Ireland
Freshwater fish found
exclusively in Ireland include the Coomasaharan Char Salvelinus fimbriatus
(charr.org), the Blunt-snouted Irish Char Salvelinus obtusus (Ittiofauna), and the Cole’s Char Salvelinus colii (Ittiofauna). Three additional
species of char are restricted to Lough Melvin on the border of Ireland
and the United Kingdom:
the Sonaghen Trout Salmo
nigripinnis (charr.org),
the Gillaroo Trout Salmo
stomachius (Ittiofauna),
and Gray's Char Salvelinus
grayi (charr.org).
The Killarney Shad Alosa
killarnensis (Ittiofauna)
is restricted to Lough Leane.
Invertebrates unique to Ireland include the Durrow Pearl Mussel Margaritifera durrovensis
(Invertebrate Ireland
Online), an amphipod crustacean Niphargus wexfordensis
(Freshwater
Life), a marine amphipod Ischyrocerus
fractus (WoRMS), a burrowing worm anemone Edwardsia delapiae
(Habitas), a tufa-spring moth fly Panimerus
goodi (JSTOR),
a scuttle fly Megaselia
killarneyensis (Fauna Europaea), a midge Limnophyes
platystylus (ION), a parasitic wasp Mesoleptus hibernica (BBC), the platygastrid wasps Platygaster hibernica and Synopeas hibernicum (both at Hymenoptera On-Line pdf file),
and a potworm Grania
mira (informaworld).
Two moth subspecies are endemic: Photedes captiuncula tincta (Invertebrate Ireland
Online) and Aspitates (or Charissa) gilvaria burrenensis
(UKMoths).
Two vascular plants sometimes considered full species are known solely
from Ireland: the Fringed Rockcress Arabis brownii (Mike Lush)
is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Arabis hirsuta and
Hart’s Saxifrage Saxifraga
hartii (Flora of NW Europe) is often considered a
subspecies of Saxifraga rosacea.
For more information on Ireland's endemic flora and fauna see Ireland's
CBD report (CBD
pdf file).