Turks and Caicos Islands
Reptiles
found nowhere
else include the Caicos Islands Dwarf Boa Tropidophis greenwayi
(ARKive),
the Turks Dwarf Gecko Sphaerodactylus
underwoodi (R.
Graham Reynolds), the Caicos Dwarf
Gecko Sphaerodactylus
caicosensis (flickr),
the Caicos Barking Gecko Aristelliger
hechti (Caribherp),
and the Caicos Curlytail Lizard Leiocephalus
psammodromus (ARKive).
Among the endemic reptile subspecies are the Turks and Caicos
Rock Iguana Cyclura
carinata carinata (IIF)
and the Turks Island Rainbow Boa Epicrates
chrysogaster chrysogaster (R.
Graham Reynolds).
Land snails unique to the Turks and Caicos Islands include Cerion brevispira (Cerion),
Cerion lewisi
(Cerion),
Cerion abbotti
(Cerion),
and Cerion caicosense
(Cerion).
Endemic arthropods include a tiger beetle Tetracha naviauxi (Species-ID),
a comb-clawed beetle Hymenorus
pygmaeus (AMNH),
the horseflies Stenotabanus
sputnikulus
(AMNH)
and Stenotabanus farri
(AMNH),
a hairstreak butterfly subspecies Strymon
acis leucosticha
(p. 3 of UKOTCF
pdf file), and a wall crab spider Selenops
baweka (Species-ID).
The most spectacular of several cave-dwelling marine invertebrates is
the recently described remipede crustacean Micropacter yagerae
(CaveBiology.com
pdf file) known only from Providenciales and the sole member of the
endemic family Micropacteridae. Other endemic cave-dwellers
include another remipede Kaloketos
pilosus (Zootaxa
pdf file), the
shrimps Stygiomysis
clarkei (p. 3 of CaveBiology.com
pdf file)
and Speonebalia cannoni
(CaveBiology.com
pdf file), a
polychaete worm Pelagomacellicephala
iliffei (CaveBiology.com),
an ostracod crustacean Deeveya
spiralis (CaveBiology.com
pdf file), an
isopod crustacean Bahalana
caicosana (CaveBiology.com),
and several copepod crustaceans: Erebonectoides
macrochaetus (CaveBiology.com),
Fosshagenia
ferrarii (CaveBiology.com),
and Caiconectes antiquus
(p.
4 of CaveBiology.com
pdf file).
A sponge Willardia
caicosensis (Natuurinformatie)
is known only from deep waters off the Turks and Caicos
Islands.
Vascular plant species restricted to the Turks and Caicos Islands
include the national flower, the Island Heather Limonium bahamense (ARKive).
Other endemic plants include the Winter Orchid Encyclia caicensis (IOPSE),
Britton's
Buttonbush Borreria
brittonii (p. 130 of environment.tc
pdf file), the
Ambergris Buttonwood Spermacoce
capillaris (ARKive),
the
Turks and Caicos Silverbush Argythamnia
argentea (p. 24 of ICCS
pdf file), Caroline's Pink Flower
Stenandrium carolinae
(ARKive),
Croton
hialmarsonii
(Kew),
the Turk's Island
Prickly Pear Opuntia
lucayana (p. 152 of environment.tc
pdf file),
Lepidium filicaule
(NYBG),
and Cynanchum (or Metastelma)
stipitatum (fig. 4 at BHL).
The
Turks and Caicos Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, part of the Bahamian
Dry Forests terrestrial ecoregion (EoE),
and are included in the Caribbean
Islands biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots). An overview of the
Turks and Caicos Islands and a description of some of its endemic
species can be found at (JNCC
pdf file).