What happened to the flora and fauna of the West Indies?
In the last 20,000 years more mammals have gone extinct in the Caribbean than any where else on earth. Recent excavations and readings from the older chronicles show that much of the mammals went extinct in the last 500 years commensurate with the arrival of Columbus. Since then hunting, habitat destruction and introduced invasives have drastically reduced the flora and fauna of the region. At least 37 species of nonvolant mammals lived on the Greater Antilles and surrounding groups of islands at the time of the arrival of the Europeans (Silva Taboada et al., 2007). Of those 37 species, only 12 have survived. They are spread throughout four islands; eight species on Cuba and two species on Hispaniola, one species on Jamaica and one species on the islet, East Plana Cay, off the Bahamas. Of these twelve species that have survived eight are endangered.
Of all the species that went extinct in the 500 year period, only three of these species were known while alive. These were the Jamaican Rice Rat, the West Indian Monk Seal and the Little Swan Island Hutia. While it is difficult to assign specific percentages to alien species or habitat destruction, it is reasonable to assume that a combination of both, depending on the species affected, are responsible for extinctions and extirpations.
The following is a list of all the flora and fauna that have become extinct (EX), extirpated (Ext) or extinct in the wild (EW) from a portion of their range. This is a living list and will get updated as verifiable information surfaces. The list is all inclusive so the various fauna are annotated with the following: [A] Amphibian [B] Bird [M] Mammal [P] Plant/Tree [R] Reptile.
Caribbean region:
[M] Monachus tropicalis (extinct) West Indian monk seal (last seen 1952)
Abaco:
[M] Geocapromys ingrahami abaconis (extinct) Great Abaco Hutia
[B] Icterus northropi (extirpated) Bahamian oriole
Anegada:
[R] Dromicus anegadae (extinct) Puerto Rican Racer (Barbour 1917)
Antigua:
[R] Alsophis leucomelas antiguae (extinct) Antiguan Racer (Parker 1933)
[R] Boa species (extinct) Antigua Boa
[R] Leiocephalus cuneus (extinct) Lesser Antillean curly-tailed lizard
[B] Athene cunicularia amaura (extinct) Antiguan burrowing owl
Bahamas:
[B] Sitta insularis (likely extinct) Bahama nuthatch
Barbados:
[R] Dromicus perfuscus (extinct) Barbados Groundsnake (Cope 1862)
[R] Kentropyx intermedius (extinct) Trinidad Whiptail Lizard (Peters & Donoso-Barros 1970)
[R] Alinea lanceolata (extinct) Barbados skink
[R] Erythrolamprus perfuscus (likely extinct) Barbados false coral snake
[R] Tetracheilostoma carlae (possibly extinct) Barbados threadsnake
Barbuda:
[M] Megalomys audreyae (extinct) [Fossil only] Barbudan Giant Rice Rat (Hopwood 1926)
[R] Alsophis leucomelas antiguae (extinct) Antiguan Racer (Parker 1933)
[R] Leiocephalus cuneus (extinct) Lesser Antillean curly-tailed lizard
Caymen Islands:
[B] Turdus ravidus (extinct) Grand Cayman thrush
[B] Icterus leucopteryx bairdi (extinct) Grand Cayman oriole
[P] Aegiphila caymanensis (likely extinct) Plant
Crooked Island:
[M] Geocapromys ingrahami irrectus (extinct) Crooked Island Hutia
Cuba:
[M] Geocapromys columbianus (extinct) Cuban short-tailed hutia
[M] Boromys offella (extinct) The Oriente cave rat|
[M] Boromys torrei (extinct) Torre’s cave rat
[B] Ara tricolor (extinct) Cuban red macaw
[B] Campephilus principalis bairdii (possibly extinct) Cuban ivory-billed woodpecker
[B] Myadestes elisabeth elisabeth (possibly extinct) Isle of Youth solitaire (Not seen since the 1950’s)
[M] Mesocapromys sanfelipensis (likely extinct) San Felip hutia (last seen 1978)
Dominica:
[B] Ara atwoodi (extinct) Dominica green and yellow macaw
Grenada:
[R] Dromicus melanotus (extinct) Shaw’s Dark Ground Snake (Garman 1887)
[R] Pseudoboa neuweidii (extinct) Neuwied’s False Boa (Bibron & Dumeril 1854)
[R] Clelia clelia groomei (extirpated) Windward Cribo (Daudin 1803) Not seen since 1967
[B] Lathrotriccus euleri flaviventris (extinct) Grenada Euler’s flycatcher
Guadeloupe:
[R] Dromicus juliae (extinct) Julia’s Ground Snake (Garman 1887)
[R] Alsophis leucomelas leucomelas (extinct)
[R] Alsophis species (extinct, fossil)
[R] Ameiva cineracea (extinct)
[R] Leptodactylus fallax (extinct)
[R] Pholidoscelis cineraceus (extinct) Guadeloupean Ground Lizard (Barbour & Noble, 1915)
[R] Pholidoscelis major (extinct) Guadeloupean Giant Ground Lizard (Duméril & Bibron, 1839)
