List of mammals of the Solomon Islands archipelago explained

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Solomon Islands archipelago. The geographical area covered by this article refers to the archipelago of the Solomon Islands, which includes Bougainville Island, a province of Papua New Guinea, as well as the group of islands that make up the nation state of Solomon Islands. Within this area there are sixty-three mammal species of which four are critically endangered, one is endangered, and fifteen are vulnerable.

Three of the species listed for the Solomon Islands are considered to be extinct.[1]

The marine mammals of the order Cetacea that have been identified in the Pacific is described in the literature review by Miller (2006)[2] and by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).[3] A revision of the list of cetaceans reported in the ocean surrounding the Solomon Islands was carried by Miller (2009).[4]

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

EX ExtinctNo reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW Extinct in the wildKnown only to survive in captivity or as a naturalised populations well outside its previous range.
CR Critically endangeredThe species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
EN EndangeredThe species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU VulnerableThe species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NT Near threatenedThe species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LC Least concernThere are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DD Data deficientThere is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)

Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.

Order: Rodentia (rodents)

Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45kg (99lb).

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Order: Diprotodontia (marsupials)

The Diprotodontia are an order of about 125 species of marsupial mammals including the kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koala, wombats, and many others.

Order: Cetacea (whales)

The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.
  2. Book: Miller . Cara . Current State of Knowledge of Cetacean Threats, Diversity and Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region . 14 February 2006 . WDCS Australasia Inc . 98.
  3. Web site: Pacific Islands Regional Species Programme 2008-2012. Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) . 2008. 9 October 2013.
  4. Book: Miller . Cara . Current State of Knowledge of Cetacean Threats, Diversity and Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region . 1 July 2009 . WDCS Australasia Inc . 49–50.
  5. Book: Kahn B. . In: Green, A., P. Lokani, W. Atu, P.R amohia, P. Thomas and J. Almany (eds.) . Oceanic Cetaceans and Associated Habitats. http://www.conservationgateway.org/Files/Pages/solomon-islands-marine-as.aspx . 2006 . Solomon Islands Marine Assessment: Technical report of survey conducted 13 May – 17 June 2004. TNC Pacific Island Countries Report No.1/06. 530 . 446–510. Chapter 8 Oceanic Cetaceans & Associated Habitats.
  6. Book: Takekawa . Daisuke . Hunting method and the ecological knowledge of dolphins among the Fanalei villagers of Malaita, Solomon Islands . 2000 . SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin No. 12 . 3–11.
  7. Book: Review of Significant Trade: Species selected by the CITES Animals Committee following CoP14 and retained in the review following AC25. http://www.cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/com/ac/26/E26-12-02-A.pdf . 20 May 2014 . 2012 . CITES Project No. S-380: Prepared for the CITES Secretariat by United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre . 2–10. Tursiops aduncus, Ehrenberg, 1833: Solomon Islands, Delphinidae, Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin.

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