Located about 2300 miles (3680 km) from the nearest continental shore, the

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...

are the most isolated group of islands on the planet. The plant and animal life of the Hawaiian archipelago is the result of early, very infrequent colonizations of arriving species and the slow evolution of those species—in isolation from the rest of the world's flora and fauna—over a period of at least 5 million years. As a consequence, Hawai'i is home to a large number of

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

species. The

radiation In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium. This includes: * ''electromagnetic radiation'', such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visi ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

described by

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

in the Galapagos Islands which was critical to the formulation of his

theory of evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variatio ...

is far exceeded in the more isolated Hawaiian Islands. The relatively short time that the existing main islands of the archipelago have been above the surface of the ocean (less than 10 million years) is only a fraction of time span over which biological colonization and evolution have occurred in the archipelago. High, volcanic islands have existed in the Pacific far longer, extending in a chain to the northwest; these once mountainous islands are now reduced to submerged banks and coral

atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gr ...

s. Midway Atoll, for example, formed as a volcanic island some 28 million years ago.

Kure Atoll Kure Atoll (; haw, Hōlanikū, translation=bringing forth heaven; haw, Mokupāpapa, translation=flat island, label=none) or Ocean Island is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean west-northwest of Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands ...

, a little further to the northwest, is near the Darwin point—defined as waters of a temperature that allows coral reef development to ''just'' keep up with isostatic sinking. And extending back in time before Kure, an even older chain of islands spreads northward nearly to the

Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...

; these former islands, all north of the Darwin point, are now completely submerged as the

Emperor Seamounts An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (empr ...

. The islands are well known for the environmental diversity that occurs on high mountains within a

trade wind The trade winds or easterlies are the permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisph ...

s field. On a single island, the climate can differ around the coast from dry tropical (< 20 in or 500 mm annual rainfall) to wet tropical; and up the slopes from tropical rainforest (> 200 in or 5000 mm per year) through a temperate climate into alpine conditions of cold and dry climate. The rainy climate impacts soil development, which largely determines ground permeability, which affects the distribution of streams, wetlands, and wet places. The distance and remoteness of the Hawaiian archipelago is a biological filter. Seeds or spores attached to a lost migrating bird's feather or an insect falling out of the high winds found a place to survive in the islands and whatever else was needed to reproduce. The narrowing of the gene pool meant that at the very beginning, the population of a colonizing species was a bit different from that of the remote contributing population.

Island formation

Throughout time, the Hawaiian Islands formed linearly from northwest to the southeast. A study was conducted to determine the approximate ages of the Hawaiian Islands using

K–Ar dating Potassium–argon dating, abbreviated K–Ar dating, is a radiometric dating method used in geochronology and archaeology. It is based on measurement of the product of the radioactive decay of an isotope of potassium (K) into argon (Ar). Potassium ...

of the oldest found igneous rocks from each island. Kauai was determined to be about 5.1 million years old, Oahu about 3.7 million years old and the youngest island of Hawaii about 0.43 million years old. By determining the maximum age of the islands, inferences could be made about the maximum possible age of organisms inhabiting the island. The newly formed islands were able to accommodate growing populations, while the new environments were causing high rates of new adaptations.

Human arrival

Human contact, first by Polynesians and later by

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

s, has had a significant impact. Both the Polynesians and Europeans cleared native forests and introduced non-indigenous species for agriculture (or by accident), driving many endemic species to extinction. Fossil finds in

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

lava tube A lava tube, or pyroduct, is a natural conduit formed by flowing lava from a volcanic vent that moves beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow. If lava in the tube empties, it will leave a cave. Formation A lava tube is a type of lava ca ...

s, and sand dunes have revealed an avifauna that once had a native

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

, two raven-size

crows The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) is a series of remote weapon stations used by the US military on its armored vehicles and ships. It allows weapon operators to engage targets without leaving the protection of their vehicle. T ...

, several bird-eating

owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...

s, and giant ducks known as

moa-nalo The moa-nalo are a group of extinct aberrant, goose-like ducks that lived on the larger Hawaiian Islands, except Hawaii itself, in the Pacific. They were the major herbivores on most of these islands until they became extinct after human settle ...

s. Around 861 species of plants have been introduced to the islands by humans since its discovery by Polynesian settlers, including crops such as

taro Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Afri ...

and breadfruit. Today, many of the remaining endemic species of plants and animals in the Hawaiian Islands are considered endangered, and some critically so. Plant species are particularly at risk: out of a total of 2,690 plant species, 946 are non-indigenous with 800 of the native species listed as endangered.

