Endemic biota of the Auckland Region

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The Auckland region of New Zealand is home to numerous endemic flora and fauna. Many of these species have ranges restricted to the Waitākere Ranges, Great Barrier Island, Little Barrier Island and the Mokohinau Islands. A number of species have restricted ranges that include areas outside of the Auckland region, such as Buller's shearwater and Pycroft's petrel, or organisms such as the brown teal / pateke and stitchbird / hihi which have recently increased ranges due to conservation efforts.

Currently no freshwater fish species are known to be endemic to the Auckland region.[1]

## Endemic species

[edit]

Species below have been described as endemic to the Auckland region.

Image | Common name(s) | Scientific name | Type of organism | Distribution | Notes

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|  | Celmisia major var. major | plant  | Waitākere Ranges, Great Barrier Island group  | Found in coastal cliff faces in the Waitākere Ranges (Muriwai to Cornwallis), as well as Aiguilles Island, Great Barrier Island, where it may be extinct, and Kaikōura Island.[2][3]
| Mokohinau gecko  | Dactylocnemis "Mokohinau" | reptile  | Mokohinau Islands | Currently an undescribed species[4]
| Little Barrier giant wētā, wētāpunga  | Deinacrida heteracantha | insect  | Little Barrier Island | Formerly found on the mainland in Northland region and Auckland region.[5] Captive breeding programmes have established populations on Motuora and Tiritiri Matangi Island.[6]
| New Zealand storm petrel  | Fregetta maoriana | bird  | Little Barrier Island | The bird's only known breeding sites are found on Little Barrier Island.[7]
| Mokohinau stag beetle  | Geodorcus ithaginis | insect  | Mokohinau Islands | Currently only known from a single sea stack in the island group.[8]
| Great Barrier Island kānuka  | Kunzea sinclairii | plant  | Great Barrier Island | Often found in gorges and cliffs of central Great Barrier Island.[9][3]
| Waitakere scurvy grass  | Lepidium amissum†  | plant  | Waitākere Ranges | The species is extinct, last observed in 1917. It was formerly found along coastal cliffs of the Waitākere Ranges.[10][3]
|  | Libertia flaccidifolia | plant  | Rodney | Previously thought to be restricted to Mount Tamahunga, the species may also be present in southern Northland region.[11][12][3]
|  | Lindbergia maritima | plant  | Waitākere Ranges | Moss species known from one locality in the Waitākere Ranges.[13][14]
|  | Mecodema aoteanoho | insect  | Great Barrier Island | Typically found in broadleaf forests of Great Barrier Island.[15]
|  | Mecodema dunnorum | insect  | Rodney | Found in native forest reserves near Puhoi in Rodney.[16]
|  | Mecodema haunoho | insect  | Little Barrier Island | Typically found in the broadleaf forests of southwestern Little Barrier Island.[16]
|  | Migas insularis | spider  | Little Barrier Island | Known only to occur on Little Barrier Island, type specimen found on the Tom Thumb Track.[17]
|  | Migas minor | spider  | Waitākere Ranges | Known from a single female specimen, found inside a tree trunk in the Waitākere Ranges.[17]
|  | Migas sandageri | spider  | Mokohinau Islands | May also be present on the Poor Knights Islands.[17][18]
| Waitakere forget-me-not  | Myosotis pansa subsp. pansa | plant  | Waitākere Ranges | Found in coastal cliff faces in the Waitākere Ranges.[3]
|  | Neoramia finschi | spider  | Auckland | Known only to occur in the Auckland area.[19]
|  | Stanwellia hapua | spider  | Little Barrier Island | Known only to occur on Little Barrier Island, type specimen found on the Little Barrier Island summit track.[17]
| Great Barrier tree daisy  | Olearia allomii | plant  | Great Barrier Island group  |
| chevron skink, niho taniwha  | Oligosoma homalonotum | reptile  | Great Barrier Island, Little Barrier Island | Currently restricted to Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island, the species was formerly found in Northland region on the mainland.[4][20]
| Black petrel, tāiko, tākoketai, Parkinson's petrel  | Procellaria parkinsoni | bird  | Great Barrier Island, Little Barrier Island | The bird's only known breeding sites are located on Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island.[7]
| Northern Cook's petrel  | Pterodroma cookii cookii | bird  | Great Barrier Island, Little Barrier Island | The subspecies is known to breeding only on Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island.[7]
| Mokohinau groundsel  | Senecio pokohinuensis | plant  | Mokohinau Islands | Commonly found in association with petrel breeding grounds in the Mokohinau Islands.[21][3]
| Waitākere rock koromiko  | Veronica bishopiana | plant  | Waitākere Ranges | Commonly found on stream sides and cliff faces.[22][3]
| Riverhead speedwell  | Veronica jovellanoides | plant  | Rodney | Exclusive to the Ernest Morgan Reserve in Riverhead Forest.[23] [3]
|  | Veronica pubescens subsp. rehuarum | plant  | Great Barrier Island | Typically found in open coastal areas or scrubland.[24][3]
|  | Veronica pubescens subsp. sejuncta | plant  | Mokohinau Islands, Little Barrier Island | Typically found in open coastal areas or scrublands.[24][3]
| Korowai gecko, Muriwai gecko  | Woodworthia korowai | reptile  | Muriwai Beach, Oaia Island | Primarily found in sand dunes on Te Korowai-o-Te-Tonga Peninsula and on Oaia Island[25]

