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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Stacie A. Hathaway, James D. Jacobi, Robert Peck, Adam R. Backlin, Cynthia J. Hitchcock, Robert N. Fisher · U.S. Geological Survey

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Ecosystems Mission Area—Species Management Research Program Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Open-File Report 2023–1066

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Cover. Aerial view of Wake Atoll (Source: Google Earth image taken 2016), Gossypium stephensii, (Photograph by J. Gilardi, Island Conservation, 2019), Ampulex compressa and Olfersia sp. (Photographs by R. Peck, Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, 2019), Hemidactylus frenatus and Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Photographs by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019), and Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis (Photograph by J.D. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll— Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna By Stacie A. Hathaway, James D. Jacobi, Robert Peck, Adam R. Backlin, Cynthia J. Hitchcock, and Robert N. Fisher

Ecosystems Mission Area—Species Management Research Program Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force

Open-File Report 2023–1066

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2025

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit https://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–392–8545. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit https://store.usgs.gov/ or contact the store at 1–888–275–8747. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner. Suggested citation: Hathaway, S.A., Jacobi, J.D., Peck, R., Backlin, A.R., Hitchcock, C.J., and Fisher, R.N., 2025, Biodiversity surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring field guides for plants, arthropods, and herpetofauna: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2023–1066, 302 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231066. ISSN 2331-1258 (online)

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Acknowledgments Logistics, research coordination, and leadership were provided by Stacie Hathaway and Robert Fisher of the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center (USGSWERC). We appreciate the administrative support provided by the USGS-WERC San Diego and Sacramento offices. Additional administrative support was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center and the Hawai‘i Cooperative Studies Unit at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (UHH-HCSU). We thank Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center (PRSC) for supporting this project, particularly Kristen Rex and Joel Helm, who provided background and encouragement. Access, transport, and accommodations were provided by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and facilitated by Kristen Rex. We thank Captain Robert Gibson (Detachment 1, PRSC) for providing atoll-wide access and general support; Chugach Federal Solutions Inc. teams, especially the mess hall, fire department, lodging, logistical, and additional staff members who provided for our nourishment, safety, accommodations, and general well-being; and all others who graciously allowed our surveys to take place in their work and personal spaces. We extend many thanks to John Gilardi, who was on Wake Atoll when we performed the survey and provided useful information regarding the natural resources, locations of plant species, and ongoing management actions on the atoll; he also shared his excellent photographs. We thank those who provided species identifications: Neil Evenhuis (flies), Karl Magnacca (wasps), and Jai-Wei Tay (UH-M), who kindly identified the Asian subterranean termite. We thank Mashuri Waite, Forest and Kim Starr, Kenneth Puliafico, Leyla Kaufman, Alex Wegmann, Danko Taboroši, Levi Gray, Diane Elam, and especially, Joel Helm and James Stanford (PRSC) for their thoughtful reviews and helpful comments on this report. Finally, this project would not have been possible without the close and enjoyable collaboration of the survey team, which included authors Adam Backlin and Stacie Hathaway (USGS-WERC), Jim Jacobi (U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center), and Bob Peck (Hawai‘i Cooperative Studies Unit at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo).

Contents Acknowledgments��iii Chapter A. 2019 Wake Atoll Biodiversity Surveys Overview��2 Introduction��2 Methods��5 Species Identification Guides��5 Results��5 Discussion��5 References Cited��7 Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide��8 Introduction��8 Methods��8 Results��10 Discussion��12 Current (2019) Status of Plants and Plant Communities��12 References Cited��46 Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019��47 Reference Cited��56 Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll��.......57 Appendix B3. Plant Specimens Collected on Wake Atoll in 2019��.......193 Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide��196 Introduction��196 Methods��196 Results��200 Discussion��200 References Cited��214 Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll��216 Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Wake Atoll��216 Moss Mites (Acari: Oribatida) from Wake Atoll��217 Moss Mites (Acari: Oribatida) from Wake Atoll—Continued��218 Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Wake Atoll��219 Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Wake Atoll—Continued��220 Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae), Pseudoscorpion (Arachnida; Pseudoscorpiones), Short-Tailed Whipscorpion (Arachnida; Schizomida), Scorpion (Arachnida; Scorpiones), and Centipedes (Chilopoda; Geophilomorpha, Lithobiomorpha, and Scolopendromorpha) from Wake Atoll��221 Millipedes (Diplopoda), Including Flat-Backed Millipedes (Polydesmida) and Bristly Millipedes (Polyxenida), and Collembola (Entognatha, Including Entomobryidae and Isotomidae) from Wake Atoll��222 Cockroaches and Termites (Insecta: Blattodea) from Wake Atoll��223 Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Wake Atoll��224 Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��225 Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��226

Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) and Earwig (Insecta: Dermaptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��227 Flies (Insecta: Diptera) from Wake Atoll��228 Flies (Insecta: Diptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��229 Flies (Insecta: Diptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��230 Flies (Insecta: Diptera, Ulidiidae) and Webspinner (Insecta: Embioptera, Oligotomidae) from Wake Atoll—Continued��231 Hemiptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) from Wake Atoll��232 Hemiptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��233 Wasps and Bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll��234 Wasps and Bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��235 Ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll��236 Ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��237 Ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued��238 Moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera), Mantis (Insecta: Mantoidea), Dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata) from Wake Atoll��239 Crickets and Katydids (Insecta: Orthoptera) from Wake Atoll��240 Booklice (Insecta: Psocoptera), Thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera), Pill bugs (Malacostraca: Isopoda) from Wake Atoll��241 Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide��242 Introduction��242 Methods��242 Field Surveys��243 Results��244 Historical Records��244 Field Surveys��251 Summary of Reptile Species��251 Skinks��251 Geckos��252 Snakes��252 Invertebrates��252 Discussion��252 References Cited��259 Appendix D1. U.S. Geological Survey 2019 Reptile Survey Locations and Results��261 Appendix D2. Reptile Specimens Collected by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019��268 Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll��272 About this Guide��272 Information for Reference��273 General Shapes��273 Definitions��273 Risk Assessment��273 Management Feasibility��273 Diagnostic Characters��274 Anterior Loreal Guide��275 Components of Species Accounts��276 Quick Reference Guide��277

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Actual Size Reference for Species Recorded on Wake Atoll��280 Species Accounts for Taxa Recorded at Wake Atoll��281 Lizards (Skinks and Geckos)��281 Snakes��287 Horizon Species: Descriptions��288 Frogs and Toads��288 Lizards (Skinks, Geckos, and Anoles)��290 Metallic Skink��290 Moth Skink��291 Admiralty Brown Skink��292 Pacific Slender-Toed Gecko��293 Oceanic Gecko��294 Gold-dust Day Gecko��295 Green Anole��296 Brown Anole��297 Snakes��298 Brown Tree Snake��298 Gopher Snake��299 References Cited��300 Supplemental D.1. Example Species Observation Data Sheet��301

Figures A1. Image showing location of Wake Atoll��2 A2. Image showing Wake Atoll with habitat mapping units and selected sites referred to in the report��3 B1. Image showing Wake Atoll, including the three islets around the lagoon and selected sites referred to in the report��9 B2. Image showing location of sites on Wake Atoll where plant species were recorded during the 2019 field survey��11 B3. Photograph showing Heliotropium anomalum growing in open habitat on the northeast side of Wake Islet��11 B4. Photograph showing native species of cotton that is endemic to Wake Atoll��12 B5. Photograph showing open Heliotropium foertherianum woodland on Peale Islet��13 B6. Photograph showing flowers and immature fruit of Pemphis acidula��14 B7. Photograph showing flower of the tree Cordia subcordata��14 B8. Photographs showing Pisonia grandis and its habit, leaves, flowers, and sticky seed pods��15 B9. Photograph showing a native shrubland dominated by Scaevola sericea��16 B10. Photograph showing Sesuvium portulacastrum, a succulent herb that forms dense mats around the edges of brackish wetlands on Wake and Peale Islets��16 B11. Photograph showing the native grass, Lepturus repens, detected in the strand vegetation on Wake Atoll and in more inland sites��17 B12. Photograph showing mowed Bird Sanctuary area on the north part of Wilkes Islet��17 B13. Photograph showing large Casuarina equisetifolia tree growing in the open near the residential area on Wake Islet��18

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B14. Photograph showing Coccoloba uvifera trees becoming established in several locations on Wake and Peale Islets��18 B15. Photograph showing Cenchrus setaceus has aggressively invaded dry lowland habitats in Hawai‘i��19 B16. Photograph showing Clusia rosea, a small tree that grows along dry shorelines and lowland habitats in many areas across the Pacific��19 B17. Photograph showing Lantana camara, a small woody shrub that has been able to dominate lowland dry and mesic habitats in Pacific Island ecosystems��20 B18. Photograph showing the aggressive, invasive vine, Neonotonia wightii��20 B19. Photograph showing Black noddy tern perching on a branch of a Casuarina equisetifolia tree��21 B20. Photograph showing closeup of foliage and cones of Casuarina equisetifolia��21 B21. Photograph showing the introduced sandbur grass, Cenchrus echinatus��22 B22. Photograph showing flowers, immature seed pods, and foliage of the introduced invasive tree Leucaena leucocephala��22 B23. Photograph showing the introduced vine Passiflora foetida var. hispida��23 C1. Photographs showing methods used to collect arthropods��197 C2. Images showing locations where the collection methods took place��198 C3. Photographs showing shipping containers lined up in the industrial area on Wake Islet and debris in the shipping containers��199 D1. Photograph showing a sticky glue board attached to a tree��243 D2. Photographs showing Oceania snake-eyed skinks from Wake Atoll��244 D3. Photograph showing azure-tailed skink from Wake Atoll��245 D4. Photograph showing azure-tailed skink, melanistic phenotype from Wake Atoll��245 D5. Photograph showing a dark-bellied copper-striped skink��246 D6. Photograph showing a mourning gecko from Wake Atoll��246 D7. Photograph showing a common house gecko from Wake Atoll��246 D8. Photograph showing a Pacific stump-toed gecko��247 D9. Photographs showing Brahminy blindsnakes from Wake Atoll��248 D10. Photographs showing a gopher snake specimen from Wake Atoll in 1948��249 D11. Photographs showing an Oceania snake-eyed skink specimen from Wake Atoll��250 D1.1. Image showing locations of glue-board stations used during U.S. Geological Survey reptile surveys at Wake in 2019��261 D1.2. Image showing reptile and yellow crazy ant detections on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019.��262 D1.3. Image showing yellow crazy ant detection locations on reptile glue-board surveys and arthropod surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019........................��263 D1.4. Image showing Oceania snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus) detection locations on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019��264 D1.5. Image showing azure-tailed skink (Emoia cyanura) detection locations on glueboard surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019��265 D1.6. Image showing mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) detection locations on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019��266 D1.7. Image showing house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) detection locations on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019��267

Tables A1. Summary of species recorded during surveys by U.S. Geological Survey on Wake Atoll in 2019��6 B1. Summary of plant species recorded on Wake Atoll in the 2019 survey or during previous surveys��23 B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll��24 B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll��35 B4. List of invasive plant species that could become established on Wake Atoll if introduced��45 C1. List and status of arthropods collected during the 2019 survey of Wake Atoll��202 C2. List of arthropod species collected at Wake Atoll prior to 2019��210 D1. Summary and status of reptile species and dates recorded on Wake Atoll in museum records, reports and other opportunistic observations, and during U.S. Geological Survey reptile surveys in 2019��254 D2. Sticky glue board transect summary for U.S. Geological Survey reptile surveys at Wake Atoll in 2019��256 D3. Summary of U.S. Geological Survey nighttime visual encounter surveys for reptiles on Wake Atoll in 2019��258 D4. Summary of reptile specimens collected on Wake Atoll during U.S. Geological Survey surveys in 2019��258 B1.1 List of plant species recorded from Wake Atoll, with full taxonomic nomenclature and selected synonyms��47 B3.1 List of plant specimens collected during U.S. Geological Survey sampling on Wake Atoll in 2019��193 D2.1. List of reptile specimens collected during reptile surveys done by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019��268

Conversion Factors International System of Units to U.S. customary units

Multiply

To obtain

centimeter (cm)

0.3937

inch (in.)

millimeter (mm)

0.03937

inch (in.)

meter (m)

3.281

foot (ft)

kilometer (km)

0.6214

mile (mi)

kilometer (km)

0.5400

mile, nautical (nmi)

meter (m)

1.094

yard (yd)

hectare (ha)

2.471

Length

Area square kilometer (km2)

247.1

acre acre

Mass gram (g)

0.03527

ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

liter (L)

0.264172

Gallon

milliliter (mL)

0.03

fluid ounce (fl oz)

cubic meter (m3)

1.3

cubic yard (yd3)

Volume

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: °F = (1.8 × °C) + 32.

Abbreviations HMU

habitat management unit

INRMP

Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan

Pan Am

Pan American Airlines

SVL

snout vent length

USAF

United States Air Force

USGS

United States Geological Survey

YCA

yellow crazy ant

WWII

World War II

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna By Stacie A. Hathaway,1 James D. Jacobi,1 Robert Peck,2 Adam R. Backlin,1 Cynthia J. Hitchcock,1 and Robert N. Fisher1 |1|2|3

1U.S. Geological Survey. 2Hawai‘i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Chapter A. 2019 Wake Atoll Biodiversity Surveys Overview By Stacie A. Hathaway and Robert N. Fisher

A. Introduction Wake Atoll (generally referred to hereafter as “Wake”) is part of the Gilbert-Marshall Island chain in the Pacific Ocean, about 3,500 kilometers (km) west of the Hawaiian Islands, 2,600 km east of Guam, 3,200 km southeast of Japan, and 570 km north of Bokak Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (Bryan, 1959; U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). Wake is one of the most isolated terrestrial islands in the Pacific (fig. A1; U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). Wake consists of three islets: (1) Peale, (2) Wake, and (3) Wilkes, arranged in a V-shaped pattern around a central lagoon (fig. A2; Bryan, 1959). Wake is a low atoll with an average elevation of about 4 meters (m), maximum elevation of about 6.4 m above sea level, and a total land area of about 7 square kilometers (km2; U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2008). The climate is tropical maritime with little annual

Figure A1. Location of Wake Atoll (Google Earth image, 2016).

temperature variation (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2008). Mean annual temperatures range from 24.4 to 28.3 degrees Celsius (°C), with an annual maximum of 35 °C and a minimum of 20 °C. Rainfall averages about 890 millimeters (mm) per year (Weatherbase, 2020). Together, high temperatures and low rainfall generally keep Wake in a state of drought (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2008). Frequent tropical storms and typhoons generating high winds and waves can cause considerable damage to vegetation and infrastructure (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2008). Wake consists of porous coral rubble and limestone with organic matter in vegetated areas (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2008). Despite low endemism and biodiversity in general, Wake and other atolls protect various natural resources, including several terrestrial and marine natural resources, such as plants, seabirds, shorebirds, lizards, and sea turtles (Engilis and Naughton, 2004; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2005; Thaman, 2016).

Chapter A. 2019 Wake Atoll Biodiversity Surveys Overview

Figure A2. Wake Atoll with habitat mapping units and selected sites referred to in the report (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image, taken October 2015).

There is no prehistoric evidence that Wake was populated by pre-European Pacific peoples. Heinl (1947) provides an account of the pre-war history of Wake from 1568 to 1941, and additional historical context is contained in the Wake Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan (Verhaaren and Kullen, unpub. data, 2014) and the Wake Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP; U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). The brief history that follows is summarized from these documents. Wake was discovered in 1568 by Spanish explorers, although credit is given to British Captain William Wake, who rediscovered the island more than 200 years later in 1796. Wake was explored by U.S. Navy Commander Charles Wilkes and naturalist Titian Peale in 1841. The United States formally took possession in 1899. There are reports of several shipwrecks and otherwise limited visitations until the Japanese began landing to harvest bird feathers and fish for shark fins. A group of Japanese castaways were marooned on the atoll at one point. Remaining Japanese

camps were abandoned by 1922. Most early zoological and botanical observations are from the Smithsonian’s Tanager Expedition, which carried out a biological reconnaissance at Wake in 1923. The U.S. Navy was given jurisdiction over Wake in 1934 and gave permission for Pan American Airlines (Pan Am) to begin constructing facilities to support weekly trans-Pacific flights. In 1938, the Navy began plans for an outlying military base; however, construction did not begin until January 1941. Construction was not yet completed when the Japanese invaded and overran the island in December 1941 and occupied Wake for the rest of World War II. During the war, the Japanese continued to build many structures underground and behind embankments for protection against repeated bombing. After Japanese surrender in 1945, the atoll returned to U.S. possession and was placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Navy. Later, the civil administration was given to what is now known as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Military Air Transport Services and,

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

later, Military Airlift Command provided service to transient U.S. Air Force (USAF) aircraft while at Wake, and Pan Am and other airlines reestablished commercial airline services. During that period, population rose to roughly 2,000 people at the atoll, and an elementary school was constructed. Additional botanical and bird surveys were carried out during this period. In 1972, when long-range jet aircraft reduced the need for Wake as a refueling stop, the FAA transferred jurisdiction to the USAF until 1994. After this time, Wake was administered by the U.S. Army for missile defense and then transferred back to the USAF in 2002. On January 6, 2009, by Presidential Proclamation 8336, Wake Atoll was included in the establishment of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, is responsible for the management of the monument. On January 16, 2009, through Secretary Order 3284, the Secretary of the Interior delegated management of the monument to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In accordance with Proclamation 8336, this order (3284) states that Wake is under management by the USAF under the 1972 agreement with the Secretary of the Interior (Code of Federal Regulations 32 Part 935) until the agreement is terminated. The USFWS manages the areas surrounding Wake Atoll from the mean low water line out to 50 nautical miles as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Emergent lands are managed by the USAF and used for contingency deployments, an emergency landing facility, and fuel storage. With these activities, construction and maintenance at Wake have continued. In addition, there are currently (2019) regular flights to and from the atoll that carry passengers and supplies. Oceangoing barges bring the bulk of materials and supplies to the atoll and transport used equipment and materials off island. This history is important for understanding how Wake and its natural resources have been affected over time and illustrates an array of past and current (2019) pathways for invasive species. Non-native species have the potential to be invasive, defined by Executive Order numbers 13112 and 13751, as “species whose presence has caused harm or may cause harm to environmental or human, animal, or plant health” (National Invasive Species Council, 2008). Invasive species are well known to be important factors in the decline of unique natural communities, species, and ecological processes (Vitousek, 1990; numerous papers in Veitch and Clout, 2002; Engilis and Naughton, 2004). Per the Sikes Act, the USAF currently (2019) uses INRMPs to manage and protect natural resources on installations. The INRMP that addresses Wake includes components that cover biosecurity and pest management. These are long-term planning documents to guide Department of Defense (DOD) natural resource managers in the management of natural resources to support installation missions while protecting and enhancing resources for multiple uses and biological integrity (U.S. Department of Defense, 2018; U.S. Air Force, 2020). The initial plan introduced the goal to “bring together and integrate all management activities in a way that sustains, promotes, and restores the health and integrity

of ecosystems and that enhances the human environment on Wake Atoll” (Foothill Engineering Consultants, Inc., written commun., 2000). The 2008 INRMP identified the need for an invasive species risk assessment (U.S. Air Force, written commun., 2008). Invasive/pest species are recognized as one of the greatest threats to ecosystems and economies (Vitousek and others, 1997; Warziniack and others, 2021). Biosecurity is thus a concern at several scales from global to local, and to address this issue, prevention and control policies have been and continue to be improved at several levels of government (Ricciardi and others, 2020; Rawluk and others, 2021). A biosecurity plan is an effective tool for identifying and addressing non-native, potentially invasive species problems and concerns (Matos and others, 2018). In 2012, the USAF, with support from private consultants, authored the “Wake Island Biosecurity Management Plan” (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2012). The plan re-defined the container requirements and other elements of USAF shipping to the atoll. The biosecurity plan was updated in 2015 (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2015) and incorporated into the 2017 INRMP as a component plan. The current (2015) biosecurity plan retains a rodent focus. However, some components of the intervention measures within it have potential for inhibiting or intercepting invasive species other than rodents. The INRMP calls for this plan to be updated periodically. In 2017, the U.S. Air Force issued funds to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to update the biosecurity plan, create a current (2019) flora and fauna species identification index, and do container evaluations for the presence of potential invasives. The current (2019) biosecurity protocols used for prevention were evaluated (S.A. Hathaway, C.S. Brehme, and R.N. Fisher, U.S. Geological Survey; J.C. Molden, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; R. Peck, Hawai`i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i at Hilo; and K.R. Rex, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, unpub. data, 2022), and new biodiversity surveys were completed for terrestrial vegetation and arthropods and included the first formal reptile surveys. Results from field efforts add to existing knowledge and may identify new species arrivals to Wake. One goal of this project was to update and compile established species information for the atoll and create species identification guides for the three taxonomic groups surveyed. We made these flora and fauna species identification guides by compiling results of the recent (2019) and historical surveys. The guides can be used as resident desktop references, as a baseline for assessing future natural resource surveys, and to assist with guiding management actions. We refer herein to biosecurity and integrated pest management plan materials, which we created simultaneously to inform current (2019) biosecurity and to identify some of the top invasive species at Wake (Hathaway and others, 2022). This study was done in cooperation with the USAF, and surveys were performed for the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron Natural Resources Program, ACES PROJECT #YGFZ170002 under agreement number F2MUAA7116GW02 between the USAF and the USGS-Western Ecological Research Center.

Chapter A. 2019 Wake Atoll Biodiversity Surveys Overview

A. Methods Species Identification Guides We compiled data specific to Wake from museums, herbariums, and published and unpublished literature; we also interviewed people with local knowledge to understand the status and distribution of flora and fauna known historically to exist on the atoll. Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islets have been separated into habitat management units (HMUs), which were delineated to assist in the creation of natural resources management actions and approaches (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017. We performed flora and fauna surveys broadly across HMUs on all three islets as well as in focused areas most likely to be vulnerable to invasive species incursions (for example, the marina and associated area within HMU-11; areas with concentrated populated buildings, such as in HMU-58; and cargo container unloading and storage areas within HMU-65; fig. A2). Field surveys were carried out at Wake between May 24 and June 7, 2019. For the specific methods employed and details about plants, arthropods, and reptiles, see chapters B, C, and D, respectively.

A. Results We identified more than 450 species of terrestrial plants, arthropods, and reptiles that have been recorded at Wake (table A1, see chapters B, C, and D for plants, arthropods, and reptiles, respectively). There have been 229 vascular plant species documented during past and current (2019) surveys; 20 are considered native, and 1 is endemic to Wake, whereas 209 are nonnative (table A1). In 2019, a total of 153 plant species were recorded: 19 native and 134 nonnative; 15 were newly reported nonnative species. One native and 75 nonnative plant species previously reported at Wake were not observed in 2019. Between 221 and 237 total arthropod species have been recorded at Wake. Varying levels of identification impeded comparisons across surveys; therefore, an exact assessment of how many species in total have actually been recorded could not be made. Also, given that reasonable assessment of species provenance has not been possible (see chapter C, “Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide”), we could not clearly distinguish which species should be considered native or nonnative to Wake. Between 140 and 156 species had not previously been reported for Wake, and between 48 and 64 species previously recorded were not observed in 2019.