Terrestrial animals

Mammals

Hawaiian hoary bat The Hawaiian hoary bat (''Lasiurus semotus''), also known as ''ōpeapea'', is a species of bat endemic to the islands of Hawaii. Whereas the mainland hoary bat (''L. cinereus'') is found throughout North America, the Hawaiian hoary bat is distrib ...

(a.k.a. ʻŌpeʻapeʻa) (''Lasiurus semotus'') - endangered *

Hawaiian monk seal The Hawaiian monk seal (''Neomonachus schauinslandi'') is an endangered species of earless seal in the family Phocidae that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian monk seal is one of two extant monk seal species; the other is the ...

(a.k.a. ʻIlio-holo-i-ka-uaua) (''Neomonachus schauinslandi'') - endangered * ''

Synemporion keana ''Synemporion keana'' is an extinct species of bat which lived in what is now Hawaii from at least 320,000 years ago to around 2,100 years ago. It is the only species in the genus ''Synemporion''.vesper bat Vespertilionidae is a family of microbats, of the order Chiroptera, flying, insect-eating mammals variously described as the common, vesper, or simple nosed bats. The vespertilionid family is the most diverse and widely distributed of bat familie ...

) - extinct

Birds

Hawaiian duck The Hawaiian duck (''Anas wyvilliana'') or koloa is a species of bird in the family Anatidae that is endemic to the large islands of Hawaii. Taxonomically, the koloa is closely allied with the mallard (''A. platyrhynchos''). It differs in that i ...

(a.k.a. Koloa) (''Anas wyvilliana'') - endangered *

Laysan duck The Laysan duck (''Anas laysanensis''), also known as the Laysan teal, is a dabbling duck endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Fossil evidence reveals that Laysan ducks once lived across the entire archipelago, but today survive only on Laysan Is ...

(''Anas laysanensis'') - critically endangered * Nene (a.k.a. Hawaiian goose) (''Branta sandvicensis'') - near threatened * Hawaiian petrel (''Pterodroma sandwichensis'') - endangered *

Newell's shearwater Newell's shearwater or Hawaiian shearwater (''ʻaʻo''), (''Puffinus newelli'') is a seabird in the family Procellariidae. It belongs to a confusing group of shearwaters which are difficult to identify and whose classification is controversial. I ...

(a.k.a. Hawaiian shearwater or 'a'o) (''Puffinus newelli'') - critically endangered *

Hawaiian hawk The Hawaiian hawk or ''io'' (''Buteo solitarius'') is a raptor in the genus '' Buteo'' endemic to Hawaii, currently restricted to the Big Island. The ''io'' is one of two extant birds of prey that are native to Hawaii, the other being the ''pueo' ...

(a.k.a. 'Io) (''Buteo solitarius'') - near threatened *

Laysan rail The Laysan rail or Laysan crake (''Zapornia palmeri'') was a flightless bird endemic to the Northwest Hawaiian Island of Laysan. This small island was and still is an important seabird colony, and sustained a number of endemic species, includ ...

(''Porzana palmeri'') - extinct *

Hawaiian rail The Hawaiian rail (''Zapornia sandwichensis''), Hawaiian spotted rail, or Hawaiian crake is an extinct species of diminutive rail that lived on Big Island of Hawaii. A dark form and a lighter, spotted one are known (see below). Taxonomy Co ...

(''Porzana sandwichensis'') - extinct *

Hawaiian gallinule The Hawaiian gallinule (''Gallinula galeata sandvicensis'') is an endangered chicken-sized water bird in the rail family. It is also variously known as the Hawaiian common gallinule, Hawaiian moorhen, Hawaiian common moorhen, mudhen, or ''� ...

(''Gallinula chloropus sanvicensis'') *

Hawaiian coot The Hawaiian coot (''Fulica alai''), also known as the alae ke'oke'o'' in Hawaiian, is a bird in the rail family, Rallidae, that is endemic to Hawaii. In Hawaiian, ''alae'' is a noun and means ''mud hen''. ''Kea'' or its synonym ''keo'' is an ad ...