## Near, former or potentially endemic species

[edit]

The species listed below variously have ranges that are close to endemic to the Auckland region, were formerly restricted to the Auckland region, or may potentially be endemic.

Image | Common name(s) | Scientific name | Type of organism | Distribution | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

| brown teal, pāteke  | Anas chlorotis | bird  | New Zealand | Historically restricted to Auckland region and Northland region,[26] the species is now present in the South Island.[27]
| Buller's shearwater  | Ardenna bulleri | bird  | Hauraki Gulf | Has breeding sites across the Hauraki Gulf[7]
|  | Dictyomeridium neureuterae | lichen  | Ōtata Island, the Noises | As of 2024 has only been identified on the bark of Pseudopanax lessonii on Ōtata Island.[28]
| Great Barrier inaka  | Dracophyllum patens | plant  | Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula | Found primarily above 300 m (980 ft) above sealevel in rhyolitic soil on Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula.[29]
| Sinclair's tamingi  | Epacris sinclairii | plant  | Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula | Found primarily above 300 m (980 ft) above sealevel in rhyolitic soil on Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula.[30]
|  | Hierodoris huia | insect  | Waitākere Ranges | Currently only two observations of the species have been made, in the vicinity of Titirangi.[31]
|  | Ichneutica peridotea | insect  | Auckland region | While all observations of the species have been made in the Auckland region, it is suspected to also live in the Northland region.[15]
|  | Microscydmus lynfieldi | insect  | Lynfield | Currently the species had only been identified in the vicinity of Lynfield.[32]
| stitchbird, hihi  | Notiomystis cincta | bird  | New Zealand | Historically common across New Zealand, by the 20th century had become restricted to Little Barrier Island. Since 1991, the species has been reintroduced to islands and sanctuaries.[33]
| Jacinda's barnacle lichen  | Ocellularia jacinda-arderniae | lichen  | Auckland Region | Found growing primarily on coastal tanekaha north and west of Auckland.[34]
| pale flowered kūmarahou  | Pomaderris hamiltonii | plant  | Northland region, Rodney, Great Barrier Island, Pūkorokoro / Miranda | Found primarily around Pūkorokoro / Miranda in the Waikato Region, the Pouto Peninsula of Northland, around Warkworth, and on Great Barrier Island.[35]
| Pycroft's petrel  | Pterodroma pycrofti | bird  | Hauraki Gulf | Has breeding sites across the Hauraki Gulf[7]
|  | Ramalodium dumosum | lichen  | Huia | Identified at one location near Huia, the lichen has since not been identified.[36][37]
| New Zealand fairy tern, tara-iti  | Sternula nereis davisae | bird  | Northland region, Auckland region | One major breeding site in the Auckland region.[7]
| northern hebe  | Veronica obtusata | plant  | Waitākere Ranges, Kawhia Harbour, Whāingaroa Harbour | Found primarily on steep slopes and banks, on cliff faces and rock stacks.[38]
|  | Zelostemma thorpei | insect  | Waitākere Ranges | Currently the species has only been identified around Huia and the northern shores of the Manukau Harbour.[39][40]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bloxham, Matthew; Woolly, Jacinda; Dunn, Nicholas; Chaffe, Ange; Tutt, Carl; Melzer, Sabine (December 2023). Conservation Status of Freshwater Fishes in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
2. ^ de Lange, P.J. (1 February 2009). "Celmisia major var. major". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpkins, Emma; Woolly, Jacinda; de Lange, Peter; Kilgour, Cameron; Cameron, Ewen; Melzer, Sabine (December 2022). Conservation Status of Vascular Plant Species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 11 September 2024.
4. ^ a b Melzer, Sabine; Hitchmough, Rod; van Winkel, Dylan; Wedding, Chris; Chapman, Simon; Rixon, Melinda (March 2022). Conservation Status of Reptile Species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 11 September 2024.