Nine reptile species have been reported at Wake over time; four of these we consider to be native. Of these reptile species, we observed three native and one nonnative lizard species in 2019. We also obtained photographic evidence of one nonnative snake species in 2017. We did not directly detect this species ourselves in the field in 2019.

A. Discussion As summarized herein, there are 20 terrestrial plant and 4 terrestrial reptile species considered native to Wake. Although there are undoubtedly terrestrial arthropods that are native to Wake, determining with confidence which species are native is beyond the scope of this study. We deduce there have been up to 451 nonnative terrestrial plant (209), arthropod (up to 237), and reptile (5) species recorded on Wake (table A1). About 7 percent (15) of all nonnative plants and up to about 70 percent (156) of arthropod species detected in 2019 had not been previously recorded. This finding may indicate that introductions of new species, particularly arthropods, are ongoing. However, given that many of these species are likely uncommon and patchily distributed, and given the brevity of these surveys, some or even many of these species may have been present previously but not observed. Conversely, it also is possible that some species detected during our surveys were newly introduced and had not yet established or been able to establish. Likewise, approximately 39 percent of nonnative plant species and up to 29 percent of arthropod species were previously recorded but not observed in 2019. Previously unrecorded species of reptiles were not detected in 2019. However, the previously recorded common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus), along with various plant seeds and arthropods detected in shipping containers sent to Wake in 2018 (S.A. Hathaway, U.S. Geological Survey; J.C. Molden, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and K.R. Rex, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, unpub. data, 2022), indicates that continued introductions of some established species does happen. Because of time constraints, some HMUs were less thoroughly assessed than others, and not all HMUs were examined. However, surveys were as representative as time and access permitted; surveying broadly across the atoll, including multiple HMUs on each of the three islets, and focusing on areas we considered most likely to harbor new arrivals. The compilations of historical and 2019 survey data presented here provide a current (2019) baseline for making decisions regarding research, monitoring, planning, and management. These results include examples of recent (since last documented according to sources we report in the chapters herein) changes in biodiversity that point to the importance of robust biosecurity practices.

Table A1. Summary of species recorded during surveys by U.S. Geological Survey on Wake Atoll in 2019 (from chapters B, C, and D for plants, arthropods, and reptiles, respectively).

Species recorded from Wake Taxa

Plants Arthropods Reptiles Total

Total no.

No. native

Species recorded pre-2019

No. nonnative

Total no. sp.

No. native

Species recorded 2019

No. nonnative

Total no. sp.

No. native

No. nonnative

Newly recorded native

Newly recorded nonnative

229

209

212

193

153

134

1(221–237)

unk2

173

unk2

1(459–475)

—

302

—

330

—

1Incomplete levels of identification sometimes precluded species-level comparisons among surveys (see chapter C). 2Unknown; no assessment could reasonably be made as to the provenance of the species (see chapter C).

Species not recorded 2019

—

No. native

No. nonnative

1(48–64)

unk2

—

1127–143

—

1,2(140–156)

Total no.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[No., number; sp., species; unk, unknown; —, not determined]

A. References Cited

A. References Cited Bryan, E.H., Jr., 1959, Notes on the geography and natural history of Wake Island: Atoll Research Bulletin, v. 66, p. 1–22. [Available at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00775630.66.1.] Engilis, A., Jr., and Naughton, M., 2004, U.S. Pacific Islands regional shorebird conservation plan—U.S. shorebird conservation plan: Portland, Oreg., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 17 p. Hathaway, S.A., Jacobi, J.D., Peck, R., and Fisher, R.N., 2022, Updates for Wake Atoll biosecurity management, biological control, survey, and management, and integrated pest management plans: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2022–1067, 56 p., accessed August 26, 2022, at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221067. Heinl, R.D., Jr., 1947, The defense of Wake: Washington, D.C., Historical Section, Division of Public Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 75 p. Matos, J., Little, A., Broome, K., Kennedy, E., Méndez Sánchez, F.A., Latofski-Robles, M., Irvine, R., Gill, C., Espinoza, A., Howald, G., Olthof, K., Ball, M., and Boser, C.L., 2018, Connecting island communities on a global scale—Case studies in island biosecurity: Western North American Naturalist, v. 78, no. 4, p. 959–972. [Available at https://doi.org/10.3398/064.078.0432.] National Invasive Species Council, 2008, 2008–2012 National invasive species management plan: Washington, D.C., National Invasive Species Council, 35 p. Rawluk, A., Beilin, R., and Lavau, S., 2021, Enacting shared responsibility in biosecurity governance— Insights from adaptive governance: Ecology & Society, v. 26, no. 2, art. 18, accessed July 25, 2021, at https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12368-260218. Ricciardi, A., Iacarella, J.C., Aldridge, D.C., Blackburn, T.M., Carlton, J.T., Catford, J.A., Dick, J.T.A., Hulme, P.E., Jeschke, J.M., Liebhold, A.M., Lockwood, J.L., MacIsaac, H.J., Meyerson, L.A., Pyšek, P., Richardson, D.M., Ruiz, G.M., Simberloff, D., Vilà, M., and Wardle, D.A., 2020, Four priority areas to advance invasion science in the face of rapid environmental change: Environmental Reviews, v. 29, no. 2, p. 119–141, accessed December 1, 2021, at https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2020-0088. Thaman, R.R., 2016, Atolls of the tropical Pacific Ocean—Wetlands under threat: Netherlands, Springer Science+Business Media, Dordrecht, p. 1–25.

U.S. Air Force, 2020, Air Force Manual 32-7003, Environmental conservation: U.S. Air Force, 127 p. [Available at https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/ af_a4/publication/dafman32-7003/dafman32-7003.pdf.] U.S. Department of Defense, 2018, Department of Defense 4715.03—Integrated natural resources management plan (INRMP) implementation manual: U.S. Department of Defense, 31 p. [Available at https://www.esd.whs.mil/ Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodm/471503m. pdf?ver=2018-11-13-125658-050.] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2005, Regional seabird conservation plan, Pacific region: Portland, Oreg., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Birds and Habitat Programs, Pacific Region, 264 p. Veitch, C.R., and Clout, M.N., eds., 2002, Turning the tide—The eradication of invasive species, in International Conference on Eradication of Island Invasives, Auckland, New Zealand, 2001, Proceedings: Auckland, New Zealand, International Union of Conservation of Nature, 414 p. Vitousek, P.M., 1990, Biological invasions and ecosystem processes—Towards an integration of population biology and ecosystem studies: Oikos, v. 57, no. 1, p. 7–13. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2307/3565731.] Vitousek, P.M., D’Antonio, C.M., Loope, L.L., Rejmanek, M., and Westbrooks, R., 1997, Introduced species—A significant component of human-caused global change: New Zealand Journal of Ecology, v. 21, p. 1–16. Warziniack, T., Haight, R.G., Yemshanov, D., Apriesnig, J.L., Holmes, T.P., Countryman, A.M., Rothlisberger, J.D., and Haberland, C., 2021, Economics of invasive species, in Poland, T.M., Patel-Weynand, T., Finch, D.M., Miniat, C.F., Hayes, D.C., and Lopez, V.M., eds., Invasive species in forests and rangelands of the United States—A comprehensive synthesis for the United States Forest Sector: Cham, Switzerland, Springer, p. 305–320. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45367-1_14.] Weatherbase, 2020, Wake Island, Oceania: Weatherbase online database, accessed December 23, 2020, at http://www.weatherbase.com/ weather/weather.php3?s=54219&cityname=Wake-IslandWake-Island-Oceania.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide By James D. Jacobi

B. Introduction

B. Methods

The native flora and plant communities reported on Wake Atoll are relatively simple (Fosberg, 1959; Mueller-Dombois and Fosberg, 1998). The extreme isolation of this location has limited the number of plant species able to colonize the very small land surface naturally. The 21 species of vascular plants considered native to Wake are just a small subset of the flora detected across the pan-tropical Pacific islands (MuellerDombois and Fosberg, 1998), and one of these, Gossypium stephensii, is endemic to this atoll (Gallagher and others, 2017). Plant diversity on Wake is limited by the relatively uniform dry-arid habitat due to a combination of the porosity of the coral-based substrate (Bryan, 1959) and low annual precipitation, which is approximately 1,015 millimeters (mm) per year (Fosberg, 1959). In addition to the native flora, many plants have been either purposely or accidentally introduced to the atoll by humans. Although most of these nonnative plants are detected only in cultivation as household or yard ornamentals or in gardens, many introduced species have become naturalized, and a few are considered to be invasive, posing actual or potential threats to maintaining the natural flora and vegetation (D.R. Herbst, B.P. Bishop Museum, unpub. data, 1998; Mueller-Dombois and Fosberg, 1998; U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). During summer 2019, a 2-week field survey was done on Wake to assess the status of the plant species and plant communities reported there. This survey was part of a larger project to document the current (2019) status of plant communities, terrestrial reptiles, and arthropods on the atoll and to provide input into the creation of an expanded integrated pest management and biosecurity plan for the Department of Defense. Specific objectives of the vegetation survey included the following:

Before initiating field work, lists of vascular plant species that had been recorded during previous surveys on Wake were compiled into a relational database. Information in the database includes data source reference and survey dates, current (2019) taxonomic nomenclature, status in the flora (native or introduced), status of the nonnative plants (cultivated or naturalized), and location information on each species on the three islets. Where needed, taxon names were updated to their currently (2019) accepted nomenclature following Roskov and others (2019). The field survey was done on Wake from May 24 to June 7, 2019. During this time, all areas and habitat types on the three islets were selectivity visited, and plant species were recorded by site and habitat type (fig. B1). Generally, this process involved walking to an arbitrarily chosen representative point within a plant community and documenting all plant species detected in that local vicinity. The Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates for the site were recorded, as well as information on habitat conditions and other plant communities in that location. Photographs were taken of representative individuals for the recorded species. Each photograph included a date and time stamp, as well as GPS coordinates recorded in decimal degrees so species locations could be accurately mapped. Information on plants previously recorded on Wake, as well as during the 2019 survey, is presented in tables B1–B3 and appendix B1 and B2. The status of species in these tables is identified as follows: “cultivated”—species that were only detected in cultivation and were not reproducing in the wild; “alien invasive”—introduced species that were reported to be established in the wild and considered to be invasive elsewhere (U.S. Forest Service, 2018; Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019; Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019; International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2019; U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2019); “alien naturalized”—species that were reported to be established in the wild but not considered to be invasive; “native”— species that were identified as naturally detected on Wake during previous surveys (Christophersen, 1931; Bryan, 1959; Fosberg, 1959; Fosberg and Sachet, 1969; D.R. Herbst, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, unpub. data, 1998); and “endemic”—species unique only to Wake. In table B2, an introduced species is identified as a threat to biodiversity on Wake if it was reported to be established in the wild and shown to be invasive elsewhere. Also, in table B2, the risk an introduced species poses to biodiversity on Wake ranges from high to medium to low based on the previously mentioned published risk assessments. However, in several cases, the

1. compile lists of plant species that have been collected or recorded on Wake during previous surveys; 2. complete a new field survey to determine the current (2019) status of plant species detected on the atoll; and 3. produce a list and photograph key describing the plant species previously and currently (2019) recorded from Wake, including information on taxonomy, status, distribution, and potential threats from nonnative species.

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure B1. Wake Atoll, including the three islets around the lagoon and selected sites referred to in the report. (WorldView 3 image, taken October 2015).

risk category was modified for Wake based on the fact that (1) a species was only detected in cultivation and unlikely to survive outside that level of care; (2) a species with a high risk factor elsewhere currently (2019) has less potential for spread and effects on Wake due to a lack of dispersal agents (for example, seed- or fruit-eating birds); or (3) a species is only in cultivation, and the conditions for its establishment on Wake are minimal due to lack of habitat (for example, waterlily or water hyacinth). Management feasibility in table B2 is identified as “high” for species that are considered to be invasive but not yet widespread and “medium” for species that are invasive but more widespread and require greater effort for control or eradication. The actual cost and capacity needed to control a species will vary depending on the distribution of the species, availability of effective control tools or protocols, and regenerative capability of the species, including persistence of the seedbank. In table B3, species distribution is coded based on the extent of the species in the field in the 2019 survey (widespread or local), and on an estimate of relative abundance (high, medium, low) for each species at that time.

The initial plant species list photo-key that was produced prior to the field survey was updated to include additional species that were identified during the 2019 survey. This photograph key (see the last section of this chapter) includes up to four images of each species and enough detail to generally allow an observer to identify the species in the field. Additionally, each taxon page includes the scientific and common names for the species, its plant family, life form, and status on Wake, as well as information on its past and current (2019) distribution. Species recorded in tables B1–B3, appendix B1, and the “Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll” section (appendix B2) represent only taxa that had clear documentation of their presence on Wake, primarily based on records provided by Christophersen (1931), Bryan (1959), Fosberg and Sachet (Fosberg, 1959; Fosberg and Sachet, 1969), D.R. Herbst Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum (unpub. data, 1994, 1998), and the 2019 survey. However, to reduce the Field Guide’s size, only species recorded by Herbst in his two surveys and species recorded during the 2019 survey are documented in the photo-key. Common vegetable garden plants and many household ornamentals were also omitted from the Field Guide unless they had high potential to be invasive outside of cultivation.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

The results of the current (2019) survey are used to identify several invasive species that resource managers may use on Wake as priorities for integrated pest management. These identifications include some species that already exist on Wake Atoll, as well as others that are not yet reported there but pose a risk to the native ecosystems if they become established (table B4). Descriptions of these species are included in the “Discussion” section, and potential management options for these species are summarized in the biosecurity and integrated pest management plan materials document (Hathaway and others, 2022).

B. Results A total of 229 vascular plant species have been documented on Wake during previous reporting and 2019 surveys (tables B1–B3; appendix B2; “Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll” section). Although several naturalists have visited Wake since its discovery and described some of the plants and plant communities detected there (Christophersen, 1931; Bryan, 1959), the first systematic surveys of the atoll were done by Fosberg and Sachet (Fosberg, 1959; Fosberg and Sachet, 1969). Fosberg and Sachet (Fosberg, 1959; Fosberg and Sachet, 1969) recorded 112 species, 18 of which were native and 94 introduced (table B1). Herbst also surveyed this area in 1994 and 1998 and reported 169 species, 18 native and 151 introduced. In both surveys, most of the introduced species were detected only in cultivation.

During the 2019 survey, 153 plant species were recorded. Of this species total, 19 were native and 134 introduced (tables B1–B3). These plant species numbers are similar to those detected by Herbst in 1994 and 1998, although he recorded many more cultivated species than were detected in the 2019 survey (table B1). Most of the plants recorded during the 2019 survey were detected on Wake Islet (151 species), with lesser amounts detected on Peale (56) and Wilkes (34) Islets (table B3; fig. B2). One of the native species, Heliotropium anomalum (fig. B3), is quite rare and detected in only two locations on Wake Islet. The only endemic species to this atoll, Gossypium stephensii (fig. B4), was detected abundantly on Wake and Peale Islets and on the south part of Wilkes Islet, northwest of the harbor. This species seems to be a successful colonizer of open, previously disturbed habitats (Gallagher and others, 2017). There were 15 species detected during the 2019 survey that had not been previously documented by Fosberg and Sachet (Fosberg, 1959; Fosberg and Sachet, 1969) or D.R. Herbst (Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, unpub. data, 1994, 1998); however, many of these species were included in an unpublished species list compiled by M. Waite while he was working on Wake (J. Gilardi, Island Conservation, written commun. May 29, 2019). Areas sampled in 2019 included most of the Habitat Management Units described in the 2017 Wake Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). Voucher specimens were collected for 44 of the species detected during the survey in 2019 to aid with their identification or to document new records (appendix B3). These specimens are deposited in the herbarium at the B.P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure B2. Location of sites on Wake Atoll where plant species were recorded during the 2019 field survey. (WorldView 3 image, taken October 2015).

Figure B3. Heliotropium anomalum growing in open habitat on the northeast side of Wake Islet. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure B4. Native species of cotton (Gossypium stephensii) that is endemic to Wake Atoll. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

B. Discussion Current (2019) Status of Plants and Plant Communities The low topographic range, meager precipitation, and biogeographic isolation of Wake have all contributed to a flora that is relatively simple, capable of natural recovery from disturbance but also susceptible to change. The dynamic nature of the flora on Wake is a result of both natural perturbations, such as hurricanes or tsunamis, and other factors that include landscape alteration, human disturbance, and effects from introduced species. Primary documented invasive species effects are from introduced rats (Rattus exulans and R. tanezumi; Griffiths and others, 2014; U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017) and from a select number of ecosystemaltering plant species (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). It is currently (2019) unclear how introduced invertebrates have affected the native flora and plant communities. The 2019 survey reported that the dominant native plant communities generally appeared to be maintaining their structure and composition in the lesser disturbed areas throughout the atoll. These communities are relatively simple

and include (1) a widespread Heliotropium foertherianum woodland with a native grass and shrub understory (fig. B5); (2) a Pemphis acidula (fig. B6) shrubland that primarily grows along the shoreline, particularly on the lagoon sides of the islets; (3) a mixed Heliotropium woodland with Cordia subcordata (fig. B7) and Pisonia grandis trees (fig. B8); (4) a shrubland dominated by Scaevola sericea (fig. B9), currently (2019) limited in distribution primarily on the southeast tip of Wake Islet; (5) a small community dominated by Sesuvium portulacastrum (fig. B10) that grows around the edges of the few small wetland areas on Wake and Peale Islets; and (6) a very narrow fringe of native grass, primarily Lepturus repens (fig. B11), and scattered native shrubs that form a strand community just above the water’s edge around all the islets. Additionally, there is a unique low-stature native shrubland in the area referred to as the “Bird Sanctuary” on the northwestern part of Wilkes Islet. The area is dominated by the native shrubs Tribulus cistoides and Lepidium bidentatum, but also includes Sida fallax, two Boerhavia species, and the herb Portulaca lutea (fig. B12). This area has been mechanically mowed repeatedly to provide habitat for several species of ground-nesting seabirds (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017), and native plant species there appear to be able to tolerate this level of disturbance and continue to dominate the vegetation.

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide The rest of the landscape on the three islets is comprised of a variety of communities that are in various stages of disturbance or recovery from disturbance but primarily dominated by introduced plant species. These communities include grass-dominated areas that are frequently mowed or cleared, such as along roadsides and the sides of the airstrip or in the industrial area on Wake Islet and the harbor area at the southwest tip of Wake. Also included in these communities, are large areas on all the islets that are dominated primarily by ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia; fig. B13), with little growing under its dense canopy and thick layer of litter on the ground. Additionally, many of the roadsides beyond the regular mowing zone have been invaded by numerous introduced shrubs, including Pluchea carolinensis, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Bidens alba, and several introduced grasses.

Most of the introduced plant species detected during the previous and current (2019) surveys on Wake were cultivated plants that were grown either as ornamentals around the residence areas or in vegetable gardens (table B2; figs. B14–B23). The variation in numbers of cultivated species recorded during the three surveys reflects what the residents grew at that time. From 1969 to 2019, there was a slow increase in the number of naturalized and invasive species recorded on Wake (table B1). When all the survey results are combined, 67 introduced species were reported to be naturalized, and 33 of these species are considered invasive in other areas of the Pacific (U.S. Forest Service, 2018; Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019; Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019; U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2019).

Figure B5. Open Heliotropium foertherianum woodland on Peale Islet. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure B6. Flowers and immature fruit of Pemphis acidula, which forms a dense shrub community, particularly around the lagoon sides of Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islets. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B7. Flower of the tree Cordia subcordata, which grows in a mixed woodlandshrub community with Heliotropium foertherianum and Pisonia grandis on Wake Atoll. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide A

Figure B8. Pisonia grandis and its A, habitat; B, leaves; C, flowers; and D, sticky seed pods. (Photographs A, B, and D by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, and photograph C by Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, 2018).

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure B9. A native shrubland dominated by Scaevola sericea was probably more widely distributed prior to human disturbance; it is now detected in a few locations, primarily on the southeastern tip of Wake Islet. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B10. Sesuvium portulacastrum, a succulent herb that forms dense mats around the edges of brackish wetlands on Wake and Peale Islets. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure B11. The native grass, Lepturus repens, is detected in the strand vegetation on Wake Atoll and in more inland sites, particularly on Peale Islet, where it forms a dense grass cover under an open Heliotropium foertherianum woodland. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B12. View of the mowed Bird Sanctuary area on the north part of Wilkes Islet; this community is dominated by several native plants, including Tribulus cistoides and Lepidium bidentatum. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure B13. Large Casuarina equisetifolia (ironwood) tree growing in the open near the residential area on Wake Islet. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B14. Coccoloba uvifera (sea grape) trees are becoming established in several locations on Wake and Peale Islets and have the potential to rapidly spread and dominate the native vegetation if not controlled. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure B15. Cenchrus setaceus has aggressively invaded dry lowland habitats in Hawai‘i, dominating the vegetation and posing a high risk for wildfire. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B16. Clusia rosea is a small tree that grows along dry shorelines and lowland habitats in many areas across the Pacific. (Photograph by Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, 2019).

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure B17. Lantana camara is a small woody shrub that has been able to dominate lowland dry and mesic habitats in Pacific Island ecosystems, such as those in Hawai‘i. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B18. The aggressive, invasive vine, Neonotonia wightii, has the ability to smother the vegetation in lowland habitats, as seen in many areas in Hawai‘i. (Photograph by Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental).

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure B19. Black noddy tern (Anous minutus) perching on a branch of a Casuarina equisetifolia (ironwood) tree. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B20. Closeup of foliage and cones of Casuarina equisetifolia. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure B21. The introduced sandbur grass (Cenchrus echinatus) is becoming established in many sites on Wake and Peale Islets. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure B22. Flowers, immature seed pods, and foliage of the introduced invasive tree Leucaena leucocephala, which is becoming established in several locations on Wake and Peale Islets. (Photograph by J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure B23. The introduced vine Passiflora foetida var. hispida is currently (2019) detected on Wake Islet and the southeastern part of Wilkes Islet just north of the harbor inlet and storage tanks. (Photograph by J. Gilardi, Island Conservation, 2018).

Table B1. Summary of plant species recorded on Wake Atoll in the 2019 survey or during previous surveys by Fosberg and Sachet (1969) and D.R. Herbst (B.P. Bishop Museum, unpub. data, 1998). [—, not applicable; I+E, indigenous plus endemic]

Combined lists

Percentage of total

Total species

229

—

Indigenous

Endemic

Native (I+E)

Alien

209

Cultivated

140

Naturalized

Invasive

8.3 0.4 8.7 91.3 61.1 15.7 14.4

Description

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, 1998

2019 Survey

112 17 1 18 94 51 22 21

169 17 1 18 151 107 20 24

153 18 1 19 134 82 27 25

Table B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.

