
Maclear's rat
Rattus macleari
Thomas, 1888
RodentiaMuridaeendemic to Christmas Island; extinct.[8]
Bulldog rat
Rattus nativitatis
Thomas, 1888
RodentiaMuridaeendemic to Christmas Island; extinct.[9]
Black rat[2]
Rattus rattus
Linnaeus, 1758
RodentiaMuridaeintroduced to Christmas Island in 1899.[10][11]
House mouse[2]
Mus musculus
Linnaeus, 1758
RodentiaMuridaeintroduced to Christmas Island.[12]
Pacific rat[13]
Rattus exulans
Peale, 1848
RodentiaMuridaeintroduced to Christmas Island.[13]

Cetacea

Name Species Authority Order Family Notes Red List
Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Gray, 1846
CetaceaBalaenopteridaeNative migrant.[14]
Blue or Pygmy blue whales
Balaenoptera musculus intermedia
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaePossible migrant.
Southern fin whale
Balaenoptera physalus quoyi
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaeNative migrant or resident.
Sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis schlegelii
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaeNative migrant.
Bryde's whale
Balaenoptera brydei
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaeNative migrant or resident.
Antarctic minke whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaPhyseteridaeNative migrant.
Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaPhyseteridaeNative migrant or resident.[15]
Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
Gray, 1846
CetaceaGlobicephalaNative migrant or resident.[16]
Killer whale
Orcinus orca
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaDelphinidaeNative migrant or resident.[17]
Spinner dolphin
Stenella longirostris
Gray, 1828
CetaceaDelphinidaeNative migrant or resident.
Short-beaked common dolphin
Delphinus delphis
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaDelphinidaeNative migrant or resident.
Common bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Montagu, 1821
CetaceaDelphinidaePossible migrant.

Sirenia

Name Species Authority Order Family Notes Red List
Dugong
Dugong dugon
Lacépède, 1799
SireniaDugongidaeVagrant possible.[17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 John Woinarski "Australian endangered species: Christmas Island Shrew" The Conversation, 9 May 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Native animals" Christmas Island National Park, Australian government. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  3. Tara Martin, "Threat of extinction demands fast and decisive action" The Conversation, 24 July 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  4. Lumsden, L.; Racey, P.A. & Hutson, A.M. (2009). "Pipistrellus murrayi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 3.1 (3.1). International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  5. "Pteropus natalis — Christmas Island Flying-fox Species Profile and Threats Database, Australian government. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  6. Hutson, A.M.; Kingston, T.; James, D.; Lumsden, L.; Molur, S. & Srinivasulu, C. (2008). "Pteropus melanotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  7. L. Lumsden & M. Schulz (2008). "Crocidura trichura". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  8. 1 2 Lamoreux, J. (2009). "Rattus macleari". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  9. 1 2 Lamoreux, J. (2008). "Rattus nativitatis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  10. 1 2 Wyatt KB, Campos PF, Gilbert MTP, Kolokotronis S-O, Hynes WH, DeSalle R, et al. (2008) Historical Mammal Extinction on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) Correlates with Introduced Infectious Disease PLoS ONE, 3(11): e3602. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003602.
  11. Amori, G.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsain, G. & Palomo, L.J. (2008). "Rattus rattus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  12. Musser G, Amori G, Hutterer R, Kryštufek B, Yigit N & Mitsain G (2008). "Mus musculus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  13. 1 2 Ruedas, L.; Heaney, L. & Molur, S. (2008). "Rattus exulans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  14. "Christmas Island Local Planning Strategy - Shire of Christmas Island" (pdf). 2015: 1–93. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  15. Jenner M.. 2015. Cetacean Season 2015. Center for Whale Research - Western Australia
  16. Creatures
  17. 1 2 "Conservation values in Commonwealth waters of the Christmas and Cocos(Keeling) Island remote Australian territories" (pdf). 2009: 1–222. Retrieved 2016-04-19.

Further reading

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