(''Fulica alai'') - vulnerable *

Hawaiian stilt The Hawaiian stilt (''Himantopus mexicanus knudseni'') is an endangered Hawaiian subspecies of the black-necked stilt (''H. mexicanus'') species. It is a long-legged, slender shorebird with a long, thin beak. Other common names include the Hawaii ...

(''Himantopus himantopus knudseni'') * Hawaiian black noddy (''Anous minutus melanogenys'') *

Pueo The pueo (''Asio flammeus sandwichensis'') is a subspecies of the short-eared owl and is endemic to Hawaii. The pueo is one of the more famous of the various physical forms assumed by '' aumākua'' (ancestor spirits) in Hawaiian culture. Pueo in ...

(''Asio flammeus sandwichensis'') - endangered * Kauaʻi oʻo (''Moho braccatus'') - extinct * Oʻahu ʻōʻō (''Moho apicalis'') - extinct * Molokaʻi ʻōʻō (''Moho bishopi'') - extinct *

Hawaiʻi ʻōʻō The Hawaii ōō (''Moho nobilis'') is a member of the extinct genus of the ōōs ('' Moho'') within the extinct family Mohoidae. It was previously regarded as member of the Australo-Pacific honeyeaters (''Meliphagidae''). Description The H ...

(''Moho nobilis'') - extinct *

Kioea The kioea (''Chaetoptila angustipluma'') was a endemic Hawaiian bird that became extinct around the mid-19th century. Description The kioea was a large bird, about long, with a long, slightly curved bill. What distinguished the kioea from othe ...

(''Chaetoptila angustipluma'') - extinct *

Kāmaʻo The kāmao or large Kauai thrush (''Myadestes myadestinus'') was a small, dark solitaire endemic to Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. Characteristics The adult bird grew up to in length. The male and female of the species looked similar. It ...

(''Myadestes myadestinus'') - extinct * Puaiohi (''Myadestes palmeri'') - critically endangered * Olomaʻo (''Myadestes lanaiensis'') - critically endangered/extinct ** ʻAmaui (''Myadestes'' (''lanaiensis'') ''woahensis'') - extinct * ʻŌmaʻo (''Myadestes obscurus'') - vulnerable * Millerbird (''Acrocephalus familiaris'') - critically endangered * Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio (''Chasiempis sandwichensis'') - vulnerable * Oʻahu ʻelepaio (''Chasiempis ibidis'') - endangered * Kaua'i ʻelepaio (''Chasiempis sclateri'') - vulnerable *

Hawaiian crow The Hawaiian crow or alalā (''Corvus hawaiiensis'') is a species of bird in the crow family, Corvidae, that is currently extinct in the wild, though reintroduction programs are underway. It is about the size of the carrion crow at in length, bu ...

(''Corvus hawaiiensis'') - extinct in the wild *

Laysan finch The Laysan finch (''Telespiza cantans'') is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper, that is endemic to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is one of four remaining finch-billed Hawaiian honeycreepers and is closely related to the smaller Nihoa fin ...

(''Telespiza cantans'') - vulnerable *

Nihoa finch The Nihoa finch (''Telespiza ultima'') is one of the two endemic bird species of the tiny Hawaiian island Nihoa, the other being the Nihoa millerbird. When it was classified in 1917, scientists thought that it would be the last endemic species na ...

(''Telespiza ultima'') - critically endangered *

Lesser koa finch The lesser koa finch (''Rhodacanthis flaviceps'') is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. Description The only specimens of the lesser koa finch ever caught were a family group with members of different ages and genders, ideal for stu ...

(''Rhodacanthus flaviceps'') - extinct *

Greater koa finch The greater koa finch (''Rhodacanthis palmeri'') was a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. It was found only in the Hawaiian Islands. It has been extinct since the late 19th century. Description The bird was about 7–8 in (18–20 ...

(''Rhodacanthus palmeri'') - extinct *

Maui parrotbill The Maui parrotbill or kiwikiu (''Pseudonestor xanthophrys'') is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the island of Maui in Hawaii. It can only be found in of mesic and wet forests at on the windward slopes of Haleakalā. This spec ...

(''Pseudonestor xanthophrys'') - critically endangered *

ʻŌʻū The ōū (pronounced ''Pronunciation'': Like "oh-oo". In contrast, the ''oo'' ("oh-oh") is an unrelated Hawaiian bird (the ōō).) (''Psittirostra psittacea'') is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the Hawaiian islands. It has a d ...

