With the help of more than 100 IUCN Species Survival Commission Specialist Groups, Global Wildlife Conservation has compiled the following list of lost species, spanning more than 160 countries, as part of the Search for Lost Species. We welcome additional nominations and encourage conservationists, scientists and naturalists to launch searches for species on this broad list.
more at https://www.lostspecies.org/
Our LOST southern African species are:
INSECTS:
Hoppers:
• South-East African Burrowing Grasshopper Acrotylus mossambicus last seen unknown Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
• Mt. Coke False Shieldback Acilacris furcatus last seen: 1965 South Africa CR
• Peringueys Seedpod Shieldback Thoracistus peringueyi last seen: 1879 South Africa CR(PE)
• Imperiled Grass False Shieldback Paracilacris periclitatus last seen: 2008 South Africa CR
Katydids:
• Zulu Ambush Katydid Peringueyella zulu last seen: 1922 South Africa CR(PE)
Dragons:
• Elusive Skimmer Orthetrum rubens last seen: 1977 South Africa CR(PE)
CRABS:
• Suspect Rivercrab Potamonautes dubius last seen: 1890 Angola, Namibia DD
MAMMALS:
• Shortridges Rat Thallomys shortridgei last seen: 1932 South Africa DD
• De Wintons Golden Mole Cryptochloris wintoni last seen: 1937 South Africa CR(PE)
• Visagies Golden Mole Chrysochloris visagiei (incertae sedis) Only one specimen South Africa DD
• Karoo Rock Sengi Elephantulus pilicaudus last seen: 2008 South Africa DD
• Dusky Sengi Elephantulus fuscus One specimen from 2005, others pre-date 1968. Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe DD
FISH:
• Small Pipefish Campichthys nanus last seen: 1956? Mozambique DD
PLANTS:
• Watergrass Button Cotula myriophylloides last seen: 1971 South Africa CR(PE) Found by Nick Feb 2014: revised status: CR
• Pretoria Dolldaisy Dicoma pretoriensis last seen: 1925 South Africa CR(PE) [Macledium pretoriense on BODATSA]
• Lost Fingersedge Eleocharis lepta last seen: 1897 South Africa CR(PE)
• Waxen Cycad Encephalartos cerinus last seen: before 2000 South Africa CR(PE)
• Venda Cycad Encephalartos hirsutus last seen: 2004 South Africa CR(PE)
• Pearsons Panicum Panicum pearsonii last seen: 1913 Namibia CR(PE)
Are there any other species that should be included. Tell us and we will nominate them.
LIST TO BE NOMINATED:
• Mini Threadorchid Holothrix micrantha last collected: 1925 - Southern Gauteng endemic CR(PE) - Casper
Comments
Are there not more precise locations?
Holothrix micrantha Schltr. (CR PE - last collected in 1925) - Southern Gauteng endemic
see my online posting of Cotula myriophylloides rediscovery - hence remove from list
NO!!! No remove from list: add to this project!
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?subview=grid&taxon_id=190952
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/the-search-for-lost-species
Well Done!!
well at least change its status from CR PE to CR, as reflected in current redlist. There are probably over 100 CFR plants not seen for a century or more....so lots to add in due course
Yes I once started a list of lost species (I think after someone from the organisation contacted me) but got overwhelmed very soon. For the Cape Peninsula alone we have a list of 30+ lost plant species! Today's Red Listing work included:
Rabiea comptonii Last seen 1923 (somewhere near Bloemfontein)
Euphorbia muraltioides Last seen 1904 (near Grahamstown)
Chrysocoma acicularis Last seen 1948 (south of Witteberg)
Selago persimilis Widespread across the eastern Karoo, but last seen in 1935
If someone wants to take on this project for SA plants it would probably keep you busy for quite a while!
But are they not all categorized as DDD or something like that? Is there an easy way of getting to the ones that you have done?
If it is suspected that they may be threatened, then they are listed as DD. Otherwise Rare or Least Concern. A lot of them are taxonomically problematic. I think a query on collection dates of occurrence records would probably be a good place to start, but you'll get a list of hundreds of species - to research all of them is a big job, one would need to narrow it down to a manageable task somehow.
Extinct Species in Cape Town:
Hairy Bigstyle Buchu Macrostylis villosa subsp. minor (Buchu family)
Erica verticillata
Erica turgida
Cape Flats Gorse Aspalathus variegate
Grass Mountain Pea Liparia graminifolia
Wynberg Conebush Leucadendron grandiflorum (Protea family)
Table Mountain Window Reed Willdenowia affinis (Reed family)
Peninsula Snapdragon Nemesia micrantha (Snapdragon family)
Polycarena silenoides
Helictotrichon quinquesetum
Tetraria paludosa
WORK STILL IN PROGRESS
see also: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/extinct-in-the-wild/journal/14609-extinct-plant-species-in-south-africa
for a good list of species needing attention.
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