5. ^ Thornburrow, Danny; Watts, Corinne (2011). "Habitat use, Behavior and Movement Patterns of a Threatened New Zealand Giant Weta, Deinacrida heteracantha (Anostostomatidae: Orthoptera)". Journal of Orthoptera Research. 20 (1): 127–136\. doi:10.1665/034.020.0112. ISSN 1082-6467.
6. ^ "Dawn Chorus - Bulletin 99" (PDF). Dawn Chorus: Bulletin. November 2014. ISSN 1171-8595. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
7. ^ a b c d e f Woolly, Jacinda; Lovegrove, Tim; Robertson, Hugh; Dell'Ariccia, Gaia; Melzer, Sabine (August 2024). Conservation Status of Birds in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 26 September 2024.
8. ^ Dickison, Mike (Sep–Oct 2019). "What Happened on Stack H?". New Zealand Geographic. 159.
9. ^ de Lange, Peter J (2014). "A revision of the New Zealand Kunzea ericoides (Myrtaceae) complex". PhytoKeys (40): 1–185\. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.40.7973. PMC 4154306. PMID 25197228.
10. ^ de Lange, P. J.; Heenan, P. B.; Houliston, G. J.; Rolfe, J. R.; Mitchell, A. D. (17 June 2013). "New Lepidium (Brassicaceae) from New Zealand". PhytoKeys. 24 (24): 1–147\. doi:10.3897/PHYTOKEYS.24.4375. ISSN 1314-2003. PMC 3689132. PMID 23794938. Wikidata Q21192509.
11. ^ Blanchon, D. J.; Weaver, J. S. (September 2009). "Libertia flaccidifolia (Iridaceae), a new species from Mt Tamahunga, Northland, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 47 (3): 317–324\. doi:10.1080/00288250909509812. ISSN 0028-825X. Wikidata Q54629030.
12. ^ "Libertia flaccidifolia". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
13. ^ Lewinsky, J. (June 1977). "Lindbergia maritima, a new moss species from New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 15 (2): 193–195\. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1977.10432542. ISSN 0028-825X. Wikidata Q122611627.
14. ^ de Lange, P. J. (5 November 2007). "Lindbergia maritima Fact Sheet". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
15. ^ a b Hoare, Robert J. B. (9 December 2019). "Noctuinae (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) part 2: Nivetica, Ichneutica" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 80. Illustrator: Birgit E. Rhode: 1–455\. doi:10.7931/J2/FNZ.80. ISSN 0111-5383. Wikidata Q94481265. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2021.
16. ^ a b Seldon, D.S.; Buckley, T.R. (2019). "The genus Mecodema Blanchard 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) from the North Island, New Zealand". Zootaxa. 4598 (1): zootaxa.4598.1.1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 31716064. S2CID 164710644.
17. ^ a b c d Raymond Robert Forster; Cecil Louis Wilton (1968). "The Spiders of New Zealand Part II: Ctenizidae, Dipluridae & Migidae" (PDF). Otago Museum bulletin. 2: 1–166\. ISSN 0474-859X. Wikidata Q113167422. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2024.
18. ^ Court, David J. (December 1982). "Spiders from Tawhiti Rahi, Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 12 (4): 359–371\. doi:10.1080/03036758.1982.10415342. ISSN 0303-6758. Wikidata Q99572960.
19. ^ Forster, R. R.; Wilton, C. L. (30 September 1973). "The Spiders of New Zealand Part IV: Agelenidae, Stiphidiidae, Amphinectidae, Amaurobiidae, Neolanidae, Ctenidae, Psechridae" (PDF). Otago Museum bulletin. 4: 1–309\. ISSN 0474-859X. Wikidata Q113167424. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2024.
20. ^ "Chevron skink". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
21. ^ de Lange, Peter J.; Pelser, Pieter B.; Liew, Chia-Sin; Marshall, Andrew J. (27 June 2022). "Senecio pokohinuensis (Asteraceae), a new combination for an endemic species of Mokohinau Islands, Hauraki Gulf (Tikapa Moana o Hauraki), northern Te Ika a Maui / North Island, Aotearoa / New Zealand". Ukrainian Botanical Journal. 79 (3): 125–129\. doi:10.15407/UKRBOTJ79.125. ISSN 0372-4123. Wikidata Q130282567.
22. ^ De Lange, PJ (1996). "Hebe bishopiana (Scrophulariaceae)—an endemic species of the Waitakere ranges, west Auckland, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 34 (2): 187–194\. Bibcode:1996NZJB...34..187D. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1996.10410682. ISSN 0028-825X.
23. ^ Albach, Dirk C.; Martínez-Ortega, Ma. Montserrat; Fischer, Manfred A.; Chase, Mark W. (2004). "Evolution of Veroniceae: A Phylogenetic Perspective". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 91 (2): 275–302\. ISSN 0026-6493. JSTOR 3298609.
24. ^ a b Bayly, Michael J.; Kellow, Alison V.; de Lange, Peter J.; Mitchell, Kevin A.; Markham, Kenneth R.; Garnock‐Jones, Phil J.; Brownsey, Patrick J. (March 2003). "Geographic variation in morphology and flavonoid chemistry in Hebe pubescens and H. bollonsii (Scrophulariaceae), including a new infraspecific classification for H. pubescens". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 41 (1): 23–53\. doi:10.1080/0028825X.2003.9512830. ISSN 0028-825X. Wikidata Q95996353.
25. ^ "Korowai gecko". New Zealand Herpetological Society. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
26. ^ Williams, Murray (March 1996). Brown Teal (Pateke) Anas chlorotis Recovery Plan (PDF) (Report). Department of Conservation. ISBN 0-478-01567-4.
27. ^ "Pāteke / brown teal". Project Janszoon. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
28. ^ Marshall, Andrew J.; Aptroot, André; Blanchon, Dan J.; de Lange, Peter J. (4 March 2024). "A new species of Dictyomeridium (Trypetheliaceae) from Aotearoa / New Zealand and an updated key to species of the genus". Perspectives in Biodiversity. 2 (1): 69–76\. doi:10.34074/PIBDIV.002108. ISSN 3021-114X. Wikidata Q134497495.
29. ^ de Lange, P.J. "Dracophyllum patens". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
30. ^ de Lange, P.J. "Epacris sinclairii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
31. ^ Patrick, B. H.; Dugdale., J. S. (2000). "Conservation status of the New Zealand Lepidoptera" (PDF). Science for Conservation. 136: 23. ISBN 0478218672. ISSN 1173-2946. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2018-06-01 - via Department of Conservation.
32. ^ Kuschel, G. (1990). Beetles in a suburban environment: A New Zealand case study.: The identity and status of Coleoptera in the natural and modified habitats of Lynfield, Auckland (1974–1989) (PDF). DSIR Plant Protection Report. Vol. 3\. ISBN 0-477-02596-X. Wikidata Q120031137.
33. ^ Adams, Lynn; Ewen, John (2019). Hihi Conservation: Annual Report of the Hihi Recovery Group (PDF) (Report). Hihi Conservation Group. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
34. ^ Marshall, Andrew J.; Blanchon, Dan J.; Lücking, Robert; de Lange, Theo J. P.; de Lange, Peter J. (17 December 2019). "A new Ocellularia (lichenized Ascomycota: Graphidaceae) from New Zealand indicates small-scale differentiation of an Australasian species complex". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 58 (3): 223–235\. doi:10.1080/0028825X.2019.1701504. ISSN 0028-825X. Wikidata Q134497503.
35. ^ de Lange, P. J. "Pomaderris hamiltonii Fact Sheet". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
36. ^ Henssen, Aino (15 March 1999). "New species of Ramalodium and Staurolemma from Australasia (Collemataceae, lichenized ascomycetes)". Nova Hedwigia. 68 (1–2): 117–130\. doi:10.1127/NOVA.HEDWIGIA/68/1999/117. ISSN 0029-5035. Wikidata Q127598620.1–2&rft.pages=117-130&rft.date=1999-03-15&rft_id=info:doi/10.1127/NOVA.HEDWIGIA/68/1999/117&rft.issn=0029-5035&rft.au=Henssen,+Aino&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Endemic+biota+of+the+Auckland+Region" class="Z3988">
37. ^ de Lange, P.J.; Blanchon, D. J. (February 2014). "he hunt for Ramalodium dumosum (Pannariaceae, lichenised ascomycetes)—an enigmatic lichen endemic to the southern Waitakere Ranges". Trilepidea (123).
38. ^ Ward, M.D. "Veronica obtusata Fact Sheet". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
39. ^ "Zelostemma thorpei Buhl, 2017". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
40. ^ Buhl, Peter N. (2017). "New species and a key to species of the New Zealand genus Zelostemma Masner & Huggert, 1989, (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae)". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 153 (1): 59–72\. ISSN 0013-8908. Wikidata Q129861891.

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