(''Psittirostra psittacea'') - critically endangered/extinct *

Palila The palila (''Loxioides bailleui'') is a critically endangered finch-billed species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. It has a golden-yellow head and breast, with a light belly, gray back, and greenish wings and tail. The bird has a close ecological rel ...

(''Loxioides bailleui'') - critically endangered * Lanaʻi hookbill (''Dysmorodrepanis munroi'') - extinct *

Kona grosbeak The Kona grosbeak (''Chloridops kona'') is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. The Kona grosbeak was endemic to naio ('' Myoporum sandwicense'') forests on ʻaʻā lava flows at elevations of near the Kona District on the island of H ...

(''Chlroidops kona'') - extinct * Common ʻamakihi (''Hemignathus virens'') - least concern *

Oʻahu ʻamakihi The Oʻahu ʻamakihi (''Chlorodrepanis flava'') is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper in the family Fringillidae. The male is rich yellow below, sharply contrasted with greenish upper parts. Females are duller and have two prominent wing-bars. It ...

(''Hemignathus flavus'') - vulnerable *

Kauaʻi ʻamakihi The Kauaʻi ʻamakihi (''Chlorodrepanis stejnegeri'') is a species of Hawaiian honeycreepers endemic to Kauaʻi in the family Fringillidae. The species Hawaiian name is associated with is Kihikihi, or kihi, which stems from the word amakihi. Kihik ...

(''Hemignathus kauaiensis'') - vulnerable * Greater ʻamakihi (''Hemignathus sagittirostris'') - extinct *

Maui nukupuʻu The Maui nukupuu (''Hemignathus affinis'') is a species of nukupu‘u Hawaiian honeycreeper that was endemic to the island of Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. The small, five-inch-long bird lived only in eastern Maui, where it was dependent on hig ...

(''Hemignathus affinis'') - critically endangered/extinct *

Kauaʻi nukupuʻu The Kauai nukupuu (''Hemignathus hanapepe'') was a species of nukupuʻu once found throughout parts of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It was an insect eater that picked out its tiny prey from tree bark. The males were yellowish with brown wings, ...

(''Hemignathus hanapepe'') - critically endangered/extinct *

Oʻahu nukupuʻu The Oahu nukupuu (''Hemignathus lucidus'') was a species of nukupuu which was similar to its cousins from the Islands of Kauai and Maui. It is yellowish greyish with a long hooked beak to find insects. This bird is now extinct due to human act ...

(''Hemignathus lucidus'') - extinct *

ʻAkiapolaʻau The akiapōlāau (''Hemignathus wilsoni''), pronounced ''ah-kee-ah-POH-LAH-OW'', is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper that is endemic to the island of Hawaii. Its natural habitats are dry and montane moist forests, and the only bird species on ...

(''Hemignathus munroi'') - endangered * ʻAnianiau (''Magumma parva'') - vulnerable * Hawaiʻi ʻakialoa (''Akialoa obscura'') - extinct *

Kauaʻi ʻakialoa The Kauai ʻakialoa (''Akialoa stejnegeri'') was a Hawaiian honeycreeper in the subfamily Carduelinae of the family Fringillidae. It was endemic to the island of Kauai, Hawaii. It became extinct in the 20th century due to introduced avian disea ...

(''Akialoa stejnegeri'') - extinct *

Maui Nui ʻakialoa The Maui Nui 'akialoa or Lana'i 'akialoa (''Akialoa lanaiensis'') was a Hawaiian honeycreeper of the subfamily Carduelinae and the family Fringillidae. It was endemic to the island of Lanai, Hawaii in modern times, but seems to have occurred on ...

(''Akialoa lanaiensis'')- extinct * Oahu ʻakialoa (''Akialoa ellisiana'') - extinct * ʻAkekeʻe (''Loxops caeruleirostris'') - critically endangered *

Hawaiʻi ʻakepa The Hawaiʻi ʻakepa (''Loxops coccineus'') is an endangered ʻakepa native to Hawaiʻi in the Hawaiian Islands. All three of the ʻakepa were considered monotypic before being split by the NACC of the AOU in 2015. The Hawaii akepa was first c ...

(''Loxops coccineus'') - endangered *

Maui ʻakepa The Maui ʻakepa (''Loxops ochraceus'') is a species of ʻakepa native to Maui in the Hawaiian Islands, and which was common throughout the island. Introduced mosquitoes and other animals to Maui contributed to the declining population, and the ...