Taxonomy Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Monocots Amaryllidaceae

Allium cepa

Bulb onion, globe onion

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Amaryllidaceae

Allium fistulosum

Green onion, scallion

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Amaryllidaceae

Allium tuberosum

Garlic chives

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Amaryllidaceae

Crinum amabile

Spider lily, Queen Emma crinum

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Amaryllidaceae

Crinum asiaticum

Spider lily, giant crinum lily

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Amaryllidaceae

Hippeastrum sp.

Amaryllis

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Amaryllidaceae

Hymenocallis littoralis

Beach spider lily

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Araceae

Caladium bicolor

Caladium, heart of Jesus

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Araceae

Colocasia esculenta

Taro

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Araceae

Dieffenbachia seguine

Dumb cane

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Araceae

Epipremnum aureum

Devil's ivy, taro vine

Vine

Cul

—

HPWRA

Araceae

Epipremnum pinnatum

Pothos, taro vine

Vine

Cul

—

FISC

Araceae

Philodendron hederaceum var. oxycardium

Heartleaf philodendron, vilevine

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Araceae

Philodendron undulatum

Philodendron

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Araceae

Syngonium auritum

Syngoniurn, arrowhead vine

Vine

Cul

—

HPWRA

Arecaceae

Adonidia merrillii

Manila palm; Christmas palm

Tree

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Arecaceae

Cocos nucifera

Coconut

Tree

A-N

HPWRA

Arecaceae

Phoenix sp.

Date palm

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Asparagaceae

Agave americana

Century plant

Shrub

A-I

—

HPWRA

Asparagaceae

Agave angustifolia

Century plant

Shrub

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Asparagaceae

Agave sisalana

Sisal

Shrub

A-I

HPWRA

Asparagaceae

Asparagus densiflorus

Asparagus fern

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Asparagaceae

Chlorophytum comosum

Spider plant

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Asparagaceae

Cordyline fruticosa

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; E, endemic; Nat, native; A, alien. Impact Description: B, biodiversity; n/a, native species so no impact. Wake risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; n/a, native species. Management feasibility: H, high, M, medium. Published risk-assessment status: High risk, High risk invasive species; No Assessment, No risk assessment conducted. Published risk-assessment reference: HPWRA, Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019 (www.hpwra.org); FISC database, Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019 (https:www.fleppc.org/); PIER, Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, U.S. Forest Service, 2018 (http://www.hear.org/pier/); USDA-APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Wake 2019, Wake 2019 Survey. Published risk: N, no assessment; L, low risk; H, high risk; E, evaluate; n/a, not applicable. Abbreviation: —, not determined]

Table B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued [Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; E, endemic; Nat, native; A, alien. Impact Description: B, biodiversity; n/a, native species so no impact. Wake risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; n/a, native species. Management feasibility: H, high, M, medium. Published risk-assessment status: High risk, High risk invasive species; No Assessment, No risk assessment conducted. Published risk-assessment reference: HPWRA, Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019 (www.hpwra.org); FISC database, Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019 (https://www.fleppc.org/); PIER, Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, U.S. Forest Service, 2018 (http://www.hear.org/pier/); USDA-APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Wake 2019, Wake 2019 Survey. Published risk: N, no assessment; L, low risk; H, high risk; E, evaluate; n/a, not applicable. Abbreviation: —, not determined]

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Monocots—Continued Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia

Song of India, pleomele

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Asparagaceae

Sansevieria hyacinthoides

Iguana tail, African bowstring hemp

Herb

A-I

—

FISC

Asparagaceae

Sansevieria trifasciata

Snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Asphodelaceae

Aloe vera

Aloe

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Bromeliaceae

Ananas comosus

Pineapple

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Bromeliaceae

Nidularium sp.

Nidularium, nest bromeliad

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Commelinaceae

Tradescantia pallida

Purple tradescantia, wandering jew

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Commelinaceae

Tradescantia spathacea

Oyster plant

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Cyperaceae

Cyperus alternifolius

Umbrella sedge

Sedge

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Cyperaceae

Cyperus pumilus

Low flatsedge

Sedge

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Cyperaceae

Cyperus rotundus

Nutgrass, umbrella sedge

Sedge

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Cyperaceae

Fimbristylis cymosa

Tropical fimbry

Sedge

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Cyperaceae

Fimbristylis dichotoma

Forked fimbry

Sedge

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Hydrocharitaceae

Egeria densa

Brazilian waterweed

Herb

Cul

—

PIER

Musaceae

Musa acuminata

Cavendish banana

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Orchidaceae

Orchid sp.

Orchid species

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Pandanaceae

Pandanus tectorius

Hala, screwpine

Tree

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Bothriochloa pertusa

Pitted beardgrass

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Cenchrus brownii

Slim-bristle sandbur

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Cenchrus echinatus

Sandbur

Grass

A-I

PIER

Chloris barbata

Swollen fingergrass

Grass

A-I

—

HPWRA

Poaceae

Cymbopogon citratus

Lemon grass

Grass

Cul

—

HPWRA

Poaceae

Cynodon dactylon

Bermuda grass

Grass

A-I

—

HPWRA

Poaceae

Dactyloctenium aegyptium

Beach wiregrass, crowfoot grass

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae Poaceae

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Asparagaceae

Table B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Monocots—Continued Poaceae

Digitaria ciliaris

Henry's crabgrass, southern crabgrass

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Digitaria gaudichaudii

Crabgrass

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Digitaria insularis

Sourgrass

Grass

A-I

—

HPWRA

Poaceae

Eleusine indica

Indian goosegrass, wiregrass

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Eragrostis amabilis

Japanese lovegrass (syn: E. tenella)

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Eragrostis minor

Lesser love grass, small stink grass

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Eragrostis scabriflora

No common name found

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Eustachys petraea

Pinewoods fingergrass

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Lepturus repens

Pacific Island thintail

Grass

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

Poaceae

Paspalum scrobiculatum

Ricegrass, Kodo millet (Syn: P. orbiculare)

Grass

A-I

—

Noxious

USDAAPHIS

Poaceae

Paspalum setaceum

Thin paspalum, fringeleaf paspalum

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Paspalum vaginatum

Seashore paspalum, biscuit grass

Grass

A-I

HPWRA

Poaceae

Setaria verticillata

Bristly foxtail

Grass

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Sorghum bicolor

Sweet sorghum

Grass

Cul

—

HPWRA

Poaceae

Zea mays

Corn

Grass

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Poaceae

Zoysia matrella

Manila grass

Grass

Cul

—

HPWRA

Pontederiaceae

Eichhornia crassipes

Water hyacinth

Aquatic herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia reginae

Bird of paradise

Large herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Zingiberaceae

Alpinia galanga

Galanga, Thai ginger, blue ginger

Large herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Zingiberaceae

Alpinia purpurata

Red ginger

Large herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Zingiberaceae

Hedychium coronarium

White ginger

Large herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; E, endemic; Nat, native; A, alien. Impact Description: B, biodiversity; n/a, native species so no impact. Wake risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; n/a, native species. Management feasibility: H, high, M, medium. Published risk-assessment status: High risk, High risk invasive species; No Assessment, No risk assessment conducted. Published risk-assessment reference: HPWRA, Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019 (www.hpwra.org); FISC database, Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019 (https://www.fleppc.org/); PIER, Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, U.S. Forest Service, 2018 (http://www.hear.org/pier/); USDA-APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Wake 2019, Wake 2019 Survey. Published risk: N, no assessment; L, low risk; H, high risk; E, evaluate; n/a, not applicable. Abbreviation: —, not determined]

Taxonomy Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Fern

Cul

—

HPWRA

Fern

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Gymnosperms Araucariaceae

Araucaria heterophylla

Norfolk Island pine

Polypodiaceae

Phymatosorus scolopendria

Laua'e fern, wart fern

Psilotaceae

Psilotum nudum

Moa; wisk fern

Ferns

Acanthaceae

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii

Carruthers' falseface; yellowveined eranthemum

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Acanthaceae

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum

Purple false eranthemum

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Aizoaceae

Sesuvium portulacastrum

Shoreline seapurslane; `akulikuli

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus blitum

Purple amaranth, sender amaranth

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus dubius

Spleen amaranth, red spinach

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus graecizans

Mediterranean amaranth, short-tepalled pigweed

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Amaranthaceae

Gomphrena globosa

Bachelor`s button; globe amaranth

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Anacardiaceae

Mangifera indica

Mango

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Anacardiaceae

Spondias pinnata

Wild mango, hog plum

Tree

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Annonaceae

Annona muricata

Soursop

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Annonaceae

Annona squamosa

Sugar apple, custard apple, sweetsop

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Apiaceae

Anethum graveolens

Dill

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Apiaceae

Coriandrum sativum

Cilantro, coriander, Chinese parsley

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Apiaceae

Eryngium foetidum

False coriander, serrated coriander

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Dicots

Table B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

—

HPWRA

Dicots—Continued Apiaceae

Petroselinum crispum

Parsley

Herb

Cul

Apocynaceae

Adenium obesum

Desert rose

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Apocynaceae

Calotropis gigantea

Crown flower

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Apocynaceae

Catharanthus roseus

Periwinkle, Madagascar perwinkle

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Apocynaceae

Nerium oleander

Oleander

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Apocynaceae

Plumeria obtusa

Plumeria, frangipani

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Apocynaceae

Plumeria rubra

Common frangipani, red frangipani

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Araliaceae

Polyscias fruticosa

Ming aralia

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Araliaceae

Polyscias guilfoylei

Panax, geranium aralia

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Araliaceae

Polyscias scutellaria

Shield aralia, plum aralia

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Araliaceae

Schefflera actinophylla

Octopus tree, umbrella tree

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Asteraceae

Bidens alba

Beggarticks, Spanish needles

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Asteraceae

Erigeron bonariensis

Hairy horseweed, hairy fleabane

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Asteraceae

Erigeron canadensis

Canada fleabane, horseweed

Herb

A-N

Wake 2019

Asteraceae

Helianthus annuus

Common sunflower

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Asteraceae

Lactuca sativa

Lettuce

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Asteraceae

Pluchea carolinensis

Sourbush, fleabane

Shrub

A-I

HPWRA

Asteraceae

Pluchea odorata

Camphor-weed, saltmarsh fleabane

Shrub

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Asteraceae

Sonchus oleraceus

Common sowthistle

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Asteraceae

Tagetes erecta

Marigold

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Asteraceae

Tridax procumbens

Coatbuttons, tridax daisy

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Asteraceae

Zinnia elegans

Garden zinnia

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Bignoniaceae

Tabebuia aurea

Silver trumpet-tree

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; E, endemic; Nat, native; A, alien. Impact Description: B, biodiversity; n/a, native species so no impact. Wake risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; n/a, native species. Management feasibility: H, high, M, medium. Published risk-assessment status: High risk, High risk invasive species; No Assessment, No risk assessment conducted. Published risk-assessment reference: HPWRA, Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019 (www.hpwra.org); FISC database, Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019 (https://www.fleppc.org/); PIER, Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, U.S. Forest Service, 2018 (http://www.hear.org/pier/); USDA-APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Wake 2019, Wake 2019 Survey. Published risk: N, no assessment; L, low risk; H, high risk; E, evaluate; n/a, not applicable. Abbreviation: —, not determined]

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Dicots—Continued Brassica nigra

Black mustard

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Brassicaceae

Brassica oleracea

Cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Brassicaceae

Lepidium bidentatum

Pepperwort

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Brassicaceae

Lobularia maritima

Sweet alyssum or sweet alison

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Brassicaceae

Raphanus sativus

Raddish

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Cactaceae

Nopalea cochenillifera

Cochinilla cactus

Shrub

A-I

HPWRA

Cactaceae

Opuntia littoralis

Coastal prickley pear cactus

Shrub

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Caricaceae

Carica papaya

Papaya

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Casuarinaceae

Casuarina equisetifolia

Ironwood; Australian pine tree

Tree

A-I

HPWRA

Cleomaceae

Gynandropsis gynandra

African spider-flower

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Commelinaceae

Terminalia catappa

Indian almond, false kamani

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Convolvulaceae

Cuscuta pentagona

Fiveangled dodder

Vine

A-N

—

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea aquatica

Swamp morning-glory, Chinese watercress

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea batatas

Sweet potato

Vine

Cul

—

HPWRA

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

Beach morning-glory, pohuehue; puhuehue

Vine

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea violacea

Beach moon-flower, heavenlyblue morning-glory

Vine

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Crassulaceae

Crassula ovata

Jade plant

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe daigremontiana

Devil's backbone, alligator plant

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe delagoensis

Chandelier plant

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Kalanchoe pinnata

Air plant, cathedral bells

Herb

A-I

HPWRA

Sedum sp.

Stonecrop

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Crassulaceae

Sempervivum tectorum

Common houseleek

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Crassulaceae Crassulaceae

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Brassicaceae

Table B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Dicots—Continued Cucurbitaceae

Coccinia grandis

Ivy gourd

Vine

Cul

HPWRA

Cucurbitaceae

Cucumis melo

Cantaloupe, muskmelon

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbita pepo

Pumpkin, squash

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Cucurbitaceae

Momordica charantia

Bitter melon

Vine

Cul

—

HPWRA

Ehretiaceae

Cordia subcordata

Kou

Tree

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Euphorbiaceae

Codiaeum variegatum

Garden croton or variegated croton

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora

Dwarf poinsettia, wild poinsettia

Herb

A-I

—

Wake 2019

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia hirta

Hairy spurge, garden spurge

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia hypericifolia

Graceful spurge

Shrub

A-I

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia lactea

Mottled spurge, frilled fan, candlestick tree

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia milii

Crown of thorns, Christ plant, or Christ thorn

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia prostrata

Prostrate purge or prostrate sandmat

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Poinsettia; Christmas star

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia thymifolia

Chickenweed

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia tirucalli

Firestick, pencil tree, pencil cactus

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia tithymaloides

Redbird cactus, buck-thorn, Christmas candle

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Euphorbiaceae

Jatropha integerrima

Rose-flowered jatropha

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Euphorbiaceae

Ricinus communis

Castor bean or castor oil plant

Shrub

Cul

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Bauhinia sp.

Orchid tree

Tree

Cul

—

L to H

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Caesalpinia bonduc

Grey nicker, nicker bean, kakalaoa

Vine

Cul

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; E, endemic; Nat, native; A, alien. Impact Description: B, biodiversity; n/a, native species so no impact. Wake risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; n/a, native species. Management feasibility: H, high, M, medium. Published risk-assessment status: High risk, High risk invasive species; No Assessment, No risk assessment conducted. Published risk-assessment reference: HPWRA, Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019 (www.hpwra.org); FISC database, Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019 (https://www.fleppc.org/); PIER, Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, U.S. Forest Service, 2018 (http://www.hear.org/pier/); USDA-APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Wake 2019, Wake 2019 Survey. Published risk: N, no assessment; L, low risk; H, high risk; E, evaluate; n/a, not applicable. Abbreviation: —, not determined]

Taxonomy Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Dicots—Continued Fabaceae

Dalea emarginata

Wedgeleaf prairie clover Poinciana, flame tree

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Wild tantan, prostrate bundleflower, dwarf koa

Shrub

A-I

—

Wake 2019

Fabaceae

Desmanthus virgatus

Wild tantan, prostrate bundleflower, dwarf koa

Shrub

A-I

—

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Gliricidia sepium

Gliricidia

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Leucaena leucocephala

Koa haole, tangantangan, lead tree

Tree

A-I

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Phaseolus coccineus

Snap bean, scarlet runner bean

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Fabaceae

Phaseolus vulgaris

Common bean, snap bean

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Fabaceae

Pithecellobium dulce

Opiuma, Manila tamarind

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus

Wing bean

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Fabaceae

Samanea saman

Monkeypod

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Sesbania grandiflora

Hummingbird tree, scarlet wisteria

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Tamarindus indica

Tamarind

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Fabaceae

Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis

Asparagus bean, yard-long bean

Vine

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Goodeniaceae

Scaevola sericea

Beach naupaka, naupaka kahakai

Shrub

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Heliotropiaceae

Euploca procumbens var. depressum

Fourspike heliotrope (Heliotropium procumbens)

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Heliotropiaceae

Heliotropium anomalum

Hinahina, Polynesian heliotrope

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Heliotropiaceae

Heliotropium foertherianum

Tree heliotrope, octopus bush

Tree

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Lamiaceae

Coleus scutellarioides

Coleus

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Delonix regia Desmanthus pernambucanus

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Fabaceae Fabaceae

Table B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Dicots—Continued Lamiaceae

Mentha spicata

Mint, spearmint

Herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Lamiaceae

Ocimum basilicum

Sweet basil

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Lamiaceae

Ocimum tenuiflorum

Holy basil, tulasi

Herb

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Lamiaceae

Vitex trifolia

Blue vitex

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Lecythidaceae

Barringtonia asiatica

Fish poison tree

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Lythraceae

Pemphis acidula

Pemphis

Shrub

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Malvaceae

Abutilon indicum subsp. albescens

Indian mallow

Shrub

A-N

Wake 2019

Malvaceae

Gossypium stephensii

Wake Island cotton

Shrub

End

n/a

—

n/a

—

Malvaceae

Hibiscus hybrid

Hibiscus

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Malvaceae

Sida ciliaris

Fringed sida

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Malvaceae

Sida fallax

Ilima

Shrub

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Malvaceae

Talipariti tiliaceum

Hau, sea hibiscus

Tree

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Malvaceae

Thespesia populnea

Milo

Tree

Cul

HPWRA

Malvaceae

Waltheria indica

Uhaloa

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Moraceae

Ficus benghalensis

Banyan

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Moraceae

Ficus carica

Edible fig

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Moraceae

Ficus microcarpa

Chinese banyan, Indian laurel fig

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Moraceae

Ficus rubiginosa

Port Jackson fig, rusty fig

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Moraceae

Moringa oleifera

Horseradish tree, drumstick tree

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Myrtaceae

Corymbia citriodora

Lemon-scented gum

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Myrtaceae

Psidium guajava

Common guava, lemon guava

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia albiflora

Spiderling

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia coccinea

Scarlet spiderling

Herb

A-N

—

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia repens

Red spiderling, hogweed

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; E, endemic; Nat, native; A, alien. Impact Description: B, biodiversity; n/a, native species so no impact. Wake risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; n/a, native species. Management feasibility: H, high, M, medium. Published risk-assessment status: High risk, High risk invasive species; No Assessment, No risk assessment conducted. Published risk-assessment reference: HPWRA, Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019 (www.hpwra.org); FISC database, Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019 (https://www.fleppc.org/); PIER, Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, U.S. Forest Service, 2018 (http://www.hear.org/pier/); USDA-APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Wake 2019, Wake 2019 Survey. Published risk: N, no assessment; L, low risk; H, high risk; E, evaluate; n/a, not applicable. Abbreviation: —, not determined]

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Dicots—Continued Bougainvillea spectabilis

Bougainvillea

Nyctaginaceae

Pisonia grandis

Papala kepau

Tree

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Nymphaeaceae

Nymphaea sp.

Lotus, waterlily

Aquatic herb

Cul

—

HPWRA

Oleaceae

Jasminum sambac

Arabian jasmine, Sambac jasmine

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Oleaceae

Noronhia emarginata

Madagascar olive

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Passifloraceae

Passiflora foetida var. hispida

Passion fruit, scarletfruit passionflower

Vine

A-I

HPWRA

Phyllanthaceae

Phyllanthus acidus

Otaheite gooseberry

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Phyllanthaceae

Phyllanthus amarus

Hurricane weed, carry me seed

Shrub

A-I

—

HPWRA

Polygonaceae

Coccoloba uvifera

Sea grape

Tree

A-I

HPWRA

Portulacaceae

Portulaca lutea

Yellow purslane

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Portulacaceae

Portulaca oleracea

Purslane, hogweed, pigweed

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Portulacaceae

Portulaca pilosa subsp. pilosa

Seashore purslane, roseflowered purslane

Herb

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Rhamnaceae

Ziziphus mauritiana

Indian jujube, Chinese date

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Rosaceae

Rosa sp.

Rose

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Rubiaceae

Gardenia taitensis

Tiare

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Rubiaceae

Ixora sp.

Ixora

Shrub

Cul

—

L or E

HPWRA

Rubiaceae

Morinda citrifolia

Noni, Indian-mulberry

Tree

A-I

—

HPWRA

Rubiaceae

Oldenlandia corymbosa

Flat-top mille graines, diamond flower

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Rutaceae

Citrus hystrix

Kaffir lime, Thai lime

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Rutaceae

Citrus sp.

Citrus

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Sapotaceae

Chrysophyllum cainito

Star apple, cainito

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Sapotaceae

Manilkara zapota

Sapodilla

Tree

Cul

—

HPWRA

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Nyctaginaceae

Table B2. List and status of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function/life form

Status code

Impact type

Wake risk

Management feasibility

Published risk

Risk reference

—

HPWRA

Dicots—Continued Solanaceae

Capsicum annuum

Chili pepper, bell pepper, etc.

Shrub

Cul

Solanaceae

Capsicum frutescens

Chili pepper

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Solanaceae

Nicotiana tabacum

Tobacco

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Solanaceae

Solanum lycopersicum

Tomato

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Solanaceae

Solanum melongena

Egg plant

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Solanaceae

Solanum torvum

Turkeyberry, pea eggplant

Shrub

Cul

—

HPWRA

Tetrachondraceae

Polypremnum procumbens

Juniper leaf

Herb

A-N

—

Wake 2019

Urticaceae

Pilea microphylla

Artillery plant

Herb

A-I

—

HPWRA

Urticaceae

Piper sarmentosum

Lolot, wild betel

Shrub

Cul

—

Wake 2019

Verbenaceae

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis

Jamaica vervain, light-blue snakeweed

Shrub

A-I

—

Wake 2019

Verbenaceae

Stachytarpheta urticifolia

Blue rat’s tail, nettleleaf velvetberry

Shrub

A-I

—

Wake 2019

Zygophyllaceae

Tribulus cistoides

Nohu

Shrub

Nat

n/a

—

n/a

—

Zygophyllaceae

Tribulus terrestris

Puncture vine

Shrub

A-I

—

HPWRA

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; E, endemic; Nat, native; A, alien. Impact Description: B, biodiversity; n/a, native species so no impact. Wake risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; n/a, native species. Management feasibility: H, high, M, medium. Published risk-assessment status: High risk, High risk invasive species; No Assessment, No risk assessment conducted. Published risk-assessment reference: HPWRA, Hawaiʻi-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019 (www.hpwra.org); FISC database, Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019 (https://www.fleppc.org/); PIER, Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, U.S. Forest Service, 2018 (http://www.hear.org/pier/); USDA-APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Wake 2019, Wake 2019 Survey. Published risk: N, no assessment; L, low risk; H, high risk; E, evaluate; n/a, not applicable. Abbreviation: —, not determined]

Table B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll. [Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; A, alien; E, endemic; Nat, native. Distribution level: W: high, widespread distribution with high abundance; W: mod, widespread distribution with moderate abundance; W: low, widespread distribution with low abundance; L: mod to high, local distribution with moderate to high abundance; L: mod, local distribution with moderate abundance; L: low, local distribution with low abundance; Unknown: not recorded in 2019 survey. Historical distribution references: Fosberg and Sachet, 1969. Wake Island vegetation and flora, 1961–63: Atoll Research Bulletin 1231–15; D.R. Herbst, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, unpub. data, 1998. Abbreviations: X, species was detected; —, not applicable; Y, yes; C, collected]

Taxonomy

Family

Scientific name

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

Monocots Amaryllidaceae

Allium cepa

Cul

L: low

—

Amaryllidaceae

Allium fistulosum

Cul

L: low

—

Allium tuberosum

Cul

Unknown

—

Crinum amabile

Cul

L: low

—

Amaryllidaceae

Crinum asiaticum

Cul

L: low

—

Amaryllidaceae

Hippeastrum sp.

