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 presumed to be extinct.[1] In addition, five exotic wild mammals have been introduced to Christmas Island.

Carnivora

Introduced cats and dogs are a threat to native wildlife on Christmas Island and can carry potentially dangerous pathogens, such as Leptospira.[2] In 2014, the Australian Government announced a $500,000 investment to help eradicate stray and feral cats on the island, with the aim of complete eradication by 2020.[3] As of 2016, all pet cats on Christmas Island have been registered and de-sexed and no further cats will be permitted onto the island.[4]

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes
Feral cat[5]
Felis catus
Linnaeus, 1758
CarnivoraFelidaeintroduced
Feral dog[5]
Canis lupus familiaris
Linnaeus, 1758
CarnivoraCanidaeintroduced

Chiroptera

Christmas Island was once home to two native bat species, of which only one is extant. The Christmas Island pipistrelle was endemic to the island until 2009, when the last individual was recorded. In 2016, the species was assessed as extinct by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.[6] The remaining native bat species Pteropus natalis (Christmas Island flying fox) is classified as critically endangered.[7]

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Christmas Island pipistrellePipistrellus murrayi
Andrews, 1900
ChiropteraVespertilionidaewas endemic - last reported in 2009[8]
7
[6]
Christmas Island flying fox
Pteropus natalis
Thomas, 1887
ChiropteraPteropodidaeendemic[9]
7
[7]

Eulipotyphla

The Christmas Island shrew, once abundant on the island, has been very rare since the early twentieth century.[10] Since 1909, only four confirmed individuals have been recorded: two in 1958, and two in 1985.[10]

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Christmas Island shrewCrocidura trichura
Dobson, 1889
EulipotyphlaSoricidaeendemic - possibly extinct - last observed in 1985[1]
7
[10]

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.[11][12] 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.[13]

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Maclear's rat
Rattus macleari
Thomas, 1888
RodentiaMuridaeendemic - extinct
7
[11]
Bulldog rat
Rattus nativitatis
Thomas, 1888
RodentiaMuridaeendemic - extinct
7
[12]
Black rat[5]
Rattus rattus
Linnaeus, 1758
RodentiaMuridaeintroduced in 1899[13]
7
[14]
Polynesian rat[15]
Rattus exulans
Peale, 1848
RodentiaMuridaeintroduced
7
[15]
House mouse[5]
Mus musculus
Linnaeus, 1758
RodentiaMuridaeintroduced
7
[16]

Cetacea

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Gray, 1846
CetaceaBalaenopteridaenative migrant
7
[17]
Blue or pygmy blue whales
Balaenoptera musculus intermedia
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaepossible migrant
7
Southern fin whale
Balaenoptera physalus quoyi
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaenative migrant or resident
7
Sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis schlegelii
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaenative migrant
7
Bryde's whale
Balaenoptera brydei
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaBalaenoptiidaenative migrant or resident
7
Antarctic minke whale
Balaenoptera bonaerensis
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaPhyseteridaenative migrant
7
Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaPhyseteridaenative migrant or resident
7
[18]
Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
Gray, 1846
CetaceaGlobicephalanative migrant or resident
7
[19]
Killer whale
Orcinus orca
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaDelphinidaenative migrant or resident
7
[20]
Spinner dolphin
Stenella longirostris
Gray, 1828
CetaceaDelphinidaenative migrant or resident
7
Short-beaked common dolphin
Delphinus delphis
Linnaeus, 1758
CetaceaDelphinidaenative migrant or resident
7
Common bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Montagu, 1821
CetaceaDelphinidaepossible migrant
7

Sirenia

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Dugong
Dugong dugon
Lacépède, 1799
SireniaDugongidaepossible vagrant
7
[20]

See also

References

  1. John Woinarski "Australian endangered species: Christmas Island Shrew" The Conversation, 9 May 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  2. "Potentially serious pathogens found in feral cats on Christmas Island" Murdoch University press release. January 18, 2016. Archived November 24, 2017.
  3. Australian Government Department of the Environment (2014) "Christmas Island feral cat eradication" Accessed 24 November 2017.
  4. Australian Government Department of the Environment (2016) "Christmas Island feral cat eradication": Year 2 update (6-year project) Accessed 24 November 2017.
  5. "Native animals" Christmas Island National Park, Australian government. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  6. Lumsden, L.; Racey, P.A. & Hutson, A.M. (2017). "Pipistrellus murrayi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T136769A518894. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T136769A518894.en.
  7. Hutson, A.M.; Kingston, T.; James, D.; Lumsden, L.; Molur, S. & Srinivasulu, C. (2008). "Pteropus melanotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T18740A8525654. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T18740A8525654.en.
  8. Tara Martin, "Threat of extinction demands fast and decisive action" The Conversation, 24 July 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  9. "Pteropus natalis — Christmas Island Flying-fox Species Profile and Threats Database, Australian government. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  10. L. Lumsden & M. Schulz (2008). "Crocidura trichura". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved January 31, 2010.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  11. Lamoreux, J. (2009). "Rattus macleari". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2009.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  12. Lamoreux, J. (2008). "Rattus nativitatis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2009.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  13. 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.
  14. Amori, G.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsain, G. & Palomo, L.J. (2008). "Rattus rattus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2011.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  15. Ruedas, L.; Heaney, L. & Molur, S. (2008). "Rattus exulans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  16. Musser G, Amori G, Hutterer R, Kryštufek B, Yigit N, Mitsain G (2008). "Mus musculus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  17. "Christmas Island Local Planning Strategy - Shire of Christmas Island" (pdf). 2015: 1–93. Retrieved 2016-04-19. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. Jenner M.. 2015. Cetacean Season 2015. Center for Whale Research - Western Australia
  19. Creatures
  20. "Conservation values in Commonwealth waters of the Christmas and Cocos(Keeling) Island remote Australian territories" (pdf). 2009: 1–222. Retrieved 2016-04-19. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

Further reading

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