(''Loxops ochraceus'') - extinct *

Oʻahu ʻakepa The Oʻahu ʻakepa (''Loxops wolstenholmei'') is an extinct species of ʻakepa that was endemic to the island of Oahu. It was commonly sighted throughout the 19th century. This brick red Hawaiian honeycreeper was found in the mountain peaks in de ...

(''Loxops wolstenholmei'') - extinct *

ʻAkikiki The akikiki (''Oreomystis bairdi''), also called the Kauai creeper, is a critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to Kauai, Hawaii. Description The akikiki is small (13 cm length; 12-17 g mass), with gray plumage above and ...

(''Oreomystis bairdi'') - critically endangered *

Hawaiʻi creeper The Hawaii creeper, Hawaii creeper or ʻalawī (''Loxops mana'') is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the Big Island of Hawaii. Its natural habitats are dry forests and montane moist forests at elevations of . There are a total of ...

(''Oreomystis mana'') - endangered * Molokai creeper (''Paroreomyza flammea'') - extinct * Oʻahu ʻalauahio (''Paroreomyza maculata'') - critically endangered/extinct * Maui ʻalauahio (''Paroreomyza montana'') - endangered * Lanaʻi ʻalauahio (''Paroreomyza montana montana'') - extinct *

ʻAkohekohe The ākohekohe (''Palmeria dolei''), or crested honeycreeper, is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. It is endemic to the island of Maui in Hawaii. The ʻākohekohe is susceptible to mosquito‐transmitted avian malaria ('' Plasmodium relictum'') ...

(a.k.a. Crested honeycreeper) (''Palmeria dolei'') - critically endangered *

Poʻouli The poo-uli (''Melamprosops phaeosoma'') or black-faced honeycreeper, is an extinct species of passerine bird that was endemic to the island of Maui in Hawaiʻi. It is considered to be a member of the Hawaiian honeycreepers, and is the only mem ...

(''Melamprosops phaeosoma'') - critically endangered/extinct * ʻUla-ʻai-hawane (''Ciridops anna'') - extinct *

ʻIʻiwi The iiwi (''Drepanis coccinea'', pronounced , ''ee-EE-vee'') or scarlet honeycreeper is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. The iiwi is a highly recognizable symbol of Hawaii. The iiwi is the third most common native land bird in the Hawaiian Is ...

(a.k.a. Scarlet honeycreeper) (''Drepanis coccinea'') - vulnerable * Hawaiʻi mamo (''Drepanis pacifica'') - extinct * Black mamo (''Drepanis funerea'') - extinct *

Laysan honeycreeper The Laysan honeycreeper or Laysan apapane (''Himatione fraithii'') is an extinct bird species that was endemic to the island of Laysan in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Taxonomy The species was described by the British ornithologist Walter ...

(''Himantione fraithii'') - extinct *

ʻApapane The apapane (''Himatione sanguinea,'' pronounced /ˌ ɑ pɑˈpɑ neɪ/, ''ah-pah-PAH-ney'') is a small, crimson species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. They are the most abundant and widely distributed honeycreeper and ...

(''Himantione sanguinea'') - least concern

Freshwater fishes

: None of Hawaii's native fish are entirely restricted to freshwater (all are either

anadromous Fish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousan ...

, or also found in brackish and marine water in their adult stage). * Oopu nakea (''Awaous stamineus'') * '' Kuhlia xenura'' (a

flagtail The flagtails (' or ' in the Hawaiian language) are a family (Kuhliidae) of perciform fish of the Indo-Pacific area. The family consists of several species in one genus, ''Kuhlia''. Most are euryhaline and often found in brackish water, but th ...

species) * Oopu alamoo (''Lentipes concolor'') - data deficient * Oʻopu naniha (''Stenogobius hawaiiensis'') *

Sandwich Island sleeper ''Eleotris sandwicensis'', the Sandwich Island sleeper, Hawaiian sleeper or oopu, is a species of fish in the family Eleotridae endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it can be found in marine, fresh, and brackish waters around the coast. Due t ...

(''Eleotris sandwicensis'') - data deficient * Stimpson's goby (''Sicyopterus stimpsoni'') - near threatened

Terrestrial invertebrates

Insects

* ''

Hyposmocoma ''Hyposmocoma'' is a genus of moths with more 350 species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The genus was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1881. Most species of ''Hyposmocoma'' have plant-based diets, but four species, such as '' Hypos ...