Cul

L: low

—

Amaryllidaceae

Hymenocallis littoralis

Cul

Unknown

—

Araceae

Caladium bicolor

Cul

L: low

—

Araceae

Colocasia esculenta

Cul

Unknown

—

Araceae

Dieffenbachia seguine

Cul

L: low

—

Araceae

Epipremnum aureum

Cul

Unknown

—

Araceae

Epipremnum pinnatum

Cul

Unknown

—

Araceae

Philodendron hederaceum var. oxycardium

Cul

Unknown

—

Araceae

Philodendron undulatum

Cul

Unknown

—

Araceae

Syngonium auritum

Cul

L: low

—

Arecaceae

Adonidia merrillii

Cul

L: low

—

Arecaceae

Cocos nucifera

A-N

W: mod

—

Arecaceae

Phoenix sp.

Cul

L: low

—

Asparagaceae

Agave americana

A-I

L: low

—

Asparagaceae

Agave angustifolia

A-N

L: low

—

Asparagaceae

Agave sisalana

A-I

L: low

—

Asparagaceae

Asparagus densiflorus

Cul

L: low

—

Chlorophytum comosum

Cul

L: low

—

Cordyline fruticosa

Cul

L: low

—

Asparagaceae Asparagaceae

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Amaryllidaceae Amaryllidaceae

Table B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

—

Monocots—Continued Asparagaceae

Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia

Cul

Unknown

—

Asparagaceae

Sansevieria hyacinthoides

A-I

Unknown

—

Asparagaceae

Sansevieria trifasciata

Cul

L: low

—

Asphodelaceae

Aloe vera

Cul

L: low

—

Bromeliaceae

Ananas comosus

Cul

L: low

—

Bromeliaceae

Nidularium sp.

Cul

Unknown

—

Commelinaceae

Tradescantia pallida

Cul

Unknown

—

Commelinaceae

Tradescantia spathacea

Cul

L: low

—

Cyperaceae

Cyperus alternifolius

Cul

L: low

—

Cyperaceae

Cyperus pumilus

A-N

Unknown

—

Cyperaceae

Cyperus rotundus

A-N

L: low

—

Cyperaceae

Fimbristylis cymosa

Nat

W: mod

—

Cyperaceae

Fimbristylis dichotoma

A-N

L: low

—

Hydrocharitaceae

Egeria densa

Cul

L: low

—

Musaceae

Musa acuminata

Cul

L: low

—

Orchidaceae

Orchid sp.

Cul

L: low

—

Pandanaceae

Pandanus tectorius

Cul

L: low

—

Poaceae

Bothriochloa pertusa

A-N

W: mod

—

Poaceae

Cenchrus brownii

A-N

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Cenchrus echinatus

A-I

W: mod

—

Poaceae

Chloris barbata

A-I

L: low

—

Poaceae

Cymbopogon citratus

Cul

L: low

—

Poaceae

Cynodon dactylon

A-I

L: low

—

Poaceae

Dactyloctenium aegyptium

A-N

W: low

—

Poaceae

Digitaria ciliaris

A-N

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Digitaria gaudichaudii

A-N

Unknown

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; A, alien; E, endemic; Nat, native. Distribution level: W: high, widespread distribution with high abundance; W: mod, widespread distribution with moderate abundance; W: low, widespread distribution with low abundance; L: mod to high, local distribution with moderate to high abundance; L: mod, local distribution with moderate abundance; L: low, local distribution with low abundance; Unknown: not recorded in 2019 survey. Historical distribution references: Fosberg and Sachet, 1969. Wake Island vegetation and flora, 1961–63: Atoll Research Bulletin 1231–15; D.R. Herbst, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, unpub. data, 1998. Abbreviations: X, species was detected; —, not applicable; Y, yes; C, collected]

Table B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued [Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Status: Cul, cultivated; A-N, alien naturalized; A-I, alien invasive; A, alien; E, endemic; Nat, native. Distribution level: W: high, widespread distribution with high abundance; W: mod, widespread distribution with moderate abundance; W: low, widespread distribution with low abundance; L: mod to high, local distribution with moderate to high abundance; L: mod, local distribution with moderate abundance; L: low, local distribution with low abundance; Unknown: not recorded in 2019 survey. Historical distribution references: Fosberg and Sachet, 1969. Wake Island vegetation and flora, 1961–63: Atoll Research Bulletin 1231–15; D.R. Herbst, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, unpub. data, 1998. Abbreviations: X, species was detected; —, not applicable; Y, yes; C, collected]

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

—

Monocots—Continued Digitaria insularis

A-I

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Eleusine indica

A-N

L: low

—

Poaceae

Eragrostis amabilis

A-N

L: low

—

Poaceae

Eragrostis minor

A-N

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Eragrostis scabriflora

A-N

W: low

—

Poaceae

Eustachys petraea

A-N

W: low

—

Poaceae

Lepturus repens

Nat

W: mod

—

Poaceae

Paspalum scrobiculatum

A-I

L: low

—

Poaceae

Paspalum setaceum

A-N

L: low

—

Poaceae

Paspalum vaginatum

A-I

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Setaria verticillata

A-N

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Sorghum bicolor

Cul

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Zea mays

Cul

Unknown

—

Poaceae

Zoysia matrella

Cul

L: low

—

Pontederiaceae

Eichhornia crassipes

Cul

Unknown

—

Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia reginae

Cul

L: low

—

Zingiberaceae

Alpinia galanga

Cul

L: low

—

Zingiberaceae

Alpinia purpurata

Cul

Unknown

—

Zingiberaceae

Hedychium coronarium

Cul

Unknown

—

Araucaria heterophylla

Cul

L: low

—

Gymnosperms Araucariaceae

X Ferns

Polypodiaceae

Phymatosorus scolopendria

Cul

L: low

—

Psilotaceae

Psilotum nudum

A-N

L: low

—

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Poaceae

Table B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy

Family

Scientific name

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

Dicots Acanthaceae

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii

Cul

L: low

—

Acanthaceae

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum

Cul

L: low

—

Aizoaceae

Sesuvium portulacastrum

Nat

L: mod to high

—

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus blitum

A-N

L: low

—

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus dubius

A-N

L: low

—

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus graecizans

A-N

L: low

—

Amaranthaceae

Gomphrena globosa

Cul

Unknown

—

Anacardiaceae

Mangifera indica

Cul

Unknown

—

Anacardiaceae

Spondias pinnata

Cul

Unknown

—

Annonaceae

Annona muricata

Cul

Unknown

—

Annonaceae

Annona squamosa

Cul

Unknown

—

Apiaceae

Anethum graveolens

Cul

L: low

—

Apiaceae

Coriandrum sativum

Cul

L: low

—

Apiaceae

Eryngium foetidum

Cul

Unknown

—

Apiaceae

Petroselinum crispum

Cul

Unknown

—

Apocynaceae

Adenium obesum

Cul

L: low

—

Apocynaceae

Calotropis gigantea

Cul

L: low

—

Apocynaceae

Catharanthus roseus

Cul

L: low

—

Apocynaceae

Nerium oleander

Cul

L: low

—

Apocynaceae

Plumeria obtusa

Cul

L: low

—

Apocynaceae

Plumeria rubra

Cul

L: low

—

Araliaceae

Polyscias fruticosa

Cul

L: low

—

Araliaceae

Polyscias guilfoylei

Cul

L: low

—

Araliaceae

Polyscias scutellaria

Cul

L: low

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Taxonomy

Family

Scientific name

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

—

Recorded in 2019

Dicots—Continued Schefflera actinophylla

Cul

L: low

Asteraceae

Bidens alba

A-I

W: mod

—

Asteraceae

Erigeron bonariensis

A-I

Unknown

—

Asteraceae

Erigeron canadensis

A-N

W: mod

—

Asteraceae

Helianthus annuus

Cul

Unknown

—

Asteraceae

Lactuca sativa

Cul

Unknown

—

Asteraceae

Pluchea carolinensis

A-I

W: mod

—

Asteraceae

Pluchea odorata

A-N

Unknown

—

Asteraceae

Sonchus oleraceus

A-I

Unknown

—

Asteraceae

Tagetes erecta

Cul

Unknown

—

Asteraceae

Tridax procumbens

A-I

W: low

—

Asteraceae

Zinnia elegans

Cul

Unknown

—

Bignoniaceae

Tabebuia aurea

Cul

L: low

—

Brassicaceae

Brassica nigra

Cul

L: low

—

Brassicaceae

Brassica oleracea

Cul

L: low

—

Brassicaceae

Lepidium bidentatum

Nat

L: mod to high

—

Brassicaceae

Lobularia maritima

Cul

Unknown

—

Brassicaceae

Raphanus sativus

Cul

Unknown

—

Cactaceae

Nopalea cochenillifera

A-I

L: low

—

Cactaceae

Opuntia littoralis

A-N

L: low

—

Caricaceae

Carica papaya

Cul

L: low

—

Casuarinaceae

Casuarina equisetifolia

A-I

W: high

—

Cleomaceae

Gynandropsis gynandra

A-N

L: low

—

Commelinaceae

Terminalia catappa

Cul

L: low

—

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Araliaceae

Table B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

—

Recorded in 2019

Dicots—Continued Convolvulaceae

Cuscuta pentagona

A-N

Unknown

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea aquatica

Cul

L: low

—

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea batatas

Cul

Unknown

—

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

Nat

L: mod to high

—

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea violacea

Nat

L: mod

—

Crassulaceae

Crassula ovata

Cul

Unknown

—

Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe daigremontiana

A-I

Unknown

—

Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe delagoensis

A-I

L: low

—

Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe pinnata

A-I

L: low

—

Crassulaceae

Sedum sp.

Cul

Unknown

—

Crassulaceae

Sempervivum tectorum

Cul

Unknown

—

Cucurbitaceae

Coccinia grandis

Cul

L: low

—

Cucurbitaceae

Cucumis melo

Cul

L: low

—

Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbita pepo

Cul

Unknown

—

Cucurbitaceae

Momordica charantia

Cul

Unknown

—

Ehretiaceae

Cordia subcordata

Nat

W: mod

—

Euphorbiaceae

Codiaeum variegatum

Cul

L: low

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora

A-I

L: low

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia hirta

A-N

W: mod

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia hypericifolia

A-I

W: low

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia lactea

Cul

Unknown

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia milii

Cul

Unknown

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia prostrata

A-I

L: low

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Cul

Unknown

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Taxonomy

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

Family

Scientific name

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia thymifolia

A-N

L: low

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia tirucalli

Cul

Unknown

—

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia tithymaloides

Cul

Unknown

—

Euphorbiaceae

Jatropha integerrima

Cul

L: low

—

Euphorbiaceae

Ricinus communis

Cul

Unknown

—

Fabaceae

Bauhinia sp.

Cul

L: low

—

Dicots—Continued

Caesalpinia bonduc

Cul

Unknown

—

Dalea emarginata

A-N

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Delonix regia

Cul

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Desmanthus pernambucanus

A-I

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Desmanthus virgatus

A-I

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Gliricidia sepium

Cul

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Leucaena leucocephala

A-I

L: mod to high

—

Fabaceae

Phaseolus coccineus

Cul

Unknown

—

Fabaceae

Phaseolus vulgaris

Cul

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Pithecellobium dulce

Cul

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus

Cul

Unknown

—

Fabaceae

Samanea saman

Cul

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Sesbania grandiflora

Cul

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Tamarindus indica

Cul

L: low

—

Fabaceae

Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis

Cul

Unknown

—

Goodeniaceae

Scaevola sericea

Nat

L: mod to high

—

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Fabaceae Fabaceae

Table B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

Dicots—Continued Heliotropiaceae

Euploca procumbens var. depressum

A-N

W: mod

—

Heliotropiaceae

Heliotropium anomalum

Nat

L: low

—

Heliotropiaceae

Heliotropium foertherianum

Nat

W: high

—

Lamiaceae

Coleus scutellarioides

Cul

Unknown

—

Lamiaceae

Mentha spicata

Cul

L: low

—

Lamiaceae

Ocimum basilicum

Cul

Unknown

—

Lamiaceae

Ocimum tenuiflorum

Cul

L: low

—

Lamiaceae

Vitex trifolia

Cul

L: low

—

Lecythidaceae

Barringtonia asiatica

Cul

L: low

—

Lythraceae

Pemphis acidula

Nat

W: high

—

Malvaceae

Abutilon indicum subsp. albescens

A-N

W: mod

—

Malvaceae

Gossypium stephensii

End

W: mod

—

Malvaceae

Hibiscus hybrid

Cul

L: low

—

Malvaceae

Sida ciliaris

A-N

L: low

—

Malvaceae

Sida fallax

Nat

W: mod

—

Malvaceae

Talipariti tiliaceum

Cul

L: low

—

Malvaceae

Thespesia populnea

Cul

L: low

—

Malvaceae

Waltheria indica

Nat

W: mod

—

Moraceae

Ficus benghalensis

Cul

L: low

—

Moraceae

Ficus carica

Cul

L: low

—

Moraceae

Ficus microcarpa

Cul

L: low

—

Moraceae

spondias pinnata

Cul

Unknown

—

Moraceae

Moringa oleifera

Cul

Unknown

—

Myrtaceae

Corymbia citriodora

Cul

Unknown

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Taxonomy Scientific name

Family

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

—

Dicots—Continued Psidium guajava

Cul

L: low

—

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia albiflora

Nat

L: low

—

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia coccinea

A-N

W: mod

—

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia repens

Nat

W: mod

—

Nyctaginaceae

Bougainvillea spectabilis

Cul

L: low

—

Nyctaginaceae

Pisonia grandis

Nat

L: mod to high

—

Nymphaeaceae

Nymphaea sp.

Cul

L: low

—

Oleaceae

Jasminum sambac

Cul

L: low

—

Oleaceae

Noronhia emarginata

Cul

Unknown

—

Passifloraceae

Passiflora foetida var. hispida

A-I

L: mod

—

Phyllanthaceae

Phyllanthus acidus

Cul

L: low

—

Phyllanthaceae

Phyllanthus amarus

A-I

W: mod

—

Polygonaceae

Coccoloba uvifera

A-I

L: mod to high

—

Portulacaceae

Portulaca lutea

Nat

L: mod

—

Portulacaceae

Portulaca oleracea

A-N

W: mod

—

Portulacaceae

Portulaca pilosa subsp. pilosa

Nat

Unknown

—

Rhamnaceae

Ziziphus mauritiana

Cul

Unknown

—

Rosaceae

Rosa sp.

Cul

Unknown

—

Rubiaceae

Gardenia taitensis

Cul

L: low

—

Rubiaceae

Ixora sp.

Cul

L: low

—

Rubiaceae

Morinda citrifolia

A-I

L: low

—

Rubiaceae

Oldenlandia corymbosa

A-N

L: low

—

Rutaceae

Citrus hystrix

Cul

Unknown

—

Rutaceae

Citrus sp.

Cul

L: low

—

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Myrtaceae

Table B3. Distribution of plant species recorded in 2019 or during previous botanical surveys on Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy

Family

Scientific name

Historical distribution

2019 distribution Status code

Distribution level

Recorded in 2019

Collected in 2019

New in 2019

Wilkes North 2019

Wilkes South 2019

Wake 2019

Peale 2019

Fosberg and Sachet, 1969

Herbst, unpub. data, 1998

Dicots—Continued Sapotaceae

Chrysophyllum cainito

Cul

Unknown

—

Sapotaceae

Manilkara zapota

Cul

L: low

—

Solanaceae

Capsicum annuum

Cul

L: low

—

Solanaceae

Capsicum frutescens

Cul

Unknown

—

Solanaceae

Nicotiana tabacum

Cul

Unknown

—

Solanaceae

Solanum lycopersicum

Cul

L: low

—

Solanaceae

Solanum melongena

Cul

L: low

—

Solanaceae

Solanum torvum

Cul

L: low

—

Tetrachondraceae

Polypremnum procumbens

A-N

L: low

—

Urticaceae

Pilea microphylla

A-I

L: low

—

Urticaceae

Piper sarmentosum

Cul

Unknown

—

Verbenaceae

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis

A-I

W: mod

—

Verbenaceae

Stachytarpheta urticifolia

A-I

Unknown

—

Zygophyllaceae

Tribulus cistoides

Nat

L: mod to high

—

Zygophyllaceae

Tribulus terrestris

A-I

L: low

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide Table B4. List of invasive plant species that could become established on Wake Atoll if introduced. [—, not applicable]

Family

Common name

Scientific name

Function/ life form

Synonyms

Monocots Poaceae

Cenchrus setaceus (Forssk.) Morrone

Fountaingrass

Grass

Pennisetum setaceum

Poaceae

Cenchrus ciliaris L.

Buffelgrass

Grass

—

Poaceae

Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv.

Molasses grass

Grass

—

Poaceae

Panicum maximum Jacq.

Guinea grass

Grass

Megathyrsus maximus

Dicots Asteraceae

Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.King and H.Rob.

Devil weed

Herb

—

Asteraceae

Pluchea indica (L.) Less.

Indian fleabane

Shrub

—

Asteraceae

Verbesina encelioides (Cav.) Benth. and Hook.

golden crown-beard

Shrub

—

Clusiaceae

Clusia rosea Jacq.

Autograph tree

Tree

—

Euphorbiaceae

Ricinus communis L.

Castor bean

Herb

—

Fabaceae

Neonotonia wightii (Wight & Arn.) Lackey

Glycine

Vine

—

Fabaceae

Prosopis pallida (Willd.) Kunth

Kiawe, mesquite

Tree

—

Fabaceae

Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.

Mesquite

Tree

—

Verbenaceae

Lantana camara L.

Lantana

Shrub

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

B. References Cited Bryan, E.H., Jr., 1959, Notes on the geography and natural history of Wake Island: Atoll Research Bulletin, v. 66, p. 1–22. [Available at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00775630.66.1.]

Hawaiʻi Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, 2019, Hawaiʻi Pacific Weed Risk assessment 2019: Hawaiʻi Pacific Weed Risk Assessment online database, accessed November 12, 2019, at www.hpwra.org.

Christophersen, E., 1931, Vascular plants of Johnston and Wake Islands: B.P. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, v. 9, no. 13, p. 1–20.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2019, Global invasive species database: Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), Species Survival Commission (SSC), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), online database, accessed November 7, 2019, at http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/.

Florida Invasive Species Council, 2019, 2019 FLEPPC list of invasive species: Florida Invasive Species Council online database, accessed November 12, 2019, at https://www.fleppc.org/.

Mueller-Dombois, D., and Fosberg, F.R., 1998, Vegetation of the tropical Pacific Islands: New York City, N.Y., Springer, 733 p. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8686-3.]

Fosberg, F.R., 1959, Vegetation and flora of Wake Island: Atoll Research Bulletin, v. 67, p. 1–20. [Available at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00775630.67.1.] Fosberg, F.R., and Sachet, M.H., 1969, Wake Island vegetation and flora, 1961–1963: Atoll Research Bulletin, v. 123, p. 1–15. [Available at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00775630.123.1.] Gallagher, J.P., Grover, C.E., Rex, K., Moran, M., and Wendel, J.F., 2017, A new species of cotton from Wake Atoll, Gossypium stephensii (Malvaceae): Systematic Botany, v. 42, no. 1, p. 115–123, accessed October 10, 2017, at https://doi.org/10.1600/036364417X694593.] Griffiths, R., Wegmann, A.S., Hanson, C., Keitt, B., Howald, G., Brown, D., Tershy, B., Pitt, W.C., Moran, M., Rex, K.R., White, S., Flint, B., and Torr, N., 2014, The Wake Island rodent eradication—Part success, part failure, but wholly instructive, in Vertebrate Pest Conference, 26th, Davis, Calif., 2014, Proceedings: Davis, Calif., University of California, Davis, p. 101–111. Hathaway, S.A., Jacobi, J.D., Peck, R., and Fisher, R.N., 2022, Updates for Wake Atoll biosecurity management, biological control, survey, and management, and integrated pest management plans: U.S. Geological Survey OpenFile Report 2022–1067, 56 p., accessed August 26, 2022 at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221067.

Roskov, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, N., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., DeWever, A., Nieukerken, E.V., Zarucchi, J., and Penev, L., 2019, Species 2000 and ITIS catalogue of life, 2019 annual checklist—Species 2000: Catalogue of Life online database, accessed March 4, 2019, at http://www.catalogueoflife.org/ annual-checklist/2019/info/ac. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2019, Introduced, invasive, and noxious plants: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Services, online database, accessed November 4, 2019, at https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/java/. U.S. Forest Service, 2018, Pacific Island ecosystems at risk (PIER), plant threats to Pacific ecosystems: U.S. Forest Service online database, accessed November 7, 2019, at http://www.hear.org/pier/.

Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019 Table B1.1. List of plant species recorded from Wake Atoll, with full taxonomic nomenclature and selected synonyms. [Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Abbreviation: —, not applicable]

Family

Family common name

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Monocots Amaryllis family

Allium cepa L.

Herb

Bulb onion, globe onion

—

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis family

Allium fistulosum L.

Herb

Green onion, scallion

—

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis family

Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Spreng.

Herb

Garlic chives

—

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis family

Crinum amabile Donn ex Ker Gawl.

Herb

Spider lily, Queen Emma crinum

Crinum augustum

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis family

Crinum asiaticum L.

Herb

Spider lily, giant crinum lily

—

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis family

Hippeastrum sp.

Herb

Amaryllis

—

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis family

Hymenocallis littoralis (Jacq.) Salisb.

Herb

Beach spider lily

Hymenocallis pedalis

Araceae

Aroid family

Caladium bicolor (Aiton) Vent.

Herb

Caladium, heart of Jesus

—

Araceae

Aroid family

Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott

Herb

Taro

—

Araceae

Aroid family

Dieffenbachia seguine (Jacq.) Schott

Herb

Dumb cane

—

Araceae

Aroid family

Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G.S. Bunting

Vine

Devil's ivy, taro vine

Rhaphidophora aurea

Araceae

Aroid family

Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl.