[R] Leiocephalus cuneus (extinct) Lesser Antillean curly-tailed lizard
[B] Ara guadeloupensis (extinct) Guadeloupe macaw
[B] Amazona violacea (extinct) Guadeloupe Amazon parrot
[B] Psittacara labati (extinct) Guadeloupe parakeet
[B] Athene cunicularia guadeloupensis (extinct) Guadeloupe burrowing owl
[B] Troglodytes aedon guadeloupensis (extinct) Guadeloupe house wren
The Petite Terre Islands:
[R] Ameiva major (extinct) Petite Terre giant ameiva
Hispaniola:
[R] Hypsirhynchus melanichnus (extinct) Hispaniolan Olive Racer (Cope 1862)
[A] Palaeoplethodon hispaniolae (extinct) Hispaniolan Amber Salamander (Poinar & Wake 2015)
[M] Isolobodontinae Isolobodon portoricensis (extinct) Allen’s hutia
[M] Solenodon marcanoi (extinct) Marcano’s solenodon
[M] Brotomys voratus (extinct) Hispaniolan edible rat
[M] Brotomys contractus (extinct) Haitian edible rat
[M] Isolobodon montanus (extinct) Montane hutia
[R] Spondylurus haitiae (likely extinct) Hispaniolan four-lined skink
[R] Ialtris agyrtes (likely extinct) Barreras fanged snake
[A] Eleutherodactylus brevirostris (extinct) Shortsnout robber frog (Hedges & Díaz, 2009)
Inaugua Islands:
[R] Cubatyphlops paradoxus (possibly extinct) Great Inagua slender blindsnake Described/Last seen 1967
Jamaica:
[M] Oryzomys antillarum (extinct) Jamaican Rice rat (Thomas 1898) [last collected 1877]
[R] Celestus occiduus (extinct) Jamaican Giant Galliwasp [last seen 1840s]
[R] Hypsirhynchus ater (extinct) Jamaican Giant Racer (Gosse 1851)
[R] Tarentola albertschwartzi (extinct) Jamaican Giant Gecko (Sprackland & Swinney 1998)
[M] Xenothrix mcgregori (extinct) Jamaican monkey
[B] Amaurolimnas concolor concolor (extinct) Jamaican wood rail
[B] Tachycineta euchrysea euchrysea (likely extinct) Jamaican golden swallow
[B] Siphonorhis americana (likely extinct) Jamaican poorwill
[B] Pterodroma caribbaea (likely extinct) Jamaican petrel
[R] celestes microblepharis (likely extinct) Small-eyed galliwasp
[R] celestes molesworthi (likely extinct) Portland Coast galliwasp
Goat Island:
[R] Chilabothrus subflavus (extirpated) Jamaican Boa (Stejneger 1901)
Leeward Islands:
[R] Leiocephalus cuneus (extinct) Leeward Islands Curlytail (Etheridge 1964)
Little Swan Island:
[M] Geocapromys thoracatus (extinct) Little Swan Island Hutia (True 1888) (extinct in 1955)
Marie Galante:
[R] Dromicus mariae (extinct)
[R] Boa blanchardensis (extinct, fossil)) Marie-Galante Boa (Bochaton & Bailon 2018)
[R] Alsophis leucomelas leucomelas (extinct)
[R] Pholidoscelis turukaeraensis (extinct) Marie Galante Ground Lizard (Bochaton, Boistel, Grouard, Ineich, Tresset & Bailon 2017)
[R] Alsophis antillensis (extinct) Guadeloupe racer
[R] Capitellum mariagalantae (extinct) Marie-Galante skink
Martinique:
[R] Dromicus cursor (extinct)
[R] Gymnopthalmus pleii (extinct)
[M] Megalomys desmarestii (extinct) Giant rice rat [Early 20th century]
[R] Pholidoscelis major (extinct) Giant Ameiva
[R] Leiocephalus herminieri (extinct) Martinique Curlytail (Duméril & Bibron 1837)
[R] Erythrolamprus cursor (extinct) Martinique Groundsnake (Lacépède 1789)
[R] Boa species (extinct, fossil) Martinique Boa
[B] Ara martinicana (extinct) Martinique macaw
[B] Amazona martinicana (extinct) Martinique Amazon parrot
[B] Troglodytes aedon martinicensis (extinct) Martinique house wren
[R] Mabuya mabouya (likely extinct) Greater Martinique skink
[R] Capitellum metallicum (extinct) Lesser Martinique skink
[R] Erythrolamprus cursor (likely extinct) Lacépède’s false coral snake
Chevalier Island:
[R] Bothrops lanceolatus (extinct) Bothrops fer-de-lance (Lacepède 1789)
Diamond Rock:
[R] Erythrolamprus cursor (extinct) (Lacepède 1789)
Montserrat:
[R] Alsophis leucomelas manselli (extinct)
[M] Sigmodontinae undescribed species (possibly extinct)
[R] Mabuya montserratae (likely extinct) Montserrat skink
Navassa:
[R] Tropidophis bucculentus (probably extinct)
[R] Typhlops sulcatus (probably extirpated)
[R] Leiocephalus eremitus (extinct) Navassa Curlytail (Cope 1868)
[R] Cyclura onchiopsis (extinct) Navassa Rhinoceros Iguana (Cope 1885)
[R] Leiocephalus ermemitus (extinct)
[R] Anolis latirostris (extinct)
[R] Chamaelinorops barbouri (probably extinct)
Nevis:
[R] Alsophis rufiventris (extinct)
[M] Pennatomys nivalis (extinct) Nevis rice rat
New Providence:
[B] Chlorostilbon bracei (extinct) Brace’s emerald
Puerto Rico:
[R] Cyclura portoricensis (extinct)
[R] Borikenophis sanctaecrucis (extinct) Saint Croix Racer (Cope 1862) ????????