'' (a genus of moths, such as the snail-eating caterpillar) * '' Paralopostega'' (a genus of moths) * ''

Mestolobes ''Mestolobes'' is a genus of moths of the family Crambidae described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1882. All species are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Species *''Mestolobes abnormis'' (Butler, 1882) *''Mestolobes amethystias'' Meyrick, 1899 ...

'' (a genus of moths) * ''

Orthomecyna ''Orthomecyna'' is a genus of moths of the family Crambidae. All species are endemic to Hawaii. Species *'' Orthomecyna albicaudata'' Butler, 1883 *'' Orthomecyna alloptila'' Meyrick, 1899 *'' Orthomecyna amphilyca'' Meyrick, 1899 *''Orthomecyna ...

'' (a genus of moths) * '' Scotorythra'' (a genus of moths) *

Kamehameha butterfly The Kamehameha butterfly (''Vanessa tameamea'') is one of the two species of butterfly endemic to Hawaii, the other is '' Udara blackburni''. The Hawaiian name is ''pulelehua''. This is today a catch-all native term for all butterflies; its orig ...

(a.k.a. Pulelehua) (''Vanessa tameamea'') * Green Hawaiian blue (''Udara blackburnii'') * Longhead yellow-faced bee (a.k.a. the Hawaiian yellow-faced bee) (''Hylaeus longiceps'') * ''

Thaumatogryllus ''Thaumatogryllus'' is a genus of crickets in the family Gryllidae. It currently consists of four species, all of which are endemic to Hawaii. Though very little is known about any of these species, it can be confirmed that ''T. conantae'' sho ...

'' (a genus of crickets) *

Wēkiu bug Wēkiu bug is the name given to two species of closely related flightless seed bugs in the genus ''Nysius'' that inhabit high elevations on the island of Hawaii. *''Nysius aa'' is endemic to the area around the summit of Mauna Loa Mauna Loa ...

(''Nysius wekiuicola'') *

Drosophila Sharpi ''Drosophila sharpi'' ( syn. ''D. attigua'') is a rare species of fly, one of several species known as the Hawaiian picture-wing flies. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Kauai. It was federally listed as an end ...

(a rare species of fly)

Crustaceans

* ''

Atyoida bisulcata ''Atyoida bisulcata'', also called or in Hawaiian, is a species of freshwater shrimp endemic to Hawaii in the family Atyidae.(2004), pre-press, American Fisheries Society Special Publication 31Orrell T. (custodian) & Nicolson D. (ed). (2019). ...

'' (a freshwater shrimp) * ''

Halocaridina ''Halocaridina'' is a genus of atyid shrimp. It contains two species – '' Halocaridina rubra'' and '' Halocaridina palahemo'' – both endemic to Hawaii. ''H. rubra'' is widely kept in aquaria. References Atyidae Crustaceans of Hawa ...

'' (a genus of marine and brackish water shrimp) * Hawaiian river shrimp ('' Macrobrachium grandimanus'')

Spiders

* '' Ariamnes makue'' (a spider) *

Happy face spider ''Theridion grallator'', also known as the Hawaiian happy-face spider, is a spider in the family Theridiidae that resides on the Hawaiian Islands. ''T. grallator'' gets its vernacular name of "Hawaiian happy-face spider" from the unique patterns ...

(''Theridion grallator'') *

Kauaʻi cave wolf spider The Kauai cave wolf spider (''Adelocosa anops'', the only species in the genus ''Adelocosa''), also known to local residents as the blind spider, is only known to occur in a few caves in a lava flow with an area of in the Kōloa– Poipū regi ...

(''Adelocosa anops'') - endangered * ''

Orsonwelles ''Orsonwelles'' is a genus of American dwarf spiders that was first described by G. Hormiga in 2002. They are all native to the Hawaiian Islands, each species occurring on a single island, often at high elevations. One species has not been col ...

'', a genus of 13 species, each endemic to a single island * ''

Nihoa Nihoa (; haw, Nīhoa ), also known as Bird Island or Moku Manu, is the tallest of ten islands and atolls in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). The island is located at the southern end of the NWHI chain, southeast of ...