Vine

Pothos, taro vine

—

Araceae

Aroid family

Philodendron hederaceum var. oxycardium (Schott) Croat

Vine

Heartleaf philodendron, vilevine

Phyllodendron oxycardium

Araceae

Aroid family

Philodendron undulatum Engl.

Vine

Philodendron

—

Araceae

Aroid family

Syngonium auritum (L.) Schott

Vine

Syngoniurn, arrowhead vine

—

Arecaceae

Palm family

Adonidia merrillii (Becc.) Becc.

Tree

Manila palm; Christmas palm

—

Arecaceae

Palm family

Cocos nucifera L.

Tree

Coconut

—

Arecaceae

Palm family

Phoenix sp.

Tree

Date palm

—

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Agave americana L.

Shrub

Century plant

—

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Agave angustifolia Haw.

Shrub

Century plant

—

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Agave sisalana Perrine

Shrub

Sisal

—

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop

Shrub

Asparagus fern

—

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques

Herb

Spider plant

—

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A.Chev.

Shrub

Cordyline terminalis

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia Baker

Shrub

Song of India, pleomele

Dracaena marginata

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce

Herb

Iguana tail, African bowstring hemp

Sansevieria guineensis

Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019

Amaryllidaceae

Table B1.1. List of plant species recorded from Wake Atoll, with full taxonomic nomenclature and selected synonyms.—Continued [Taxonomy follows Roskov and others (2019). Abbreviation: —, not applicable]

Family common name

Asparagaceae

Asparagus family

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Monocots—Continued Sansevieria trifasciata Prain

Herb

Snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue

—

Asphodelaceae

Asphodelus family

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f.

Herb

Aloe

—

Bromeliaceae

Bromeliad family

Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.

Herb

Pineapple

—

Bromeliaceae

Bromeliad family

Nidularium sp.

Shrub

Nidularium, nest bromeliad

—

Commelinaceae

Spiderwort family

Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D.R. Hunt

Herb

Purple tradescantia, wandering jew

Setcreasea purpurea

Commelinaceae

Spiderwort family

Tradescantia spathacea Sw.

Herb

Oyster plant

Rhoeo spathacea

Cyperaceae

Sedge family

Cyperus alternifolius L.

Sedge

Umbrella sedge

—

Cyperaceae

Sedge family

Cyperus pumilus L.

Sedge

Low flatsedge

—

Cyperaceae

Sedge family

Cyperus rotundus L.

Sedge

Nutgrass, umbrella sedge

—

Cyperaceae

Sedge family

Fimbristylis cymosa R.Br.

Sedge

Tropical fimbry

—

Cyperaceae

Sedge family

Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl

Sedge

Forked fimbry

—

Hydrocharitaceae

Frog's-bit family

Egeria densa Planch.

Herb

Brazilian waterweed

—

Musaceae

Banana family

Musa acuminata Colla

Herb

Cavendish banana

—

Orchidaceae

Orchid family

Orchid sp.

Herb

Orchid species

—

Pandanaceae

Screw pine family

Pandanus tectorius Parkinson ex Du Roi

Tree

Hala, screwpine

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus

Grass

Pitted beardgrass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Cenchrus brownii Roem. & Schult.

Grass

Slim-bristle sandbur

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Cenchrus echinatus L.

Grass

Sandbur

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Chloris barbata Sw.

Grass

Swollen fingergrass

Chloris inflata

Poaceae

Grass family

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf

Grass

Lemon grass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

Grass

Bermuda grass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd.

Grass

Beach wiregrass, crowfoot grass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koeler

Grass

Henry's crabgrass, southern crabgrass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Digitaria gaudichaudii (Kunth) Henrard

Grass

Crabgrass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Digitaria insularis (L.) Mez ex Ekman

Grass

Sourgrass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.

Grass

Indian goosegrass, wiregrass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Eragrostis amabilis (L.) Wight & Arn.

Grass

Japanese lovegrass (syn: E. tenella)

Eragrostis tenella

Poaceae

Grass family

Eragrostis minor Host

Grass

Lesser love grass, small stink grass

Eragrostis poaeoides

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Family

Family common name

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Monocots—Continued Poaceae

Grass family

Eragrostis scabriflora Swallen

Grass

No common name found

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Eustachys petraea (Sw.) Desv.

Grass

Pinewoods fingergrass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Pacific Island thintail

Lepturus gasparriciensis

Poaceae

Grass family

Paspalum scrobiculatum L.

Grass

Ricegrass, Kodo millet (Syn: P. orbiculare)

Paspalum auriculatum, P. cartilagineum

Poaceae

Grass family

Paspalum setaceum Michx.

Grass

Thin paspalum, fringeleaf paspalum

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Paspalum vaginatum Sw.

Grass

Seashore paspalum, biscuit grass

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv.

Grass

Bristly foxtail

—

Poaceae

Grass family

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

Grass

Sweet sorghum

Sorghum dochna var. technicum

Poaceae

Grass family

Zea mays L.

Grass

Corn

—

Grass family

Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.

Grass

Manila grass

—

Pickerel weed family

Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Aquatic herb

Water hyacinth

—

Strelitziaceae

Bird of paradise family

Strelitzia reginae Banks

Large herb

Bird-of-paradise

—

Zingiberaceae

Ginger family

Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd.

Large herb

Galanga, Thai ginger, blue ginger —

Zingiberaceae

Ginger family

Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum.

Large herb

Red ginger

—

Zingiberaceae

Ginger family

Hedychium coronarium J.Koenig

Large herb

White ginger

—

Araucariaceae

Araucaria family

Araucaria heterophylla (Salisb.) Franco

Tree

Norfolk Island pine

—

Gymnosperms Ferns Polypodiaceae

Polypody family

Phymatosorus scolopendria (Burm. fil.) Pic. Serm.

Fern

Laua'e fern, wart fern

—

Psilotaceae

Whisk fern family

Psilotum nudum (L.) P. Beauv.

Fern

Moa; wisk fern

—

Dicots Acanthus family

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii (Seem.) Guill.

Shrub

Carruthers' falseface; yellowveined Eranthemum

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii

Acanthaceae

Acanthus family

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum (Bull) Fosberg

Shrub

Purple false Eranthemum

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpura

Aizoaceae

Fig-marigold family

Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L.

Herb

Shoreline seapurslane; `akulikuli

—

Amaranthaceae

Amaranth family

Amaranthus blitum L.

Herb

Purple amaranth, sender amaranth

Amaranthus viridis

Acanthaceae

Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019

Poaceae Pontederiaceae

Family common name

Amaranthaceae

Amaranth family

Amaranthus dubius Mart.

Herb

Spleen amaranth, red spinach

—

Amaranthaceae

Amaranth family

Amaranthus graecizans L.

Herb

Mediterranean amaranth, shorttepalled pigweed

—

Amaranthaceae

Amaranth family

Gomphrena globosa L.

Herb

Bachelor`s button; globe amaranth

—

Anacardiaceae

Mango family

Mangifera indica L.

Tree

Mango

—

Anacardiaceae

Mango family

Spondias pinnata (L. fil.) Kurz

Tree

Wild mango, hog plum

—

Annonaceae

Custard apple family

Annona muricata L.

Tree

Soursop

—

Annonaceae

Custard apple family

Annona squamosa L.

Tree

Sugar apple, custard apple, sweetsop

—

Apiaceae

Parsley family

Anethum graveolens L.

Herb

Dill

—

Apiaceae

Parsley family

Coriandrum sativum L.

Herb

Cilantro, coriander, Chinese parsley

—

Apiaceae

Parsley family

Eryngium foetidum L.

Herb

False coriander, serrated coriander

—

Apiaceae

Parsley family

Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss

Herb

Parsley

Apium petroselinum

Apocynaceae

Dogbane family

Adenium obesum (Forsk.) Roem. & Schult.

Shrub

Desert rose

—

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Dicots—Continued

Apocynaceae

Dogbane family

Calotropis gigantea (L.) W. T. Aiton

Shrub

Crown flower

—

Apocynaceae

Dogbane family

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don

Herb

Periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle

—

Apocynaceae

Dogbane family

Nerium oleander L.

Shrub

Oleander

—

Apocynaceae

Dogbane family

Plumeria obtusa L.

Tree

Plumeria, frangipani

—

Apocynaceae

Dogbane family

Plumeria rubra L.

Tree

Common frangipani, red frangipani

—

Araliaceae

Ginseng family

Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms

Shrub

Ming aralia

—

Araliaceae

Ginseng family

Polyscias guilfoylei (W.Bull) L.H.Bailey

Shrub

Panax, geranium aralia

—

Araliaceae

Ginseng family

Polyscias scutellaria (Burm.f.) Fosberg

Shrub

Shield aralia, plum aralia

—

Araliaceae

Ginseng family

Schefflera actinophylla (Endl.) Harms

Tree

Octopus tree, umbrella tree

Brassaia actinophylla

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Bidens alba (L.) DC

Herb

Beggarticks, Spanish needles

—

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Erigeron bonariensis L.

Herb

Hairy horseweed, hairy fleabane

Conyza bonariensis

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Erigeron canadensis L.

Herb

Canada fleabane, horseweed

Conyza canadensis

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Family

Family common name

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Dicots—Continued Sunflower family

Helianthus annuus L.

Herb

Common sunflower

—

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Lactuca sativa L.

Herb

Lettuce

—

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Pluchea carolinensis (Jacq.) G. Don

Shrub

Sourbush, fleabane

—

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Pluchea odorata (L.) Cass.

Shrub

Camphor-weed, saltmarsh fleabane

—

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Sonchus oleraceus L.

Herb

Common sowthistle

—

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Tagetes erecta L.

Herb

Marigold

Tagetes patula

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Tridax procumbens L.

Herb

Coatbuttons, tridax daisy

—

Asteraceae

Sunflower family

Zinnia elegans Jacq.

Herb

Garden zinnia

Zinnia violacea

Bignoniaceae

Bignonia family

Tabebuia aurea (Manso) Benth. & Hook. fil. ex S. Moore

Tree

Silver trumpet-tree

Tabebuia argentea

Brassicaceae

Mustard family

Brassica nigra (L.) W.D.J. Koch

Herb

Black mustard

—

Brassicaceae

Mustard family

Brassica oleracea L.

Herb

Cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.

—

Brassicaceae

Mustard family

Lepidium bidentatum I

Herb

Pepperwort

—

Brassicaceae

Mustard family

Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv.

Herb

Sweet alyssum or sweet alison

—

Brassicaceae

Mustard family

Raphanus sativus L.

Herb

Raddish

—

Cactaceae

Cactus family

Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck

Shrub

Cochinilla cactus

Opuntia cochenillifera

Cactaceae

Cactus family

Opuntia littoralis (Engelm.) Cockerell

Shrub

Coastal prickly pear cactus

—

Caricaceae

Papaya family

Carica papaya L.

Tree

Papaya

—

Cleomaceae

Cleome family

Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.

Tree

Ironwood; Australian pine tree

Cleome gynandra

Commelinaceae

Spiderwort family

Casuarina equisetifolia L.

Herb

African spider-flower

—

Commelinaceae

Spiderwort family

Terminalia catappa L.

Tree

Indian almond, false kamani

—

Convolvulaceae

Morning glory family

Cuscuta pentagona Engelm.

Vine

Fiveangled dodder

—

Convolvulaceae

Morning glory family

Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.

Vine

Swamp morning-glory, Chinese watercress

—

Convolvulaceae

Morning glory family

Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.

Vine

Sweet potato

—

Convolvulaceae

Morning glory family

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis (L.) Ooststr.

Vine

Beach morning-glory, pohuehue; puhuehue

—

Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019

Asteraceae

Family common name

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Dicots—Continued Convolvulaceae

Morning glory family

Ipomoea violacea L.

Vine

Beach moon-flower, heavenlyblue morning-glory

Ipomoea tuba

Crassulaceae

Orpine family

Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce

Herb

Jade plant

—

Crassulaceae

Orpine family

Kalanchoe daigremontiana R.-Hamet & Perrier Herb

Devil's backbone, alligator plant

—

Crassulaceae

Orpine family

Kalanchoe delagoensis Eckl. & Zeyh.

Herb

Chandelier plant

—

Crassulaceae

Orpine family

Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers.

Herb

Air plant, cathedral bells

—

Crassulaceae

Orpine family

Sedum sp.

Herb

Stonecrop

—

Crassulaceae

Orpine family

Sempervivum tectorum L.

Herb

Common houseleek

—

Cucurbitaceae

Gourd family

Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt

Vine

Ivy gourd

—

Cucurbitaceae

Gourd family

Cucumis melo L.

Vine

Cantaloupe, muskmelon

—

Cucurbitaceae

Gourd family

Cucurbita pepo L.

Vine

Pumpkin, squash

—

Cucurbitaceae

Gourd family

Momordica charantia L.

Vine

Bitter melon

—

Ehretiaceae

Ehretiaceae family

Cordia subcordata Lamarck

Tree

Kou

—

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Codiaeum variegatum (L.) Rumph. ex A.Juss.

Shrub

Garden croton or variegated croton

—

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora (Murray) Griseb.

Herb

Dwarf poinsettia, wild poinsettia

Euphorbia cyathophora

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia hirta L.

Herb

Hairy spurge, garden spurge

Chamaesyce hirta

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia hypericifolia L.

Shrub

Graceful spurge

Euphorbia hypericifolia, Euphorbia glomerifera

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia lactea Haw.

Shrub

Mottled spurge, frilled fan, candlestick tree

—

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia milii Des Moul.

Shrub

Crown of thorns, Christ plant, or Christ thorn

—

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia prostrata Aiton

Herb

Prostrate purge or prostrate sandmat

Chamaesyce prostrata

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch

Shrub

Poinsettia; Christmas star

—

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia thymifolia L.

Herb

Chickenweed

Chamaesyce thymifolia

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Euphorbia tirucalli L.

Shrub

Firestick, pencil tree, pencil cactus

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Family

Family common name

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Dicots—Continued Spurge family

Euphorbia tithymaloides L.

Shrub

Redbird cactus, buck-thorn, Christmas candle

Pedilanthus tithymaloides

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Jatropha integerrima Jacq.

Shrub

Rose-flowered jatropha

—

Euphorbiaceae

Spurge family

Ricinus communis L.

Shrub

Castor bean or castor oil plant

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Bauhinia sp.

Tree

Orchid tree

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Caesalpinia bonduc (L.)Roxb.

Vine

Grey nicker, nicker bean, kakalaoa

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Dalea emarginata (Torr. & A.Gray)Shinners

Herb

Wedgeleaf prairie clover

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Delonix regia (Hook.) Raf.

Tree

Poinciana, flame tree

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Desmanthus pernambucanus (L.)Thell.

Shrub

Wild tantan, prostrate bundleflower, dwarf koa

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Desmanthus virgatus (L.)Willd.

Shrub

Wild tantan, prostrate bundleflower, dwarf koa

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.)Walp.

Tree

Gliricidia

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.)de Wit

Tree

Koa haole, tangantangan, lead tree

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Phaseolus coccineus L.

Vine

Snap bean, scarlet runner bean

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Vine

Common bean, snap bean

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.)Benth.

Tree

Opiuma, Manila tamarind

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.)DC.

Vine

Wing bean

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.

Tree

Monkeypod

Albizia saman

Fabaceae

Pea family

Sesbania grandiflora (L.)Pers.

Tree

Hummingbird tree, scarlet wisteria

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Tamarindus indica L.

Tree

Tamarind

—

Fabaceae

Pea family

Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdc.

Vine

Asparagus bean, yard-long bean

—

Goodeniaceae

Goodenia family

Scaevola sericea Forst. fil.

Shrub

Beach naupaka, naupaka kahakai

Scaevola sericea var. taccada, S. taccada

Heliotropiaceae

Heliotrop family

Euploca procumbens var. depressum (Chamisso)

Herb

Fourspike heliotrope (Heliotropium procumbens)

Heliotropium procumbens var. depressum

Heliotropiaceae

Heliotrop family

Heliotropium anomalum Hook. & Arn.

Herb

Hinahina, Polynesian heliotrope

—

Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019

Euphorbiaceae

Full taxonomic name

Heliotropiaceae

Heliotrop family

Heliotropium foertherianum Diane & Hilger

Tree

Tree heliotrope, octopus bush

Tournefortia argentea

Lamiaceae

Mint family

Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth.

Herb

Coleus

Solenostemon scutellarioides, Plectranthus scutellarioides

Lamiaceae

Mint family

Mentha spicata L.

Herb

Mint, spearmint

—

Lamiaceae

Mint family

Ocimum basilicum L.

Herb

Sweet basil

—

Lamiaceae

Mint family

Ocimum tenuiflorum L.

Herb

Holy basil, tulasi

—

Lamiaceae

Mint family

Vitex trifolia L.

Shrub

Blue vitex

—

Lecythidaceae

Brazil-nut family

Barringtonia asiatica (L.) Kurz

Tree

Fish poison tree

—

Lythraceae

Loosestrife family

Pemphis acidula J.R. Forster & G. Forster

Shrub

Pemphis

—

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Abutilon indicum subsp. albescens (Miq.) Borssum Waalkes

Shrub

Indian mallow

Abutilon asiaticum var. albescens

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Gossypium stephensii J.P.Gallagher, C.E.Grover & Wendel

Shrub

Wake Island cotton

—

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Hibiscus hybrid

Shrub

Hibiscus

—

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Sida ciliaris L.

Herb

Fringed Sida

—

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Sida fallax Walp.

Shrub

Ilima

—

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Talipariti tiliaceum (L.) Fryxell

Tree

Hau, sea hibiscus

Hibiscus tiliaceus

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Thespesia populnea (L.) Soland. ex Correa

Tree

Milo

—

Malvaceae

Mallow family

Waltheria indica L.

Herb

Uhaloa

—

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Dicots—Continued

Moraceae

Mulberry family

Ficus benghalensis L.

Tree

Banyan

—

Moraceae

Mulberry family

Ficus carica L.

Tree

Edible fig

—

Moraceae

Mulberry family

Ficus microcarpa L. fil.

Tree

Chinese banyan, Indian laurel fig

—

Moraceae

Mulberry family

Ficus rubiginosa Desf.

Tree

Port Jackson fig, rusty fig

—

Moraceae

Mulberry family

Moringa oleifera Lam.

Tree

Horseradish tree, drumstick tree

—

Myrtaceae

Myrtle family

Corymbia citriodora (Hook.) K.D. Hill & L.A.S. Johnson

Tree

Lemon-scented gum

Eucalyptus citriodora

Myrtaceae

Myrtle family

Psidium guajava L.

Tree

Common guava, lemon guava

—

Nyctaginaceae

Four-o'clock family

Boerhavia albiflora Fosberg

Herb

Spiderling

—

Nyctaginaceae

Four-o'clock family

Boerhavia coccinea Mill.

Herb

Scarlet spiderling

—

Nyctaginaceae

Four-o'clock family

Boerhavia repens L.

Herb

Red spiderling, hogweed

—

Nyctaginaceae

Four-o'clock family

Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd.

Shrub

Bougainvillea

—

Nyctaginaceae

Four-o'clock family

Pisonia grandis R. Br.

Tree

Papala kepau

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Family common name

Family

Family common name

Nymphaeaceae

Water lily family

Nymphaea sp.

Aquatic herb

Lotus, waterlily

—

Oleaceae

Olive family

Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton

Shrub

Arabian jasmine, Sambac jasmine

—

Oleaceae

Olive family

Noronhia emarginata (Lam.) Poir.

Shrub

Madagascar olive

—

Passifloraceae

Passion flower family

Passiflora foetida var. hispida (DC. ex Triana & Planchon) Killip ex Gleason

Vine

Passion fruit, scarletfruit passionflower

—

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Dicots—Continued

Phyllanthaceae

Phyllanthus family

Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels

Shrub

Otaheite gooseberry

—

Phyllanthaceae

Phyllanthus family

Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. & Thonn.

Shrub

Hurricane weed, carry me seed

—

Buckwheat family

Coccoloba uvifera (L.) L.

Tree

Sea grape

—

Purslane family

Portulaca lutea SoI. ex Seem.

Herb

Yellow purslane

—

Portulacaceae

Purslane family

Portulaca oleracea L.

Herb

Purslane, hogweed, pigweed

—

Portulacaceae

Purslane family

Portulaca pilosa subsp. pilosa L.

Herb

Seashore purslane, rose-flowered purslane

Portulaca samoensis, P. australis

Rhamnaceae

Buckthorn family

Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.

Tree

Indian jujube, Chinese date

—

Rosaceae

Rose family

Rosa sp.

Shrub

Rose

—

Rubiaceae

Coffee family

Gardenia taitensis DC.

Shrub

Tiare

—

Rubiaceae

Coffee family

Ixora sp.

Shrub

Ixora

—

Rubiaceae

Coffee family

Morinda citrifolia L., nom. cons.

Tree

Noni, Indian-mulberry

—

Rubiaceae

Coffee family

Oldenlandia corymbosa L.

Herb

Flat-top mille graines, diamond flower

Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.

Rutaceae

Rue or citrus family Citrus hystrix DC.

Tree

Kaffir lime, Thai lime

—

Rutaceae

Rue or citrus family Citrus sp.

Tree

Citrus

—

Sapotaceae

Sapodilla family

Chrysophyllum cainito L.

Tree

Star apple, cainito

—

Sapotaceae

Sapodilla family

Manilkara zapota (L.) P.Royen

Tree

Sapodilla

—

Solanaceae

Nightshade family

Capsicum annuum L.

Shrub

Chili pepper, bell pepper, etc.

—

Solanaceae

Nightshade family

Capsicum frutescens L.

Shrub

Chili pepper

—

Solanaceae

Nightshade family

Nicotiana tabacum L.

Shrub

Tobacco

—

Solanaceae

Nightshade family

Solanum lycopersicum L.

Shrub

Tomato

Lycopersicon esculentum

Solanaceae

Nightshade family

Solanum melongena L.

Shrub

Egg plant

—

Solanaceae

Nightshade family

Solanum torvum Swartz

Shrub

Turkeyberry, pea eggplant

—

Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019

Polygonaceae Portulacaceae

Family common name

Full taxonomic name

Life form

Common name

Synonyms

Dicots—Continued Tetrachondraceae

Tetrachondra family

Polypremum procumbens L.

Herb

Juniper leaf

—

Urticaceae

Nettle family

Pilea microphylla (L.) Liebm.

Herb

Artillery plant

—

Urticaceae

Nettle family

Piper sarmentosum Roxb.

Shrub

Lolot, wild betel

Piper lolot

Verbenaceae

Verbena family

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl

Shrub

Jamaica vervain, light-blue snakeweed

—

Verbenaceae

Verbena family

Stachytarpheta urticifolia Sims

Shrub

Blue rat’s tail, nettleleaf velvetberry

—

Zygophyllaceae

Creosote bush family

Tribulus cistoides L.

