List of extinct animals of Réunion
Encyclopedia
The list of extinct animals in Réunion features the animals that have become extinct on the island of Réunion
. Réunion is one of the 26 régions of France
with much the same status as those situated on the European mainland
. At least 19 animal extinctions have occurred on Réunion Island.
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
. Réunion is one of the 26 régions of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with much the same status as those situated on the European mainland
Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
. At least 19 animal extinctions have occurred on Réunion Island.
Mammals
- Lesser Mascarene Flying FoxSmall Mauritian flying foxThe Small Mauritian Flying Fox or Dark Flying Fox is an extinct species of megabat. It lived on the islands of Réunion and Mauritius in the Mascarene Islands of the Indian Ocean...
, Pteropus subniger (1862)
Birds
- Réunion ShelduckRéunion ShelduckThe Réunion Shelduck or Kervazo's Egyptian Goose is an extinct species of goose from Réunion. It was a close relative of the Egyptian Goose and was about the same size. There is only one description remaining, that of Dubois made in 1674. He merely mentions that they were similar to European geese...
, Alopochen kervazoi (c.1690s) - Réunion Pochard, Aythya cf. innotata (c.1690s)
- Réunion Night HeronRéunion Night HeronThe Réunion Night Heron is an extinct species of heron formerly occurring on the Mascarene island of Réunion.It was for a long time only known from a single description, that of Dubois published in 1674. He speaks of "bitterns" the size of fat chickens which had grey plumage with white...
, Nycticorax duboisi (late 17th century) - Réunion Sacred IbisRéunion Sacred IbisThe Réunion Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis solitarius, is an extinct bird species that was native to the island of Réunion. It is probably the same bird discovered by Portuguese sailors there in 1613...
, Threskiornis solitarius (early 18th century) - Réunion KestrelRéunion KestrelThe Réunion Kestrel is an extinct bird of prey which belongs to the falcon family. It inhabited the Mascarene island of Réunion and was part of the Western Indian Ocean radiation of kestrels....
, Falco duboisi (c.1700) - Réunion RailRéunion RailThe Réunion Rail also known as Dubois's Wood-rail is an extinct rail species which was endemic to the Mascarenes island of Réunion...
, Dryolimnas augusti (late 17th century) - Réunion SwamphenRéunion SwamphenThe Réunion Swamphen, Réunion Gallinule or Oiseau bleu is a hypothetical species of extinct rail from Réunion, Mascarenes until now only known from reports of travellers....
, Porphyrio coerulescens (mid-18th century) - Réunion Pink PigeonRéunion Pink PigeonThe Réunion Pink Pigeon is an extinct species of pigeon that formerly lived on the Mascarene island of Réunion. It is known from the description of a rusty-red pigeon given by Dubois in 1674 and a single subfossil humerus that agrees with that of the Pink Pigeon of Mauritius in generic...
, Streptopelia duboisi (c.1700) - Réunion ParakeetRéunion ParakeetThe Réunion Parakeet was a little-known and extinct subspecies, sometimes considered a full species, of parakeet which used to inhabit Réunion Island in the western Indian Ocean. It is only known from descriptions, as well as illustrations of which it is unknown whether they were drawn from live...
, Psittacula eques eques (mid-18th century) - Mascarene ParrotMascarene ParrotThe Mascarene Parrot is an extinct species of parrot known from bones, specimens and descriptions to have occurred in the Mascarene island of Réunion, and possibly Mauritius. The bird was first described by Dubois in 1674...
, Mascarinus mascarinus (1834?) - Réunion OwlRéunion OwlThe Réunion Owl was a small owl that occurred on the Mascarene island of Réunion, but became extinct before living birds could be described; it is only known from subfossil bones. It belongs to the Mascarene owls of the genus Mascarenotus, and most likely was similar to a Long-eared Owl in size...
, Mascarenotus grucheti (late 17th century?) - Bourbon Crested StarlingBourbon Crested StarlingThe Bourbon Crested Starling , also known as Huppe, Crested Starling, or Réunion Starling is an extinct bird from the family of Sturnidae.-Description:...
, Fregilupus varius (1850s)
Reptiles
- Réunion Giant Tortoise, Cylindraspis indica (1800)
- Mauritius skink (1600)
Molluscs
- Dupontia proletariaDupontia proletariaDupontia proletaria is an extinct species of small air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Euconulidae, the hive snails.This species is endemic to Mauritius and Réunion....
- Harmogenanina linophoraHarmogenanina linophora†Harmogenanina linophora was a species of air-breathing land snails or semislugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Helicarionidae.This species was endemic to Mauritius and Réunion. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Harmogenanina subdetectaHarmogenanina subdetecta†Harmogenanina subdetecta was a species of air-breathing land snails or semislugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Helicarionidae.This species was endemic to Réunion. It is now extinct.-References:...
- Unio carieiUnio carieiUnio cariei was a species of medium-sized freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusc in the family Unionidae.This species was endemic to the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, but it is now extinct.-Source:...
See also
- List of extinct animals of Europe
- List of extinct animals of Africa
- List of extinct animals of Martinique and Guadeloupe