New Caledonia

New Caledonia has an exceptionally distinctive flora with over 2400 endemic species and several endemic families: Amborellaceae (Bill Laidlaw), Oncothecaceae (Endemia), Phellinaceae (Endemia), and Strasburgeriaceae (Endemia). Endemic conifers include Araucaria muelleri (MOBOT), Neocallitropsis pancheri (ARKive), Retrophyllum minus (ARKive), and the only parasitic gymnosperm Parasitaxus ustus (Parasitic Plant Connection). Endemic orchid genera include Cannaeorchis (Endemia), Dendrobate (Endemia), and Eriaxis (Endemia). Endemic palm genera include Kentiopsis (ARKive), Chambeyronia (PACSOA), Pritchardiopsis (ARKive) Veillonia (PACSOA), and Burretiokentia (PACSOA). Other endemic plants include the Panie Kauri (ARKive), Virotia angustifolia (Endemia), Ixora margaretae (Endemia), Xanthostemon aurantiacus (Endemia), Grevillea meisneri (Endemia), and Stromatopteris moniliformis (Endemia).

Remarkable birds found nowhere else include an endemic family, the Kagu (ARKive), and the tool-using New Caledonian Crow (Univ. Auckland). Other endemic birds include the Cloven-feathered Dove (Endemia), the New Caledonian Imperial Pigeon (Endemia), the Uvea Parakeet (ARKive), the New Caledonian Lorikeet (BirdLife Int'l), the New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar (BirdLife Int'l), the White-bellied Goshawk (ARKive), the Crow Honeyeater (Endemia), the New Caledonian Friarbird (Endemia), the Yellow-bellied Robin (Endemia), the Striated Starling (IBC), and the Red-throated Parrotfinch (Endemia).

Endemic mammals include the Ornate Flying Fox (Endemia), the New Caledonian Flying Fox (Endemia), the New Caledonia Blossom Bat (ARKive), the New Caledonia Wattled Bat (Endemia), the Loyalty Bentwing Bat (Endemia), and the New Caledonian Long-eared Bat (Endemia).

Representing genera of geckos unique to New Caledonia are the Large-scaled Chameleon Gecko (nephrurus.org), the Forest Bavayia (GGA), the recently described Dierogekko (Endemia) and Oedodera (Endemia), and the world's largest living species, the New Caledonian Giant Gecko (Endemia). Endemic skink genera include Graciliscincus (Endemia), Lacertoides (Endemia), Marmorosphax (Endemia), Lioscincus (Endemia), Nannoscincus (ARKive), Phoboscincus (Endemia), Sigaloseps (Endemia), Simiscincus (Endemia), and the recently described Kanakysaurus (Endemia) and Celatiscincus (Endemia).

Freshwater fish restricted to New Caledonia include a recently described endemic genus of silverside Bleheratherina pierucciae (flickr), Galaxias neocaledonicus (Endemia), a loach goby Rhyacichthys guilberti (Endemia), and several gobies: Protogobius attiti (Endemia), Schismatogobius fuligimentus (Zoological Studies pdf file), Stenogobius yateiensis (Endemia), and Sicyopterus sarasini (FishBase). Endemic marine fish include the New Caledonia Catshark (eol), the Blacktailed Spurdog (FishBase), a cardinalfish Apogon catalai (eol), a combtooth blenny Meiacanthus phaeus (eol), a dottyback Ogilbyina salvati (eol), the Glowtail Pipefish Doryrhamphus chapmani (CAS), the New Caledonian Thorny Seahorse (Dave Harasti), and an endemic genus of snake eel Rhinophichthus penicillatus (FishBase).

Butterflies known solely from New Caledonia include Papilio montrouzieri (Endemia), Graphium gelon (Endemia), Polyura gamma (Endemia), Paratisiphone lyrnessa (Endemia), and Austroypthima petersi (Endemia). Other endemic insects include a sphinx moth Compsulyx cochereaui (Endemia), a longhorned beetle Buprestomorpha montrouzieri (Endemia), a cicada Kanakia typica (Endemia), the Coconut Grasshopper (Endemia), a stick insect Gigantophasma bicolor (Phasmida), a damselfly Caledopteryx maculata (Endemia), a leafcutting bee Eutricharaea australis (Endemia), and an ant Cerapachys cohici (Discover Life). The harvestmen of the genus Troglosiro comprise the endemic family Troglosironidae (Zootaxa pdf file). Other endemic invertebrates include the spider genus Bradystichus (AMNH Digital Library pdf file), a scorpion Liocheles neocaledonicus (Endemia), a crab Odiomaris pilosus (Endemia), the land snails Placostylus fibratus (Endemia) and Pararhytida dictyodes (b-cabinet), Deshayes's Volute (Eddie Hardy), a sea urchin Coelopleurus exquisitus (NHM-London), and the nudibranchs Thorunna montrouzieri (Sea Slug Forum) and Hypselodoris flavomarginata (Sea Slug Forum).

New Caledonia is a territory of France and forms its own biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots). The marine fauna of New Caledonia is considered one of the world's most important marine centers of endemism (Science).