Shrub

Nohu

—

Zygophyllaceae

Creosote bush family

Tribulus terrestris L.

Shrub

Puncture vine

—

B1. Reference Cited Roskov, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, N., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., DeWever, A., Nieukerken, E.V., Zarucchi, J., and Penev, L., 2019, Species 2000 and ITIS catalogue of life, 2019 annual checklist—Species 2000: Catalogue of Life online database, accessed March 4, 2019, at http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2019/info/ac.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Family

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll Photograph and descriptive summary of native and introduced plant species that have been recorded on Wake Atoll. Taxa are organized with monocots first and dicots second. Within monocots and dicots, taxa are organized alphabetically by family name and then by genus within family.

Crinum amabile Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CriAma

Life Form: herb

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Synonym(s): Crinum augustum

Common Name(s): spider lily, Queen Emma crinum Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Crinum asiaticum Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CriAsi

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): spider lily, giant crinum lily Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Hippeastrum sp. Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: HipSp

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): amaryllis Status on Wake:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This ornamental species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Colocasia esculenta Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: ColEsc

Family: Araceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): taro Status on Wake:

cultivated

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Wake Risk Assessment: low X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Several plants in residential gardens. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Peale: Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 61

Syngonium auritum Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: SynAur

Family: Araceae

Life Form: vine

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): syngoniurn, arrowhead vine Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Although Herbst found it on Wake and Peale Islets in 1998, it was only seen on Wake in the 2019 survey.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Adonidia merrillii Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: AdoMer

Family: Arecaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Manila palm; Christmas palm Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Herbst recorded an unknown palm in his 1998 survey but did not identify it; possibly it was this species, planted in several locations around buildings on Wake Islet and also at the Solid Waste Accumulation Area.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X?

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Cocos nucifera Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CocNuc

Family: Arecaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): coconut Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: There are several coconut trees that have been planted on both Wake and Peale Islets. This species, which is not native to Wake Atoll has the potential to expand to many other areas and even dominate the coastline.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

64 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Phoenix sp. Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: PhoSp

Family: Arecaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): date palm Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: While this introduced palm species is only found in a few places around residences on the northwest side of Wake Islet, it has the potential to spread to many other locations throughout the atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 65

Agave sisalana Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: AgaSis

Family: Asparagaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): sisal Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Planted as an ornamental around several residences on Wake Islet and near the old FAA facility on Peale, this highly invasive species has great potential for spread to many other areas.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

66 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Asparagus densiﬂorus Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: AspDen

Family: Asparagaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): asparagus fern Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Cordyline fruticosa Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CorFru

Life Form: shrub

Family: Asparagaceae Cordyline terminalis

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): ti Status on Wake: Recorded by:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

68 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Sansevieria trifasciata Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: SanTri

Family: Asparagaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Aloe vera Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: AloVer

Family: Asphodelaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): aloe Status on Wake:

cultivated

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Wake Risk Assessment: low X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

70 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Tradescantia spathacea Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: TraSpa

Life Form: herb

Family: Commelinaceae Rhoeo spathacea

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): oyster plant Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 71

Cyperus alternifolius Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CypAlt

Family: Cyperaceae

Life Form: sedge

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): umbrellasedge Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Cyperus rotundus Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CypRot

Family: Cyperaceae

Life Form: sedge

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): nutgrass, umbrella sedge Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is somewhat similar in appearance to other Cyperus species found on Wake but can be distinguished by the presence of nut-like corms on the roots.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Fimbristylis cymosa Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: FimCym

Family: Cyperaceae

Life Form: sedge

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): tropical ﬁmbry Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This is a very common native species that is found throughout the atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Fimbristylis dichotoma Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: FimDic

Family: Cyperaceae

Life Form: sedge

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): forked ﬁmbry Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This uncommon species is very diﬃcult to distinguish from the native F. cymosa and can also be confused with Cyperus rotundus.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 75

Egeria densa Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: EgeDen

Family: Hydrocharitaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Brazilian waterweed Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This aquatic plant grows only in a small contained water pond near a residence on Wake Islet and cannot spread beyond where it is actively maintained.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

76 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Musa acuminata Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: MusAcu

Family: Musaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Cavendish banana Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Banana plants are found in several of the gardens around residences. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 77

Pandanus tectorius Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: PanTec

Family: Pandanaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): hala, screwpine Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Although Pandanus is a genus found naturally on many Paciﬁc islands, it is not native to Wake Atoll. It does have the potential to spread naturally away from areas where it has been planted.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Bothriochloa pertusa Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: BotPer

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): pitted beardgrass Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This is a common small grass species that was found on Wake and Peale Islets. It is likely that is also occurs on the south portion of Wilkes Islet but was missed there in the 2019 survey.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 79

Cenchrus echinatus Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CenEch

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): sandbur Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This very invasive small grass with spiky burr seeds is established in many locations on Peale, Wake, and the south part of Wilkes Islets. It has the potential to spread widely since its seeds are easily transported on clothing and other personal gear.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

80 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Chloris barbata Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: ChlBar

Life Form: grass

Family: Poaceae Chloris inﬂata

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): swollen ﬁngergrass Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This is a moderate-sized grass that colonizes open, disturbed areas.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Cynodon dactylon Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: CynDac

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Bermuda grass Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species of grass does not grow very well in relatively dry sites but can dominate areas that have some added moisture, such as near buildings or other managed areas.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Dactyloctenium aegyptium Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: DacAeg

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): beach wiregrass, crowfoot grass Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was found to be common in many open areas on all of the islets on the atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 83

Eleusine indica Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: EleInd

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Indian goosegrass, wiregrass Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was documented by Herbst in 1998 on all of the islets on Wake Atoll. Although it was only recorded on Wilkes N and Wake during the 2019 survey, it was likely missed on Peale at that time.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

84 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Eragrostis amabilis Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: EraAma

Life Form: grass

Family: Poaceae

Synonym(s):

Eragrostis tenella

Common Name(s): Japaneselovegrass Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was documented by Herbst in 1998 on all of the islets on Wake Atoll. Although it was only recorded on Wilkes S and Wake during the 2019 survey, it was likely missed on Peale at that time.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 85

Eragrostis scabriﬂora Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: EraSca

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): no commonname Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was found to be common on all islets on Wake Atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Eustachys petraea Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: EusPet

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): pinewoods ﬁngergrass Status on Wake:

alien-naturalized

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Wake Risk Assessment: low X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was found to be common on all islets on Wake Atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 87

Lepturus repens Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: LepRep

Family: Poaceae

Synonym(s):

Life Form: grass

Lepturus gasparriciensis

Common Name(s): Paciﬁc Island thintail Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native grass was found to be common on all islets on Wake Atoll, particularly along the shorelines as well as growing as a dense mat under the open Heliotropium foertherianum woodland on Peale Islet.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

88 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Paspalum scrobiculatum Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: PasScr

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Paspalum auriculatum, P. cartilagineum

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): ricegrass, Kodo millet Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was not recorded by Herbst in either 1994 or 1998 but was found to be uncommon on both Wake and Peale Islets during the 2019 survey.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Paspalum setaceum Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: PasSet

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): thin paspalum, fringeleaf paspalum Status on Wake:

alien-naturalized

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was found to be uncommon on both Wake and Peale Islets by Herbst in 1994 and 1998 as well as during the 2019 survey.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Zoysia matrella Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: ZoyMat

Family: Poaceae

Life Form: grass

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Manila grass Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced grass was only found around some of the administration and residence buildings on the northwest side of Wake Islet where it was apparently planted.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 91

Strelitzia reginae Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: StrReg

Family: Strelitziaceae

Life Form: large herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): bird-of-paradise Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Alpinia galanga Plant Group: Monocots Species Code: AlpGal

Family: Zingiberaceae

Life Form: large herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): galanga, Thai ginger, blue ginger Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 93

Araucaria heterophylla Plant Group: Gymnosper Species Code: AraHet

Family: Araucariaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Norfolk Islandpine Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Several trees were found to be growing on Wake Islet near the residence and administration buildings.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Phymatosorus scolopendria Plant Group: Ferns Species Code: PhySco

Family: Polypodiaceae

Life Form: fern

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): laua'e fern, wart fern Status on Wake:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This fern species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 95

Psilotum nudum Plant Group: Ferns Species Code: PsiNud

Family: Psilotaceae

Life Form: fern

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): moa; wisk fern Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This primitive fern ally was found growing in only one spot at the base of one of the residence buildings on Wake Islet where there appeared to be some moisture accumulation. It is not expected to spread beyond this point.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

96 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PseCar

Family: Acanthaceae

Life Form: shrub

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. carruthersii

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Carruthers' falseface; yellow-veined Eranthemum Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PseCarAtr

Family: Acanthaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s): Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpura

Common Name(s): purple falseEranthemum Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Sesuvium portulacastrum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: SesPor

Family: Aizoaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): shoreline seapurslane; `akulikuli Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native succulent plant was found to be common around wetland sites and other locations near the shoreline on Wake and Peale Islets.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 99

Amaranthus blitum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: AmaBli

Life Form: herb

Family: Amaranthaceae Amaranthus viridis

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): purple amaranth, sender amaranth Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This weedy herb was not seen by Herbst in his 1994 or 1998 surveys, but it was found on both Wilkes (S) and Wake Islets in 2019.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

100

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Amaranthus dubius Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: AmaDub

Family: Amaranthaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): spleen amaranth, red spinach Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This weedy herb was seen by Herbst in his 1994 or 1998 surveys and was also found on both Wilkes (S) and Wake Islets in 2019.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: Edwin G. Más and María de L. Lugo-Torres, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution

Photograph: Warren L. Wagner, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 101

Amaranthus graecizans Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: AmaGra

Family: Amaranthaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Mediterranean amaranth, short-tepalled pigweed Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This weedy herb was ﬁrst recorded by Fosberg and Sachet in 1969 but not seen by Herbst in his 1994 or 1998 surveys; however, it was found only on Wake Islet in 2019.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

102

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Adenium obesum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: AdeObe

Family: Apocynaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): desert rose Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small woody ornamental plant was recorded where during the 2019 survey where it had apparently been planted on both Wake and Peale Islets.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 103

Catharanthus roseus Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CatRos

Family: Apocynaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

104 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Nerium oleander Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: NerOle

Family: Apocynaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): oleander Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 105

Plumeria obtusa Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PluObt

Family: Apocynaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): plumeria, frangipani Status on Wake: Recorded by:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

106

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Plumeria rubra Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PluRub

Family: Apocynaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): common frangipani, red frangipani Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 107

Polyscias fruticosa Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PolFru

Family: Araliaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Mingaralia Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

108

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Polyscias guilfoylei Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PolGui

Family: Araliaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): panax, geranium aralia Status on Wake: Recorded by:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 109

Polyscias scutellaria Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PolScu

Family: Araliaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): shield aralia, plum aralia Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

110

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Scheﬄera actinophylla Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: SchAct

Life Form: tree

Family: Araliaceae Brassaia actinophylla

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): octopus tree, umbrella tree Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 111

Bidens alba Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BidAlb

Family: Asteraceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): beggarticks, Spanish needles Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This highly invasive herb in the sunﬂower family was found to be widespread on both Wake and the south part of Wilkes Islets during the 2019 survey, although Herbst also documented it from Peale Islet in 1998. In previous lists this species has been identiﬁed as Bidens pilosa var. minor.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

112

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Erigeron canadensis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: EriCan

Life Form: herb

Family: Asteraceae Conyza canadensis

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Canada ﬂeabane, horseweed Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This is a very common weedy herb species that is found throughout the atoll. However, it is currently only found in a few small areas on the north section of Wilkes Islet.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 113

Pluchea carolinensis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PluCar

Family: Asteraceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): sourbush, ﬂeabane Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This highly invasive introduced shrub was found on all of the islets by both Herbst in 1994 and 1998, as well as during the 2019 survey. However, it was not very abundant on the north part of Wilkes Islet and potentially could be eradicated there.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

114

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Tridax procumbens Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: TriPro

Family: Asteraceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): coatbuttons, tridax daisy Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Herbst found this small introduced herb to be common on all of the islets during his 1994 and 1998 surveys. However, it was only recorded on Wake and Peale during the 2019 survey.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 115

Tabebuia aurea Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: TabAur

Life Form: tree

Family: Bignoniaceae

Synonym(s):

Tabebuia argentea

Common Name(s): silver trumpet-tree Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced tree was only found planted in the residence area on the northwest part of Wake Islet. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

116 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Brassica nigra Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BraNig

Family: Brassicaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): black mustard Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This weedy mustard species has only been documented growing in disturbed sites on Wake Islet.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 117

Lepidium bidentatum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: LepBid

Family: Brassicaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): pepperwort Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small native shrub was found growing on the north part of Wilkes Islet and in a few locations on Peale. It is extremely abundant locally, particularly where it is found near in and adjacent to the Bird Sanctuary on Peale Islet.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

118

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Nopalea cochenillifera Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: NopCoc

Life Form: shrub

Family: Cactaceae

Synonym(s):

Opuntia cochenillifera

Common Name(s): cochinillacactus Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This potentially invasive species of cactus was found growing in a few sites around the residential area on the northwest part of Wake Islet as well as in a few locations along the central "road" that runs through the center of Peale Islet. It is likely that this species will be able to spread to more locations on Peale and the other islets if not controlled. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 119

Opuntia littoralis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: OpuLit

Family: Cactaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): coastal prickley pear cactus Status on Wake:

alien-naturalized

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This potentially invasive species of this cactus was found growing in just one location along the central "road" that runs through the center of Peale Islet. It is likely that this species will be able to spread to more locations on Peale and the other islets if not controlled.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

120 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Carica papaya Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CarPap

Family: Caricaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): papaya Status on Wake: Recorded by:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 121

Casuarina equisetifolia Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CasEqu

Family: Casuarinaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Ironwood; Australian pine tree Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This tall introduced tree is a highly invasive species that can completely dominate the vegetation where it becomes established. This species was found on all of the islets on Wake Atoll and appears able to continue to spread without management. An intensive eﬀort to control this species was evident on Peale Islet during the 2019 survey as well in selected areas on Wake and Wilkes Islets. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

122

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Gynandropsis gynandra Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: GynGyn

Life Form: herb

Family: Cleomaceae

Synonym(s):

Cleome gynandra

Common Name(s): African spider-ﬂower Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This highly invasive herb was found to be locally common in several sites on Wake and Peale Islets during the 2019 survey. Although not seen there in 2019, there is apparently a small population of this plant on the north part of Wilkes Islet. This species may still be able to be controlled and stopped from spreading to other areas on the atoll. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 123

Terminalia catappa Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: TerCat

Family: Combretaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Indian almond, false kamani Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This large tree species was found growing in several locations near the residential area at the northwest part of Wake Islet. It appears to be reproducing naturally and has the potential to continue to spread throughout this coastal habitat if not controlled.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

124 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Cuscuta pentagona Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CusPen

Family: Convolvulaceae

Life Form: vine

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): ﬁveangled dodder Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native vine was not documented during the 2019 survey, but Herbst found it on Wake Islet during his 1998 survey. This species is generally found growing in the vegetation along coastlines on other islands in the Paciﬁc, including Hawai`i. Note: the photos shown on this page are of a related species (Cuscuta sandwichiana) from Hawai`I but show the general growth-form of this plant. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 125

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. Brasiliensis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: IpoPesBra

Family: Convolvulaceae

Life Form: vine

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): beach morning-glory, pohuehue; puhuehue Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native vine was found to be very common along the ocean-facing shorelines of Wilkes, Wake, and Peale Islets during all past surveys.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

126

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Ipomoea violacea Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: IpoVio

Life Form: vine

Family: Convolvulaceae Ipomoea tuba

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): beach moon-ﬂower, heavenlyblue morning-glory Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native vine was found to be very common growing in inland sites on Wilkes, Wake, and Peale Islets during all past surveys.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 127

Kalanchoe delagoensis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: KalDel

Family: Crassulaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): chandelier plant Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced ornamental species has primarily been planted around buildings and beach houses on Wake and Peale Islets. It deﬁnitely has the potential to spread much more away from cultivation with time.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

128 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Kalanchoe pinnata Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: KalPin

Family: Crassulaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): air plant, cathedral bells Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This succulent herb is highly invasive and has to potential to expand its range greatly if not controlled. It has so far only been located in a few locations on Wake Islet including the industrial area and near the residence areas on Wake Islet.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 129

Coccinia grandis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CocGra

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Life Form: vine

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): ivy gourd Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced, highly invasive vine has been considered noxious in Hawai‘i. It was only found growing as an ornamental in one residential site on the northwest part of Wake Islet. It has great potential for spread if it is dispersed elsewhere on Wake.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

130

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Cordia subcordata Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CorSub

Family: Ehretiaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): kou Status on Wake: Recorded by:

native

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native tree with bright orange ﬂowers was found occasionally growing in many inland sites on all of the islets on Wake Atoll. It was formerly more abundant based on Fosberg's accounts in the 1960s.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 131

Codiaeum variegatum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CodVar

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): garden croton or variegated croton Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

132 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: EupHetCya

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Life Form: herb

Euphorbia cyathophora

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): dwarf poinsettia, wild poinsettia Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced wild poinsettia was found growing on Wake and Peale Islets during all previous surveys. It has the potential to become more abundant if not controlled.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 133

Euphorbia hirta Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: EupHir

Life Form: herb

Family: Euphorbiaceae Chamaesyce hirta

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): hairy spurge, garden spurge Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small herb is widespread and relatively common, particularly in disturbed areas on all of the islets on the atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

134

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Euphorbia hypericifolia Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: EupHyp

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonym(s):

Life Form: shrub

Euphorbia hypericifolia, Euphorbia glomerifera

Common Name(s): graceful spurge Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This more upright growing introduced herb was found growing in several locations on all three islets, but only on the south part of Wilkes during the 2019 survey. This weedy plant has the potential to continue to spread if not controlled.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake:

Wilkes S: X

Wake:

Peale: X X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 135

Euphorbia prostrata Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: EupPro

Life Form: herb

Family: Euphorbiaceae Chamaesyce prostrata

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): prostrate purge or prostrate sandmat Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced herb was found growing in more disturbed sites on Wake Islet, although Herbst reported seeing it on Peale Islet in 1994.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

136 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Euphorbia thymifolia Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: EupThy

Life Form: herb

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonym(s):

Chamaesyce thymifolia

Common Name(s): chickenweed Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced herb was found growing only in a few disturbed sites on Wake Islet in both 1994 and during the 2019 survey.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 137

Jatropha integerrima Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: JatInt

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): rose-ﬂowered jatropha Status on Wake:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This ornamental tree species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

138

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Bauhinia sp. Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BauSp

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): orchidtree Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This ornamental tree species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 139

Caesalpinia bonduc Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CaeBon

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: vine

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): grey nicker, nicker bean, kakalaoa Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native vine has only been documented by Herbst in 1998. This vine is very distinctive in that its stems have curved spines; it has relatively ﬂat prickly pods, and its grey seeds are hard and round like marbles.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: Peale:

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

140 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Dalea emarginata Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: DalEma

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): wedgeleaf prairie clover Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small herb was not recorded during the previously published surveys of Wake Atoll. However, it was found and identiﬁed by M. Waite and J. Gilardi in the early 2000s. This plant is very easy to detect when it is ﬂowering.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: J. Gilardi, Island Conservation

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 141

Delonix regia Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: DelReg

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): poinciana, ﬂame tree Status on Wake:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This tall tree with bright red ﬂowers has been planted in several locations around the residence area on the northwest part of Wake Islet as well as behind the Solid Waste Accumulation Area. It is not clear if it is able to spread naturally on Wake.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

142

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Desmanthus pernambucanus Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: DesPer

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): wild tantan, dwarf koa Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced shrub was found on Wake and Peale Islets during the 2019 survey. It has compound leaves, similar to Desmanthus virgatus and also to Leucaena leucocephala. However, it can be distinguished by the bright red structures at the base of most leaf petioles (stems).