'' (a genus of spiders)

Gastropods

Gastropods are snails. *

Oahu tree snail ''Achatinella'' is a tropical genus of colorful land snails in the monotypic Achatinellidae subfamily ''Achatinellinae''. Species are arboreal pulmonate gastropod mollusks with some species called Oʻahu tree snails or kāhuli in the Hawaiian l ...

s (''Achatinella'') - threatened, several already extinct * ''

Auriculella ''Auriculella'' is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinellidae. They are endemic to Hawaii (United States) and several species are extinct. They are oviparous (egg laying) ...

'' (a genus of land snails) - threatened, several already extinct * ''

Erinna Erinna (; grc-gre, Ἤριννα) was an ancient Greek poet. She is best known for her long poem "The Distaff", a 300-line hexameter lament for her childhood friend Baucis, who had died shortly after her marriage. A large fragment of this poe ...

'' (a genus of freshwater snails) - one vulnerable species, the other possibly extinct * '' Gulickia alexandri'' (a land snail) - critically endangered * ''

Newcombia ''Newcombia'' is a genus of tropical tree-living air-breathing land snails, arboreal pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinellidae. The Hawaiian tree snail genus ''Newcombia'' is a member of the family Achatinellidae and the end ...

'' (a genus of land snails) - threatened, one already extinct * '' Neritina granosa'' (a freshwater snail) - vulnerable * ''

Perdicella ''Perdicella'' is a genus of tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinellidae. They are endemic to Hawaii and the majority of the species are extinct. Species Species within the genus ...

'' (a genus of land snails) - threatened, several already extinct

Marine animals

Marine fishes

Cnidarians

* Finger coral (''Porites compressa'') * Thick finger coral (''Porites duerdeni'') * Brigham's coral (''Porites brighami'') * Molokaʻi cauliflower coral (''Pocillopora molokensis'') *

Irregular rice coral Irregular, irregulars or irregularity may refer to any of the following: Astronomy * Irregular galaxy * Irregular moon * Irregular variable, a kind of star Language * Irregular inflection, the formation of derived forms such as plurals in ...

(''Montipora dilatata'') * Blue rice coral (''Montipora flabellata'') * Sandpaper rice coral (''Montipora patula'') * Verril's lump coral (''Psammocora verrilli'') * Serpentine cup coral (''Eguchipsammia serpentina'') * Grand black coral (''Antipathes grandis'') * Bicolor gorgonian (''Acabaria bicolor'') * Small knob leather coral (''Sinularia molokaiensis'')

Plants

Apiales

* Lapalapa (''Cheirodendron platyphyllum'') * ʻŌlapa (''Cheirodendron trigynum'')

Arecales

* Loulu – (''Pritchardia'' fan palms)

Asparagales

Asparagaceae

* Golden hala pepe (''Dracaena aurea'') * Lanai hala pepe (''Dracaena fernaldii'') * Waianae Range hala pepe (''Dracaena forbesii'') * Royal hala pepe (''Dracaena halapepe'') *'' Dracaena halemanuensis'' * Hawai'i hala pepe (''Dracaena konaensis'') * Maui hala pepe (''Dracaena rockii'')

Asteliaceae

*''

Astelia argyrocoma ''Astelia argyrocoma'' is a species of astelia endemic to the highlands of Kauaʻi in the state of Hawaii, United States. This plant is found only in native Hawaiian tropical rainforests The Hawaiian tropical rainforests are a tropical moist ...

'' * Puaʻakuhinia (''Astelia menziesiana'') * Pa'iniu (''Astelia waialealae'')

Orchidaceae

* Hawai'i jewel orchid (''Anoectochilus sandvicensis'') * Hawai'i widelip orchid (''Liparis hawaiensis'') * Hawai'i bog orchid (''Peristylus holochila'')

Asterales

Campanulaceae

Alula The alula , or bastard wing, (plural ''alulae'') is a small projection on the anterior edge of the wing of modern birds and a few non-avian dinosaurs. The word is Latin and means "winglet"; it is the diminutive of ''ala'', meaning "wing". The al ...

(''Brighamia insignis'') - critically endangered *''

Lobelia niihauensis ''Lobelia niihauensis'', commonly known as the Niihau lobelia, is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family that is endemic to Hawaii. It is known only from the islands of Oahu and Kauai and is thought to be extirpated from Nii ...

'' - endangered *'' Lobelia oahuensis'' - critically endangered *''

Clermontia pyrularia ''Clermontia pyrularia'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common names Hamakua clermontia and pear clermontia. It is one of several Hawaiian lobelioids in genus ''Clermontia'' that are known as ''oha wa ...

