Tubuai Islands



ID


825

Author(s)


J. Hales


Countries


French Polynesia

Major Habitat Type


Oceanic Islands

Drainages flowing into


Pacific Ocean


Description

Boundaries

The Tubuai Islands and Bass Islands together encompass the Austral Islands, a set of two archipelagos in the central South Pacific Ocean. The islands include Maria, Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai, and Raivavae (Tubuai Islands) and Rapa Iti and Marotiri (Bass Islands).

Topography

These islands are volcanic in origin.

Terrestrial habitats

These islands fall within the Tubuai tropical moist forests terrestrial ecoregion [OC0116] (WWF 2001).

Description of endemic fishes

This ecoregion contains two endemic gobiids: Stenogobius randalli from Tubuai Island and Stiphodon discotorquatus from Rurutu Island.

Other noteworthy fishes

Stiphodon discotorquatus is listed as Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List (2012). It has not been recorded since 1985 and may possibly be extinct.

Justification for delineation

 The Tubuai Islands ecoregion was defined on the basis of distinctive (endemic or near-endemic) fish faunas. Regional species sources included  Keith et al. (2002).


References

  • Keith, P.,Vigneux, E.;Marquet, G. (2002). "Atlas des Poissons et des Crustacés d'Eau Douce de Polynésie Française" 55 Paris, France: MNHN.
  • World Wildlife Fund (WWF) (2001) \Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World\ "<"http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial_nt.html">"
  • IUCN (2012) \IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2\ "<"www.iucnredlist.org">" (21 May 2013)