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 143

Desmanthus virgatus Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: DesVir

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): wild tantan, dwarf koa Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced shrub in the legume family often grows taller than Desmanthus pernambucanus and has long dark red to blackish seed pods. This weedy plant was found to be reproducing and spreading on the lagoon side of the industrial area as well as behind the Solid Waste Accumulation Area on Wake Islet.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

144 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Gliricidia sepium Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: GliSep

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Gliricidia Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced ornamental tree was only found growing near a residence on the northwest part of Wake Islet. It has a long brown pod that often is twisted and remains on the tree after its seeds have been shed.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 145

Leucaena leucocephala Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: LeuLeu

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): koa haole, tangantangan, lead tree Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This highly invasive legume was recorded from both Peale and Wake Islets by Fosberg and Sachet in the 1960s and also found there in subsequent surveys. This tall shrub/small tree has the potential to spread throughout most of the inland sites on Wake Atoll and completely dominate the native vegetation.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes: Wilkes N:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

146

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Pithecellobium dulce Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PitDul

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): opiuma, Manila tamarind Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This tree has been planted in two locations, one on Peale Islet and the other at a beach house on Wake Islet. It has a distinctive pink seed pod and the leaves are arranged in twos, appearing to be cleft. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 147

Samanea saman Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: SamSam

Life Form: tree

Family: Fabaceae

Synonym(s):

Albizia saman

Common Name(s): monkeypod Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This large tree had not been recorded in previous surveys. Several large trees were found near residences on the northwest side of Wake Islet as well as a few smaller individuals in pots in the resident apartment area.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

148 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Sesbania grandiﬂora Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: SesGra

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): hummingbird tree, scarlet wisteria Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This legume tree/shrub was found planted in many locations near the residences on Wake Islet. It has large white ﬂowers and long green/brown seedpods. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 149

Tamarindus indica Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: TamInd

Family: Fabaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): tamarind Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Tamarind tree was found during the 2019 survey growing by the residence area on the northwest part of Wake Islet and on Peale. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

150

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Scaevola sericea Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: ScaSer

Family: Goodeniaceae

Life Form: shrub

Scaevola sericea var. taccada, S. taccada

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): beach naupaka, naupaka kahakai Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native shrub is very common throughout the Paciﬁc islands where it colonizes coastal lowland sites, particularly just above the high-tide line. Although it was found only in a few locations on Wake and the southern part of Wilkes Islets, it was likely much more widely distributed throughout the atoll prior to human disturbance.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 151

Euploca procumbens var. depressum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: EupProDep

Family: Heliotropiaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s): Heliotropium procumbens var. depressum

Common Name(s): fourspike heliotrope Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced shrub is widely distributed on all of the islets on Wake Atoll. It has small white ﬂowers on scorpion-like ﬂoral spikes and its leaves have long white hairs on both sides of the leaves.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

152 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Heliotropium anomalum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: HelAno

Family: Heliotropiaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): hinahina, Polynesianheliotrope Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native herb is related to the tall Heliotropium foertherianum trees that form the dominant tree canopy in most of the relatively undisturbed or recovering sites throughout the atoll. This plant was only found in two locations on the south and northwest parts of Wake Islet. It was likely much more abundant in the past but is sensitive to disturbance. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 153

Heliotropium foertherianum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: HelFoe

Life Form: tree

Family: Heliotropiaceae Tournefortia argentea

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): tree heliotrope, octopus bush Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native tree is the dominant species throughout the undisturbed or recovering areas on all of the islets on Wake Atoll. It forms an open to closed canopy from shoreline up to the most inland sites; however, the understory is generally relatively open with either a grass or scattered shrub layer under the trees.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

154

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Vitex trifolia Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: VitTri

Family: Lamiaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): blue vitex Status on Wake: Recorded by:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small tree has been planted as an ornamental near a few residences on both Wake and Peale Islets. It has distinctive purple-violet ﬂowers and light-colored undersides of the leaves.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Gilardi, Island Conservation

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 155

Barringtonia asiatica Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BarAsi

Family: Lecythidaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): ﬁsh poisontree Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This tall tree has a very distinctive large top-shaped fruit and bright white inﬂorescences with pink tinges on the ends of the stamens. Only one small tree was found near a residence on the northwest part of Wake Islet. It is not clear if it has the potential to spread on the atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

156 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Pemphis acidula Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PemAci

Family: Lythraceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): pemphis Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native shrub forms a dominant band of vegetation particularly around the lagoon-side shores of the three islets, except where this habitat has been heavily disturbed. It has very distinctive stiﬀ, dark green leaves and bright white ﬂowers.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 157

Abutilon indicum subsp. albescens Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: AbuIndAlb

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym(s):

Life Form: shrub

Abutilon asiaticum var. albescens

Common Name(s): Indian mallow Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced shrub has been recorded on Wake and Peale islets ever since the 1960s. Although its weed risk is considered to be low in the literature, it appears to be spreading in several areas on the atoll and could be problematic if not controlled.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

158

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Gossypium stephensii Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: GosSte

Family: Malvaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Wake Islandcotton Status on Wake: endemic Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native cotton is the only plant species that is endemic to Wake Atoll (i.e., found no where else). It has large maple-like leaves that are covered with small white hairs. The large showy ﬂower is white with patches of redorange at the base of each petal; its fruit is a capsule that contains white cotton ﬁbers that remain attached to the capsule after it opens. This species appears to be easily spreading into formerly disturbed areas. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: J. Gilardi, Island Conservation

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 159

Hibiscus hybrid Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: HibHyb

Family: Malvaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Hibiscus Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Several diﬀerent varieties of Hibiscus were found to be planted around residence and administrative buildings on both Wake and Peale Islets. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

160 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Sida ciliaris Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: SidCil

Family: Malvaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): fringed Sida Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced woody herb in the Hibiscus family was not documented during previous published surveys but was identiﬁed by M. Waite and J. Gilardi during the 2000s. It can be distinguished by its small reddish-orange ﬂower. It was found in a few sites near the industrial area and the residential area on Wake Islet during the 2019 survey. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Sida fallax Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: SidFal

Family: Malvaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): ilima Status on Wake: Recorded by:

native

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native shrub in the Hibiscus family is very widespread on all of the islets on Wake Atoll. It has very recognizable yellow-orange ﬂowers and silvery-green foliage. It can be found growing in both natural and undisturbed sites, generally forming a scattered understory layer.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

161

162 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Talipariti tiliaceum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: TalTil

Life Form: tree

Family: Malvaceae Hibiscus tiliaceus

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): hau, sea hibiscus Status on Wake:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small tree is native to many Paciﬁc islands but is not know to naturally occur on Wake Atoll. It was found planted in just one site near a beach house on the lagoon side of Wake Islet. It is considered to be a moderate weed risk in areas like Hawai'i and has the potential to naturally spread in the few wetland areas and along the lagoon sides of the three islets on Wake. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 163

Thespesia populnea Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: ThePop

Family: Malvaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): milo Status on Wake: Recorded by:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced tree in the Hibiscus family is considered to be a high weed risk and has the potential to spread to many areas on Wake Atoll if not controlled. It was found only in a few sites on Wake Islet during the 2019 survey but was also previously reported from Peale Islet.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Star Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

164

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Waltheria indica Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: WalInd

Family: Malvaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): uhaloa Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native shrub was recorded on all of the islets during the 2019 plant survey. It can be found in both disturbed and undisturbed sites and forms part of the native understory along with Sida fallax and several other small shrub species.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Warren L. Wagner, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 165

Ficus benghalensis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: FicBen

Family: Moraceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): banyan Status on Wake:

cultivated

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Wake Risk Assessment: low Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced species in the ﬁg family was found only planted near one residence on the northwest part of Wake Islet. Although many ﬁg species are considered to be highly invasive elsewhere, the dry habitat will likely limit the distribution and impact of these species on Wake Atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

166 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Ficus carica Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: FicCar

Family: Moraceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): edibleﬁg Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced edible ﬁg species was found growing in a few sites near residences on the northwest part of Wake Islet. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Ficus microcarpa Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: FicMic

Family: Moraceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Chinese banyan, Indian laurel ﬁg Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced species in the ﬁg family was found only planted near one residence on the northwest part of Wake Islet and at Peale Islet. Although many ﬁg species are considered to be highly invasive elsewhere, the dry habitat will likely limit the distribution and impact of these species on Wake Atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

167

168 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Psidium guajava Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PsiGua

Family: Myrtaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): common guava, lemon guava Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced shrub/small tree is considered to be invasive in Hawai'i and many other areas in the Paciﬁc. It deﬁnitely has the potential to spread to many areas on Wake Atoll but currently lacks a means for dispersal (fruiteating birds). Only one plant was recorded during the 2019 survey near a residence on the northwest part of Wake Islet. This species should be considered for removal to reduce its potential threat. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 169

Boerhavia albiﬂora Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BoeAlb

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): spiderling Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Three species of Boerhavia were recorded on Wake Atoll during the 2019 survey. One species was identiﬁed as B. albiﬂora based on its leaf and ﬂower characteristics. It was found only on Peale Islet during this survey. This species was not previously recorded by either Fosberg or Herbst during their earlier surveys. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: J. Gilardi, Island Conservation

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

170 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Boerhavia coccinea Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BoeCoc

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): scarlet spiderling Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Three species of Boerhavia were recorded on Wake Atoll during the 2019 survey. One species, not previously recorded, was identiﬁed as B. coccinea based on its leaf and ﬂower characteristics. It was found only on Wake Islet during this survey.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Boerhavia repens Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BoeRep

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): red spiderling, hogweed Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Three species of Boerhavia were recorded on Wake Atoll during the 2019 survey. One species (described here) was keyed out to be B. repens based on its leaf and ﬂower characteristics. It was found on Wake and Wilkes Islets during this survey. This species was previously recorded by both Fosberg and Herbst during their earlier surveys.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake:

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

171

172 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Bougainvillea spectabilis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: BouSpe

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): bougainvillea Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This showy introduced ornamental was found planted in many sites near residences or other buildings on both Wake and Peale Islets. Although it generally seems to not spread beyond where it was planted, numerous seedlings and small plants were found growing near older planted individuals near the "golf course" building on Wake Islet. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 173

Pisonia grandis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PisGra

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): papalakepau Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native tree was found growing among the Heliotropium and Cordia trees on all of the islets during the 2019 survey. Fosberg reported that it was previously much more abundant in the early 1960s, but many trees were destroyed during clearing of its habitat. This species has very distinctively sticky seed pods.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

174 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Nymphaea sp. Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: NymSp

Family: Nymphaeaceae

Life Form: aquatic herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): lotus,waterlily Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Introduced waterlilies were only found growing in small container ponds sited near a few residences on Wake Islet. Although this species can be invasive in other areas, habitat does not exist for it to expand into beyond cultivated sites on Wake Atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Jasminum sambac Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: JasSam

Family: Oleaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Arabian jasmine, Sambacjasmine Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced ornamental shrub was found planted in a few sites on the northwest part of Wake Islet. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

175

176 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Passiﬂora foetida var. hispida Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PasFoeHis

Family: Passiﬂoraceae

Life Form: vine

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): passion fruit, scarletfruit passionﬂower Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced vine in the passion fruit family was found to be established in a few wild sites on both Wake and Wilkes (south) Islets. This species is considered to be highly invasive and can spread over and smother the ground vegetation if not controlled.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: J. Gilardi, Island Conservation

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 177

Phyllanthus acidus Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PhyAci

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Otaheite gooseberry Status on Wake:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced ornamental tree was found planted near residence and administration buildings on the northwest part of Wake Islet. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

178 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Phyllanthus amarus Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PhyAma

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): hurricane weed, carry me seed Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced weedy herb was found on all of the islets during the 2019 Wake Atoll survey. Although it was found to be widespread, it does not form much vegetative cover and is a low weed risk species.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Coccoloba uvifera Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: CocUvi

Family: Polygonaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): seagrape Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: high

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: The introduced sea grape tree is considered to be highly invasive in many areas throughout the Paciﬁc islands and deﬁnitely has the potential for spread and dominance of the native vegetation on Wake Atoll. This species was found on both Wake and Peale Islets during the 2019 survey and was also previously recorded by Fosberg and Herbst during their early surveys. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

179

180 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Portulaca lutea Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PorLut

Family: Portulacaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): yellow purslane Status on Wake: native Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native succulent herb was found on all of the islets on Wake Atoll during the 2019 survey and was also recorded by Fosberg and Herbst during their earlier surveys. Although this species appears to be very similar in appearance to the introduced Portulaca oleracea, the native species can be recognized by the presence of stiﬀ brown hairs at the base of the leaves where they attach to the stem of the plant. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 181

Portulaca oleracea Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PorOle

Family: Portulacaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): purslane, hogweed, pigweed Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced Portulaca species is very similar in appearance to the native Portulaca lutea. However, it can generally be distinguished by its red stems and the lack of stiﬀ brown hairs at the base of the leaves where they attach the main stem of the plant.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph: Warren L. Wagner, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Photograph: Warren L. Wagner, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

182 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Gardenia taitensis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: GarTai

Family: Rubiaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): tiare Status on Wake:

cultivated

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Wake Risk Assessment: low X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced ornamental shrub species was found planted around several residence buildings on Wake Islet. It is a low weed risk threat and is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Ixora sp. Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: IxoSp

Family: Rubiaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): ixora Status on Wake:

cultivated

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced ornamental shrub with very showy orange-red (sometimes white) ﬂowers was found planted around several residences on the northwest part of Wake Islet. This species is unlikely to spread beyond where it is actively planted and cultivated.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

183

184 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Morinda citrifolia Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: MorCit

Family: Rubiaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): noni, Indian-mulberry Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: Although this species is naturally found on many Paciﬁc islands, it is not considered to be native to Wake Atoll and exists there because it has been introduced. This species was found only in a few locations on Wake Islet, but seedlings and small plants were also found adjacent to the larger plants indicating it is capable of spreading beyond where it was originally planted. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 185

Oldenlandia corymbosa Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: OldCor

Family: Rubiaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s): Hedyotis corymbosa

Common Name(s): ﬂat-top mille graines, diamond ﬂower Status on Wake:

alien-naturalized

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced herb was not recorded previously by either Fosberg or Herbst but was identiﬁed on Wake by M. Waite and J. Gilardi in the early 2000s. This plant has very small, inconspicuous ﬂowers and indistinctive foliage and can be easily missed. It was found established in a few sites on both Wake and Peale Islets during the 2019 survey. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

186

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Manilkara zapota Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: ManZap

Family: Sapotaceae

Life Form: tree

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): sapodilla Status on Wake: cultivated Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced tree was found planted in only one site near the residence compound on the northwest part of Wake Islet. It appears to pose a low weed risk and is unlikely to spread beyond where it is currently planted.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 187

Solanum torvum Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: SolTor

Family: Solanaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): turkeyberry, pea eggplant Status on Wake:

alien-naturalized

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

Recorded by:

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced shrub/small tree was found planted in several locations in the residence area on the northwest part of Wake Islet as well as growing naturally near the Solid Waste Accumulation Area on the southeastern part of Wake Islet. This species is considered to pose a medium weed risk for spreading into other areas on the atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

188 Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Polypremnum procumbens Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PolPro

Family: Tetrachondraceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Juniper leaf Status on Wake: alien-naturalized Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small and inconspicuous introduced herb was found only in a few locations on Wake Islet during the 2019 survey. Although it is deﬁnitely established in the wild, it likely poses little threat to impacting or altering the native vegetation on Wake Atoll.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 189

Pilea microphylla Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: PilMic

Family: Urticaceae

Life Form: herb

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): artillery plant Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced herb was only found around residence and other buildings on the northwest part of Wake Islet where there appeared to be additional moisture. This species is not considered to be a threat for spreading beyond these unique habitats.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

190

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: StaJam

Family: Verbenaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): Jamaica vervain, light-blue snakeweed Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: medium

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This introduced shrub was found to be established on all of the islets on Wake Atoll during the 2019 survey. It was also recorded previously by Fosberg and Herbst during their earlier surveys. While several other species of Stachytarpheta have been listed as being found on Wake previously, all of the plants found during the 2019 survey keyed out to S. jamaicensis. This species does pose a weed risk and may be considered for control. Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll 191

Tribulus cistoides Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: TriCis

Family: Zygophyllaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): nohu Status on Wake: Recorded by:

native

Wake Risk Assessment: native species

X Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This native shrub with bright yellow ﬂowers and silky-green foliage was found in a few locations on Wake Islet. However, it was very abundant in the Bird Sanctuary area on Wilkes Islet where it formed a dense native shrub community intermixed with Lepidium bidentatum and Portulaca lutea.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes: X

Wake: X

Peale: X

Wilkes S:

Wake: X

Peale:

Photograph: J. Jacobi, U.S. Geological Survey

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Tribulus terrestris Plant Group: Dicots Species Code: TriTer

Family: Zygophyllaceae

Life Form: shrub

Synonym(s):

Common Name(s): puncture vine Status on Wake: alien-invasive Recorded by:

Wake Risk Assessment: low

Fosberg and Sachet 1969

X Herbst 1998

2019 Survey

New in 2019 Survey?

Comments: This small introduced species of Tribulus was found in just a few locations, primarily in the lawns near the residence areas, on the northwest part of Wake Islet. It was also recorded previously by Herbst in his 1994 and 1998 surveys.

Herbst 1998 distribution: 2019 survey distribution:

Wilkes N:

Wilkes:

Wake:

Peale:

Wilkes S:

Wake:

Peale:

Photograph: James L. Reveal, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution

Photograph: Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental

Wake Atoll Plant Photo Key From 2019 Survey

Appendix B3. Plant Specimens Collected on Wake Atoll in 2019 Table B3.1. List of plant specimens collected during U.S. Geological Survey sampling on Wake Atoll in 2019. Names for two Boerhavia species have been updated after these specimens were deposited in the B.P. Bishop Museum Herbarium: B. diffusa=B. coccinea and B. tetrandra=B. albiflora. Islet: Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet); P, Peale. Status: A, alien; A-I, alien invasive; A-N, alien naturalized; Nat, native; Cul, cultivated]

Collection number

Plant group

Family

JDJ-2019-22

Monocots

Cyperaceae

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-27

Monocots

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-39

Monocots

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-25

01 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-56

01 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-59

Date

Collector

Islet

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

27 May 2019 28 May 2019

Life form

Status

Fimbristylis cymosa R.Br.

Sedge

Nat

Cyperaceae

Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl

Sedge

A-N

Cyperaceae

Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl

Sedge

A-N

Monocots

Poaceae

Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus

Grass

A-N

Monocots

Poaceae

Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus

Grass

A-N

Monocots

Poaceae

Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus

Grass

A-N

Taxon name

01 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-61

Monocots

Poaceae

Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus

Grass

A-N

03 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-68

Monocots

Poaceae

Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus

Grass

A-N

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-43

Monocots

Poaceae

Cenchrus echinatus L.

Grass

A-I

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-75

Monocots

Poaceae

Cenchrus echinatus L.

Grass

A-I

01 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-60

Monocots

Poaceae

Chloris barbata Sw.

Grass

A-I

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-12

Monocots

Poaceae

Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd.

Grass

A-N

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-6

Monocots

Poaceae

Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.

Grass

A-N

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-13

Monocots

Poaceae

Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.

Grass

A-N

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-28

Monocots

Poaceae

Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.

Grass

A-N

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-21

Monocots

Poaceae

Eragrostis amabilis (L.) Wight & Arn.

Grass

A-N

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-16

Monocots

Poaceae

Eragrostis scabriflora Swallen

Grass

A-N

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-33

Monocots

Poaceae

Eragrostis scabriflora Swallen

Grass

A-N

01 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-62

Monocots

Poaceae

Eragrostis scabriflora Swallen

Grass

A-N

03 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-67

Monocots

Poaceae

Eragrostis scabriflora Swallen

Grass

A-N

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-40

Monocots

Poaceae

Eustachys petraea (Sw.) Desv.

Grass

A-N

30 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-47

Monocots

Poaceae

Eustachys petraea (Sw.) Desv.

Grass

A-N

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-4

Monocots

Poaceae

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Nat

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-31

Monocots

Poaceae

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Nat

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-37

Monocots

Poaceae

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Nat

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-38

Monocots

Poaceae

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Nat

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-41

Monocots

Poaceae

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Nat

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-42

Monocots

Poaceae

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Nat

31 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-52

Monocots

Poaceae

Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br.

Grass

Nat

193

28 May 2019 28 May 2019

Appendix B3. Plant Specimens Collected on Wake Atoll in 2019

28 May 2019 05 Jun 2019

194

[Islet: Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet); P, Peale. Status: A, alien; A-I, alien invasive; A-N, alien naturalized; Nat, native; Cul, cultivated]

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Life form

Status

Paspalum scrobiculatum L.

Grass

A-I

Paspalum setaceum Michx.

Grass

A-N

Poaceae

Paspalum setaceum Michx.

Grass

A-N

Poaceae

Paspalum setaceum Michx.

Grass

A-N

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus blitum L.

Herb

A-N

Collection number

Plant group

JDJ-2019-29

Monocots

Poaceae

JDJ-2019-49

Monocots

Poaceae

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-58

Monocots

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-66

Monocots

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-45

Dicots

Date

Collector

Islet

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

30 May 2019

J. Jacobi

01 Jun 2019 03 Jun 2019 29 May 2019

Family

Taxon name

04 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-69

Dicots

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus dubius Mart.

Herb

A-N

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-34

Dicots

Asteraceae

Erigeron canadensis L.

Herb

A-N

30 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-50

Dicots

Asteraceae

Erigeron canadensis L.

Herb

A-N

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-30

Dicots

Asteraceae

Pluchea carolinensis (Jacq.) G. Don

Shrub

A-I

06 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-77

Dicots

Bignoniaceae

Tabebuia aurea (Manso) Benth. & Hook. fil. ex S. Moore

Tree

Cul

25 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-2

Dicots

Brassicaceae

Brassica nigra (L.) W.D.J. Koch

Herb

A-N

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-9

Dicots

Brassicaceae

Lepidium bidentatum Montin

Herb

Nat

25 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-3

Dicots

Cleomaceae

Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.

Herb

A-N

04 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-71

Dicots

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia hirta L.

Herb

A-N

29 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-44

Dicots

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia hypericifolia L.

Shrub

A-I

30 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-48

Dicots

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia hypericifolia L.

Shrub

A-I

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-19

Dicots

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia thymifolia L.

Herb

A-N

03 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-65

Dicots

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia thymifolia L.

Herb

A-N

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-15

Dicots

Fabaceae

Dalea emarginata (Torr. and A.Gray) Shinners

Herb

A-N

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-18

Dicots

Fabaceae

Desmanthus pernambucanus (L.)Thell.

Shrub

A-I

01 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-57

Dicots

Fabaceae

Desmanthus pernambucanus (L.)Thell.

Shrub

A-I

04 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-70

Dicots

Fabaceae

Desmanthus virgatus (L.)Willd.

Shrub

A-I

06 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-79

Dicots

Fabaceae

Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.)Walp.

Tree

Cul

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-20

Dicots

Heliotropiaceae

Euploca procumbens var. depressum (Chamisso)

Herb

A-N

31 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-54

Dicots

Lamiaceae

Vitex trifolia L.

Shrub

Cul

06 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-78

Dicots

Lamiaceae

Vitex trifolia L.

Shrub

Cul

31 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-51

Dicots

Malvaceae

Abutilon indicum subsp. albescens (Miq.) Borssum Waalkes

Shrub

A-N

02 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-64

Dicots

Malvaceae

Sida ciliaris L.

Herb

A-N

05 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-73

Dicots

Malvaceae

Sida ciliaris L.

Herb

A-N

05 Jun 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-76

Dicots

Malvaceae

Talipariti tiliaceum (L.) Fryxell

Tree

Cul

Table B3.1. List of plant specimens collected during U.S. Geological Survey sampling on Wake Atoll in 2019. Names for two Boerhavia species have been updated after these specimens were deposited in the B.P. Bishop Museum Herbarium: B. diffusa=B. coccinea and B. tetrandra=B. albiflora.—Continued [Islet: Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet); P, Peale. Status: A, alien; A-I, alien invasive; A-N, alien naturalized; Nat, native; Cul, cultivated]

Status

Boerhavia diffusa L.

Herb

Nat

Boerhavia repens L.

Herb

Nat

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia repens L.

Herb

Nat

Nyctaginaceae

Boerhavia tetrandra Forst. fil.

Herb

Nat

Dicots

Passifloraceae

Passiflora foetida var. hispida (DC. ex Triana & Planchon) Killip ex Gleason

Vine

A-I

JDJ-2019-10

Dicots

Portulacaceae

Portulaca lutea SoI. ex Seem.

Herb

Nat

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-8

Dicots

Portulacaceae

Portulaca oleracea L.

Herb

A-N

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-36

Dicots

Portulacaceae

Portulaca oleracea L.

Herb

A-N

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-55

Dicots

Rubiaceae

Oldenlandia corymbosa L.

Herb

A-N

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-72

Dicots

Solanaceae

Solanum torvum Swartz

Shrub

A-N

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-14

Dicots

Tetrachondraceae

Polypremum procumbens L.

Herb

A-N

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-17

Dicots

Verbenaceae

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl

Shrub

A-I

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-11

Dicots

Zygophyllaceae

Tribulus cistoides L.

Shrub

Nat

25 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-1

Dicots

Zygophyllaceae

Tribulus terrestris L.