[A] Eleutherodactylus jasperi (probably extinct) Golden coqui (Drewry & Jones 1976) Not seen since 1981
[M] Heteropsomys insulans (extinct) Insular cave rat
[M] Nesophontes edithae (extinct) Puerto Rican nesophontes
[M] Phyllonycteris major (extinct) Puerto Rican flower bat
[B] Amazona vittata gracilipes (extinct) Culebra Amazon parrot
[A] Eleutherodactylus eneidae (likely extinct) Villalba rain frog
[A] Eleutherodactylus eneidae (likely extinct) Cayey rain frog
Mona Island:
[B] Psittacara maugei (extinct) Puerto Rican parakeet
Monita Island:
[R] Spondylurus monitae (likely extinct) Monito skink
Culebra Island:
[B] Amazona vittata gracilipes (extinct) Culebra Amazon parrot|
[R] Anolis roosevelti (extinct) Culebra giant anole
Redonda:
[R] Copeoglossum redondae (extinct) Redonda Skink (Conn 2012)
St. Kitts:
[R] Alsophis rufiventris (extinct)
[R] Ameiva griswoldi (extinct)
[A] Leptodactylus fallax (extinct) Mountain Chicken, Giant Ditch Frog
[B] Loxigilla portoricensis grandis (extinct) Saint Kitts bullfinch
St. Lucia:
[R] Dromicus ornatus (extinct) Saint Lucia racer (Garman 1887)
[R] Pseudoboa cloelia (extinct) Windward Cribo (Serie 1921)
[A] Leptodactylus fallax (extinct) Mountain Chicken, Giant Ditch Frog
[M] Megalomys Luciae (extinct) Giant rice rat (mid 19th century)
[R] Alinea luciae (extinct) Saint Lucia Skink (Garman 1887)
[R] Clelia errabunda (extinct) Saint Lucia Cribo (Underwood 1993)
[B] Leucopeza semperi (likely extinct) Semper’s warbler
[R] Erythrolamprus ornatus (extirpated) Ornate false coral snake
[P] Bonatea lamprophyll (extinct) Orchid (Combrink & Kyle, 2006)
St. Martin:
[R] Alsophis rijgersmaei (extirpated) The Anguilla Snake (Cope 1869)
[R] Spondylurus martinae (likely extinct) Saint Martin skink
St. Vincent:
[R] Drymobius boddaerti bruesi (extinct) Windward Tree Racer (Cope 1885)
[R] Ameiva aquilina (extinct) Antillean Ameiva (Barbour 1914)
[M] Oligoryzomys victus (extinct) (Thomas 1898) Saint Vincent pygmy rice rat
Swan Island:
[R] Iguana delicatissima (extirpated) Lesser Antillean Iguana (Laurenti 1768)
Turks & Caicos Islands:
[R] Spondylurus turksae (likely extinct on Turks and Gibbs Cay) Turks skink
[R] Aristelliger hechti (likely extirpated from Middle Caicos) Caicos gecko
Trinidad:
[R] Anolis extremus (extinct)
Virgin Islands:
St. Croix:
[R] Alsophis sanctaecrucis (extinct) Saint Croix Racer (Cope 1862)
[R] Ameiva corvina (extinct) Sombrero Ameiva (Cope 1861)
[R] Ameiva polops (presumed extirpated) St. Croix Ground Lizard (Grant 1937) Not seen since 1968
[R] Alsophis sancticrucis (extinct)
[R] Spondylurus magnacruzae (extinct) Greater Saint Croix skink
[R] Capitellum parvicruzae (extinct) Lesser Saint Croix skink
St. Thomas:
[R] Dromicus exiguous (extinct)
[R] Alsophis antillensis (extinct)
[R] Cyclura mattea (extinct)
[R] Alsophis portoricensis (extirpated)
St. John:
[R] Dromicus exiguous (extinct)
[R] Alsophis portoricensis (extirpated)
Updated: 10 April, 2021
http://www.caribherp.org/index.php?all=1
Barbour (1937). Third list of Antillean reptiles and amphibians. In text:
Citations: