Vertebrate extinction in Mediterranean islets: an example from Cyprus

Abstract

Cyprus is the third island in the Mediterranean with an area of 9.251 Km2. Is a 15 million year old island of oceanic origin which has never been connected to the mainland. In this study we attempt to tally all the extinctions that took place on the island of Cyprus and compare the emerging pattern with that of other islands. All the endemic animals recorded from the Pleistocene Fauna, the Pygmy hippopotamus Pha11ourios mi11utm, the Pygmy elephant Elaphas cypriotas, the Cyprus genet Ge11etta plesictoides, and the Ancient Cypriot shrew Crocidura maveolens praacypria, are extinct. These animals represent 60% of the endemic mammalian species aver recorded in Cyprus and 20% of the endemic subspecies. From the Archaeological Fauna nine taxa of animals were reported, which (with the exception of the Cyprus mouflon Ovis gmeli11i ophion) are not present today. From the avifauna two species and seven subspecies (12% of the total number of breeding taxa) were noted as endemic. Two of the latter, the Dipper Ci11clus ci11clus olympicus is extinct and the Raven Corvus corax cyprius is in danger of extinction. This pattern of extinction of indigenous species was also observed on other islands and is a consequence of small isolated island populations.