West Caroline Islands
ID
830
Author(s)
J. Hales
Countries
Federated States of Micronesia
Major Habitat Type
Oceanic Islands
Drainages flowing into
Pacific Ocean, Philippine Sea
Main rivers to other water bodies
The Ngermeskang and Tabecheding rivers are some of the larger rivers in Palau. Lake Ngardok, located in Palau on the island of Babelthuap, is the largest freshwater lake in Micronesia.
Description
Boundaries
This ecoregion encompasses the westernmost islands of the Caroline Islands in Micronesia. It includes the island groups of Palau and Yap, which are located in the western Pacific Ocean bordering the Philippine Sea.
Terrestrial habitats
This ecoregion includes two terrestrial ecoregions: the Palau tropical moist forests [OC0110] and Yap tropical dry forests [OC0204] (WWF 2001).
Description of endemic fishes
The ecoregion contains a few endemic gobies, including Smilosicyopus fehlmanni, Stenogobius fehlmanni, and Stiphodon pelewensis.
Justification for delineation
The West Caroline Islands ecoregion was defined on the basis of distinctive (endemic or near-endemic) fish faunas.
References
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF) (2001) \Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World\ "<"http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial_nt.html">"