'' - critically endangered *'' Cyanea konahuanuiensis'' - critically endangered *''

Cyanea platyphylla ''Cyanea platyphylla'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common names puna cyanea and flatleaf cyanea. It is endemic to the island of Hawaii, where there are fewer than 100 plants remaining in the wild.

'' - critically endangered *''

Cyanea superba ''Cyanea superba'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common names Mt. Kaala cyanea and superb cyanea. It is endemic to the island of Oahu, but it is now extinct in the wild. It exists in cultivation and s ...

'' - extinct in the wild *'' Cyanea truncata'' - critically endangered

Asteraceae

* Greensword (''Argyroxiphium grayanum'') * Hawaii silversword (''Argyroxiphium sandwicense'') * ʻEke silversword (''Argyroxiphium caliginis'') * Mauna Loa silversword (''Argyroxiphium kauense'') *''

Argyroxiphium virescens ''Argyroxiphium virescens'' was a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that was last seen in 1945. It was found only in the Hawaiian Islands where it was endemic to the eastern part of Maui. Its natural habitats were subtropical or ...

'' * Hawaiian iliau (''Wilkesia gymnoxiphium'') * Dwarf iliau (''Wilkesia hobdyi'') * Tree dubautia (''Dubautia arborea'') * Keaau Valley dubautia (''Dubautia herbstobatae'') * Bog dubautia (''Dubautia imbricata'') * Kalalau rim dubautia (''Dubautia kenwoodii'') * Small-headed dubautia (''Dubautia microcephala'') * Wahiawa bog dubautia (''Dubautia pauciflorula'') * Plantainleaf dubautia (''Dubautia plantaginea'') * Net-veined dubautia (''Dubautia reticulata'') * Wahiawa dubautia (''Dubautia syndetica'') * Waiʻaleʻale dubautia (''Dubautia waialealae'') * Koholapehu (''Dubautia latifolia'') *''

Dubautia kalalauensis ''Dubautia kalalauensis'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Hawaii where it is known only from the island of Kauai. There is only a single known population composed of 26 plants. This member of the ...

Cornales

* Kanawao (''Broussaisia arguta'')

Fabales

*''

Acacia koaia ''Acacia koaia'', known as ''koaia'' or ''koaie'' in Hawaiian, is a species of acacia that is endemic to Hawaii. It is closely related to ''koa'' (''Acacia koa''), and is sometimes considered to be the same species. Description ''Acacia koaia ...

'' - vulnerable * Māmane (''Sophora chrysophylla'')

Gentianales

* Na'u (''Gardenia brighamii'') - critically endangered * Pua ʻala (''Brighamia rockii'') - critically endangered

Malvales

* Yellow hibiscus (''Hibiscus brackenridgei'') - endangered

Myrtales

* ʻŌhiʻa lehua (''Metrosideros polymorpha'') *

Lehua mamo ''Metrosideros macropus'', the ''lehua mamo'' or ohi'a'', is a species of tree in the eucalyptus family, Myrtaceae. It is endemic to the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. It is closely related to the widespread and highly variable ''ōhi ...

(''Metrosideros macropus'') * Lehua papa (''Metrosideros rugosa'')

Piperales

* Peperomia cookiana

Rosales

* ʻĀkala (''Rubus hawaiensis'') * ʻĀkalakala (''Rubus macraei'')

Fungi

* ''Pholiota peleae'' * '' Rhodocollybia laulaha'' * ''

Mycena marasmielloides ''Mycena marasmielloides'' is a species of agaric fungus in the family Mycenaceae. Newly described to science in 2011, it is known only from Hawaiian montane wet forests. The species produces tiny mushrooms with pale brown to grayish caps up t ...

Hygrophoraceae

Hygrocybe

* * Glowing like the sun ''

Hygrocybe ''Hygrocybe'' is a genus of agarics (gilled fungi) in the family (biology), family Hygrophoraceae. Called waxcaps in English (sometimes waxy caps in North America), basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are often brightly coloured and have dry to waxy pile ...

lamalama'' * Slippery like a fish ''Hygrocybe pakelo'' * Pink rose in the mist or rain forest ''Hygrocybe noelokelani'' * ''Hygrocybe hapuuae''

References

External links

Flora of the Hawaiian Islands
from the Smithsonian Institution {{Flora of the United States by political division, state=expanded

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

Natural history of Hawaii Insular ecology