Shrub

A-I

Plant group

Collector

Islet

Family

27 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-26

Dicots

Nyctaginaceae

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-5

Dicots

Nyctaginaceae

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

JDJ-2019-7

Dicots

31 May 2019

J. Jacobi

JDJ-2019-53

Dicots

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-S

JDJ-2019-35

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

Wi-N

26 May 2019

J. Jacobi

28 May 2019

J. Jacobi

01 Jun 2019 04 Jun 2019

Taxon name

Appendix B3. Plant Specimens Collected on Wake Atoll in 2019

Life form

Collection number

Date

195

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide By Robert Peck

C. Introduction The first systematic survey for terrestrial arthropods on Wake Atoll (hereafter Wake) was led by E.H. Bryan during the 1923 Tanager Expedition. From July 27 to August 5, 1923, Bryan and his colleagues collected and identified 44 species or morpho-species from within 11 arthropod orders (Bryan and others, 1926). After Bryan and others’ publication (1926), at least 23 notes and papers identifying additional specimens collected during the expedition, or possibly at other times, were published between 1928 and 1951 (publications listed in Bryan, 1959). After the Tanager collection, relatively few additional arthropod species were recorded on Wake—notable among these was Bryan’s (1959) report that three species of mosquitoes were present during 1951: Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes sp. (possibly A. scutellaris or A. albopictus). Because of their ability to vector pathogens harmful to humans, these mosquitoes became targets of an eradication attempt (Bryan, 1959). The effort primarily involved eliminating small reservoirs of water (for example, tires, cans, and other potential breeding habitats) and introducing western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) into larger bodies of fresh water, including ponds, bomb craters, and cisterns. Bryan (1959) reported that mosquitoes were not detected during his 2.5-day visit on the atoll in 1952, which indicates the eradication effort, or at least considerable control, seemed to have been successful. Additional findings of arthropods on Wake Atoll include the identification of ectoparasitic mites (Laelaps nuttalli and Radfordia ensifera) and lice (Hoplopleura pacifica) on rats (Reeves and others, 2012) and the presence of the mango flower beetle (Protaetia fusca; Krell and Breidenbaugh, 2016). During 2009, a survey of terrestrial arthropods was done on Wake as part of an ecological monitoring program prior to an attempt to eradicate invasive rats from the atoll (Hebshi and others, 2011). In that study, at least 86 taxa were collected, 14 of which were identified to the species or near-species level. Subsequently, several arthropod taxa were identified during a survey for potential pollinators of plants being considered for propagation and habitat restoration (Center for Environmental Management—Military Lands, unpub. data, 2017). During the pollinator study, 7 species were detected visiting flowers, and 11 were identified from substrates other than flowers. The objective of our work was to complete a broad survey of arthropods on Wake, which includes the three islets of Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, to provide a more complete understanding of the fauna, identify species that may pose a significant biosecurity risk, and create a photographic guide that can be used by resource managers and researchers as a

tool to more easily identify arthropods that are encountered. This work also will provide a benchmark for comparison in future studies. To attain the goals of this project, our time and effort focused on sampling the atoll as extensively as possible rather than attempting to quantify the fauna within and among habitats or mapping distributions of individual species.

C. Methods Arthropods were sampled from May 25 to June 8, 2019, using a suite of standard sampling methods, including pitfall traps, yellow pan traps, malaise traps, baiting for ants, light traps, litter sampling, yellow sticky card traps, mosquito traps, and collecting by hand (fig. C1). Each method targeted a slightly different sector of the fauna, but there was overlap in many instances. We attempted to survey as much of the atoll as possible, although the focus was on areas most affected by human activity (for example, dorms, operations facilities, storage areas, the airport, the boat harbor, the solid waste accumulation area, and ecologically complex habitats; fig. C2). We primarily surveyed outside habitats, but we also targeted the insides of several closed shipping containers. A brief description of each sampling method used during this study is listed here: a. Malaise traps: Malaise traps are mesh tent-like structures that primarily intercept insects as they fly along the ground, but they also collect some ground-dwelling arthropods that may climb up onto vegetation. Bi-directional, Townes-style malaise traps fitted with a polyethylene collecting jar (BioQuip Products, Gardena, California) were used. Ethylene glycol mixture (antifreeze; a 50-percent solution with water) was used as a preservative in the collecting jars. Two malaise traps were deployed at seven locations representative of different habitats on Wake (five locations) and Peale (two locations) Islets. Once deployed, traps operated continuously and were moved to a new location about every 2–3 days. b. Light traps: Lights operated at 9 are highly attractive to many adult Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera. Battery-operated 25-watt ultraviolet lights were used to draw insects onto a white cotton sheet suspended vertically above the ground. Insects representing the different taxa encountered were collected by hand. A single light was operated for 1–2 hours after sunset at a variety of locations during 6 nights on Wake (5 nights) and Peale (1 night) Islets.

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide c. Pitfall traps: Pitfall traps primarily collect arthropods as they walk along the ground and can be effective at capturing spiders, Collembola, Isopods, and other flightless taxa. Traps consisted of 120 milliliter (mL) plastic specimen cups (5.7 centimeter [cm] diameter 7.2 cm deep) placed into the ground, so the top lip was even with the surface. Approximately 40 mL of an ethylene glycol mixture was placed into

197

each cup to act as a preservative. A 27-cm diameter plastic picnic plate was suspended about 15 cm above each trap using rocks and sticks to prevent flooding during rain. Pitfall traps were placed in arrays of four to six traps at two locations on Wake. Each pitfall trap was allowed to operate for 3–4 days at each sample point.

Figure C1. Methods used to collect arthropods, including malaise trapping: A, light trapping; B, pan trapping; C, (left) pitfall trapping, (right) under red rain cover; D, tuna baiting for ants; E, yellow sticky cards placed on dumpster; and F, (center) mosquito trapping. Methods used for extracting arthropods from leaf litter and for hand collecting are not shown. (Photographs by R. Peck, Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, 2019).

198

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure C2. Locations where the collection methods took place. Note that hand-searching, particularly for ants, took place over much of the atoll, and specific locations are not indicated. (WorldView 3 image, taken October 2015).

d. Pan traps: Yellow-colored pan traps are designed to mimic flowers and foliage and are generally attractive to flying insects, such as Diptera and Hymenoptera but also collect arthropods attracted to water or that haphazardly fall into the traps. Traps were 15-cm diameter plastic picnic bowls that contained approximately 100 mL of water into which a drop of unscented liquid detergent was added to reduce surface tension and facilitate capture of insects. Pans were generally placed along transects at numerous locations (ranged from 4 to 14 pans per transect) under tree and shrub canopies on Peale, Wake, and Wilkes Islets. Pan traps were checked daily and operated for 1–2 days at each sample point. e. Baiting for ants: Bait was used to attract and collect ants. Each bait consisted of approximately 5 gram of canned tuna mixed with a dollop of honey and placed on a 5×7 cm paper card and nestled within leaf litter. The baits were placed along the edges of buildings, shipping containers, or other structures. After about

60 minutes, ants were identified on the card, or the card containing the ants was collected. Baited sampling took place near the marina and around the shipping containers. f. Litter sampling: Plant litter supports a variety of small, cryptic arthropods that are generally not collected using other methods. Litter was collected using a trowel and placed into 3.8 liter plastic Ziplock bags. In the dorm room, arthropods were separated from the litter using Berlese extractors powered by a 15-watt incandescent light bulb. Berlese extractors operate by creating a heat and moisture gradient that drives arthropods out of the litter (away from the light) and into a collecting vial placed at the bottom of the funnel. Litter was collected at six locations on Wake (four locations) and Peale (two locations) Islets. Extraction of arthropods from each litter sample took about 48 hours.

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide g. Yellow sticky cards: Yellow sticky cards (Seabright Laboratories, Emeryville, Calif.) are similar to pan traps in that they are designed to capture flying insects that are attracted to bright colors and can be effective at collecting parasitoid wasps and small flies. A clear sticky substance applied to the surface of the card captures insects upon contact. Yellow sticky cards were placed on inside and outside surfaces of several shipping containers and in the vegetation near the containers. Cards operated for 3–6 days at each sample point. h. Mosquito traps: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gravid mosquito traps (Model 1712; www.JohnWHock.com) were used to survey for mosquitoes. These traps consisted of a battery-operated fan-driven collection head placed over a 7.6 liter basin containing about 3.8 liter of “stinky water” that is attractive to female mosquitoes looking for egg-laying habitat. Stinky water was made by placing about 0.25 cubic meter of leaf litter (primarily ironwood litter) and several tablespoons of yeast starter (equal parts by weight of brewer’s yeast and lactalbumin) into 18.9 liter of water. This mixture was allowed to steep for at least 3 days before it was used in the mosquito traps. Traps were operated throughout the night at six locations near potential mosquito habitat (generally where there was a source of standing fresh water near buildings) on Wake Islet (near the dorms, mess hall, residential housing area, and main marina building). i. Hand searching: Hand searching generally consists of shaking vegetation to dislodge arthropods onto a 70×70 cm nylon sheet supported by a wooden frame, sweeping vegetation with a net, overturning rocks and downed coarse wood debris, and excavating dead wood. Forceps or suction-driven aspirators were used to collect arthropods from the sheet, ground, or wood.

199

Hand searching took place at numerous locations on Peale, Wake, and Wilkes Islets. Hand searching was used extensively for surveying for ants, particularly yellow crazy ants. Most of the arthropods were identified by R. Peck by using existing keys, reference material in the entomology collection at the B.P. Bishop Museum, and online searches from reputable websites (for example, https://www.antweb.org). Neal Evenhuis (B.P. Bishop Museum) identified many of the Diptera, and Karl Magnacca (O'ahu Army Natural Resources Program) identified most of the Hymenoptera, except the ants. In several cases, it was not possible to confidently identify a specimen, or series of similar specimens, to the species level. In those cases, the species most closely thought to represent the specimen in question was preceded by an “nr.,” which indicates that it is near, or similar to, that species. In some other instances, specimens could only be identified to the genus, family, or in a few cases, order level. For each taxon collected, we estimated the relative risk posed to base operations (for example, human health and operational effectiveness) or the ecology of the atoll and the feasibility of successfully managing the risk. Risk assessments were based on the expected effects for each species, whereas management feasibility was based on the likelihood of controlling the effect. These assessments were broadly categorized as low, medium, or high. A wide variety of published sources were used to estimate risks; the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) Global Invasive Species Database (GISD; International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2019) and Nishida and Evenhuis (2000) represent two of the more comprehensive sources. For many taxa, little or no information was available to guide the assessments. For these species, information from related species was used if available.

Figure C3. A, Shipping containers lined up in the industrial area on Wake Islet; and B, Debris in the shipping containers (provides habitat for some arthropods). (Photographs by R. Peck, 2019, Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo).

200

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

C. Results Overall, 173 species or morpho-species from within at least 29 orders were identified during the survey (table C1; appendix C1). Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) were most diverse (33 species), followed by Coleoptera (beetles; 30 species), Diptera (flies; 25 species), and Araneae (spiders; 16 species). It was beyond the scope of this report to identify species and their abundances obtained using each collection method, but arthropods were generally collected as expected (see the “Methods” section). For example, flies and wasps were most commonly collected in malaise traps; spiders and true bugs were primarily obtained by collecting directly from vegetation; moths, termites, and some beetles and flies were collected using an ultraviolet light; many ants were attracted to baits; and mites, millipedes, and terrestrial spiders were extracted from litter using Berlese funnels. To our knowledge, 81 arthropod species or morphospecies from 20 orders were previously documented on Wake (table C2). Most of those taxa appear to have been first collected during the Tanager Expedition (Bryan and others, 1926; Bryan, 1959), although 21 species were reported for the first time during the past 10 years. Overall, at least 17 of the previously documented species were collected during our survey, although it is possible that we detected an additional 16 taxa collected earlier; incomplete levels of identification (by us or by previous researchers) sometimes precluded species-level comparisons among surveys. Therefore, we report 140–156 arthropod species on Wake for the first time. In contrast, 48–64 species eluded us or are no longer present on the atoll. Hebshi and others (2011) identified about 86 discrete arthropod taxa (in several additional cases it was unclear if taxa listed were different from those already listed), 15 of which were identified to species or near (listed as “nr.”) species level. Of those taxa, we collected as many as nine species. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate the collection described in Hebshi and others (2011; Bishop Museum Accession Number 2010.010), so we were unable to identify their undetermined taxa or compare our specimens to those in their collection. Shipping containers are a significant biosecurity concern because arthropods that can survive conditions within containers are easily transported between locations. In two accessible containers that housed pallets, cardboard, or other material (fig. C3), we detected one or more of the following arthropods: orange-flanged millipede (Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae), juvenile cockroach (Blattodea), silverfish (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae), pholcid spider (Araneae: Pholcidae), isopod (Isopoda), springtail (Collembola: Entomobryidae), pygmy stinkbug (Hemiptera: Cydnidae), and several ant species, including the Singapore ant, the robust crazy ant, and the ghost ant. Each species collected tolerates dark, enclosed locations (for example, pholcids), particularly where moisture may persist, like under cardboard or wooden boards. Holes in the

containers may allow some taxa to move freely to the outside, although pholcids, isopods and cockroaches may reside fully within the containers. A robust crazy ant nest (including a queen and her brood) was detected under a cardboard box in one container. Three small flies (not identified) were caught on a yellow sticky card placed in one container. Insects were not collected on a yellow sticky card placed in a second container.

C. Discussion In natural conditions, the arthropod community detected on a remote, low-lying atoll like Wake would be expected to be relatively depauperate due to the low diversity of habitats and plant species richness. However, arthropod species diversity may increase with human colonization as additional plant species are introduced and the habitat is modified in ways that benefit species that thrive in proximity to humans. During our survey of Wake, we collected about 170 species across much of the three islets that comprise the 655-hectare (ha) atoll, revealing a relatively rich arthropod fauna. For comparison, 115 arthropods were identified on Palmyra Atoll (less than 500 ha; Handler and others, 2007), and about 73 species were identified on Rose Atoll (6.6 ha; Peck and others 2014). In contrast, we detected considerably fewer species than observed on Midway Atoll, which is similar in size to Wake Atoll (627 ha; Nishida and Beardsley, 2002). On Midway, 546 species were reported from 1891 to 1999. The number of arthropods identified on Midway increased dramatically during the past century because only 38 species were collected during the Tanager Expedition (Bryan and others, 1926). By 1960, the number of species identified had increased to 221 (Suehiro, 1960), and 331 species were collected during 1997–99 (Nishida and Beardsley, 2002). The tremendous increase in arthropod species richness over time on Midway was largely attributed to a parallel increase in the diversity of plants that led to an increase in available niches. It is not surprising that we failed to collect numerous arthropod species that had been reported previously from Wake. Many species can be expected to be uncommon, temporally variable in abundance, or very patchily distributed, making them difficult to collect during a brief survey. For several species, we collected only one individual, indicating that more species could have been identified with additional effort. Similarly, we detected additional species on the day we departed the atoll (at the airport terminal), indicating that more work could have resulted in more species being detected. It also is possible that some species detected by earlier researchers no longer exist on Wake. It is likely that some species became extirpated over time through depredation, competitive displacement, changes in habitat quality, or by other mechanisms. Small islands and islets, such as those that make up Wake Atoll, are particularly susceptible to stochastic events (for example, storms and drought) that sometimes have significant effects on small populations.

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide Many of the arthropods collected during our survey pose a low level of risk to the biosecurity of Wake Atoll, but several species pose medium to high levels of risk. One important group is ants, which is a suite of species that have increased greatly in diversity since the Tanager Expedition. Most of the ant species we collected are considered tramp species (strongly associated with humans) and are widespread across the Pacific Basin. Overall, we collected 14 ant species that were not reported by Bryan and others (1926). The yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes), big-headed ants (three species of Pheidole), longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis), and tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata) are significant because they pose considerable risk to the biodiversity of Wake (O’Dowd and others, 2003; Wetterer, 2007; Wetterer, 2008; Wetterer, 2011). The habitation of the yellow crazy ant on the atoll is of particular concern because it has been indicated to have detrimental effects on ground-nesting seabirds (Plentovich and others, 2009; Plentovich and others, 2018). We detected three of the four ant species collected by Bryan and others (1926) during our survey. A species that is considered to pose a medium-high level of risk to the biodiversity of Wake is the urbicola scale (Pulvinaria urbicola). This herbivorous insect was detected on Pisonia grandis trees and may affect the health of this tree species on the atoll. The urbicola soft scale feeds on leaves and is capable of stressing trees until they eventually die.

201

Many Pisonia stands across the Pacific and Indian Oceans have been negatively affected by the urbicola soft scale insect (Handler and others, 2007; Neumann and others, 2014). It is difficult to determine the provenance of many terrestrial arthropods on oceanic islands. Although Wake surely supported a native community of insects and other arthropods, generally poor knowledge of native home ranges for most species hinders our ability to know which species are native to the atoll. In many cases, it is easier to determine which species are not native than which species are native. Bryan and others (1926) reported that many of the arthropods that they encountered were detected elsewhere in the South Pacific. Even at that early time, it is likely that many species had been transported to Wake by humans. For example, the three species of ants that Bryan and others identified on Wake are known to be tramp species strongly associated with human movement across the Pacific Basin. Although it was beyond the scope of this survey to identify the arthropods associated with each of the many plant species, it is notable that we collected several Acalles wilkesii on the endemic cotton (Gossypium stephensii). This species also was collected by Bryan and others (1926), and Wake seems to represent the northernmost extent of this Pacific-wide genus of weevils (Zimmerman, 1938). A thorough search of the literature may lead to confident determination of provenance for some species, but that is beyond the scope of our study.

202

Table C1. List and status of arthropods collected during the 2019 survey of Wake Atoll.

Taxonomy Order

Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function

Status

Impact type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Acari1 Mesostigmata

Unknown

Mesostigmata 1

Mesostigmatid mite

Mesostigmata

Unknown

Mesostigmata 2

Mesostigmatid mite

Mesostigmata

Unknown

Mesostigmata 3

Mesostigmatid mite

Mesostigmata

Unknown

Mesostigmata 4

Mesostigmatid mite

Mesostigmata

Unknown

Mesostigmata 5

Mesostigmatid mite

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 1

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 2

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 3

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 4

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 5

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 6

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 7

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 8

Moss mite

D/F

Oribatida

Unknown

Oribatida 9

Moss mite

D/F

Trombidiformes

Pterygosomatidae

Geckobia sp.

Gekko mite

Unknown

Gekko mite 1

Gekko mite

Unknown

Mite 1

Mite

Arachnida Araneae

Araneidae

Neoscona theisi (Walckenaer, 1841)

Spotted orb-weaver

Araneae

Clubionidae

Cheiracanthium nr. Mordax Koch, 1866

Garden sac spider

Araneae

Corinnidae

Corinnidae sp. 1

Ground sac spider

Wi-N

Araneae

Corinnidae

Corinnidae sp. 2

Ground sac spider

Araneae

Oecobiidae

Oecobius sp.

Disc web spider

Araneae

Oonopidae

Oonopidae sp.

Goblin spider

Araneae

Oxyopidae

Oxyopes sp.

Lynx spider

Araneae

Pholcidae

Pholcidae sp.

Cellar spider

Araneae

Salticidae

Menemerus bivittatus (Dufour, 1831)

Gray wall jumper

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Function: U, unknown; D, detritivore; F, fungivore; Pa, parasite; Pr, predator; S, scavenger; O, omnivore; H, herbivore; B, blood feeder; K, kleptoparasite; PS, parasitoid; Po, pollen feeder. Status: U, unknown; A, alien; I, invasive; N, native; NA, not applicable/native species. Impact type: U, unknown; HH, human health; S, structural damage; A, agricultural pest; B, biodiversity; FS, food storage pest; NA, not applicable/native species. Islet detected: P, Peale; Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet). Risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; NA, not applicable/ native species. Management feasibility: H, high; L, low; M, medium; NA, not applicable/native species]

Table C1. List and status of arthropods collected during the 2019 survey of Wake Atoll.—Continued [Function: U, unknown; D, detritivore; F, fungivore; Pa, parasite; Pr, predator; S, scavenger; O, omnivore; H, herbivore; B, blood feeder; K, kleptoparasite; PS, parasitoid; Po, pollen feeder. Status: U, unknown; A, alien; I, invasive; N, native; NA, not applicable/native species. Impact type: U, Unknown; HH, human health; S, structural damage; A, agricultural pest; B, biodiversity; FS, food storage pest; NA, not applicable/native species. Islet detected: P, Peale; Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet). Risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; NA, not applicable/native species. Management feasibility: H, high; L, low; M, medium; NA, not applicable/native species]

Taxonomy Order

Family

Status and risk

Scientific name

Common name

Function

Impact Status type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Arachnida—Continued Salticidae

Plexippus paykulli (Audouin, 1826)

Pantropical jumper

Araneae

Salticidae

Salticidae sp. 1

Jumping spider

Araneae

Salticidae

Salticidae sp. 2

Jumping spider

Araneae

Scytodidae

Scytodidae sp

Spitting spider

Araneae

Sparassidae

Heteropoda ventatoria (Linnaeus, 1767)

Huntsman spider

Araneae

Tetragnathidae

Tetragnathidae sp.

Long-jawed spider

Araneae

Theridiidae

Theridiidae sp.

Tangle-web spider

Wa, Wi-N

Pseudoscorpiones

Unknown

Pseudoscorpiones sp.

Pseudoscorpion

Schizomida

Hubbardiidae

Hubbardiidae sp.

Short-tailed whipscorpion

Scorpiones

Buthidae

Isometrus maculatus (DeGeer, 1778)

Lesser brown scorpion

Geophilomorpha

Geophilidae

Geophilidae sp.

Soil centipede

Lithobiomorpha

Unknown

Lithobiomorpha sp.

Stone centipede

Scolopendromorpha

Scolopendridae

Scolopendridae sp.

Tropical centipede

Scolopendromorpha

Scolopendridae

Scolopendra subspinipes Leach, 1816 Red-headed centipede

Chilopoda

Diplopoda Polydesmida

Paradoxosomatidae

Orthomorpha coarctata (Saussure, 1860)

Long-flange millipede

D/S

Polyxenida

Polyxenidae

Polyxenus nr. Fasciculatus Say, 1821

Polyxenid millipede

D/S

P, Wa

Unknown

Diplopoda sp.

Millipede

D/S

Collembola1 Entomobryomorpha

Entomobryidae

Entomobryidae 1

Springtail

Entomobryomorpha

Entomobryidae

Entomobryidae 2

Springtail

Entomobryomorpha

Isotomidae

Isotomidae sp.

Springtail

P, Wa

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Araneae

203

204

Table C1. List and status of arthropods collected during the 2019 survey of Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Order

Family

Status and risk

Scientific name

Common name

Function

Impact Status type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Insecta Blattodea

Blaberidae

Pycnoscelus surinamensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Surinam cockroach

Blattodea

Blattidae

Melanozosteria soror (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865)

White-margined cockroach

Blattodea

Blattidae

Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758)

American cockroach

Blattodea

Ectobiidae

Balta notulata (Stål, 1861)

Small-spotted cockroach

Blattodea

Ectobiidae

Lobopterella dimidiatipes (Bolivar, 1890)

White-edged cockroach

Wi-S

Blattodea

Rhinotermitidae

Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann, 1896)

Asian subterranean termite

P, Wa

Coleoptera

Brentidae

Cylas formicarius (Fabricius, 1798)

Sweet potato weevil

L-M

Coleoptera

Carabidae

Carabidae sp.

Ground beetle

Coleoptera

Cerambycidae

Ceresium unicolor (Fabricius, 1787)

Long-horned beetle

P, Wa

Coleoptera

Cerambycidae

Sybra alternans (Wiedemann, 1825)

Long-horned beetle

P, Wa

Coleoptera

Chrysomelidae

Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Schaeffer, 1907)

Seed weevil

Coleoptera

Chrysomelidae

Chaetocnema confinis Crotch, 1873

Sweet potato flea beetle

Wi-S

Coleoptera

Coccinelidae

Brumoides suturalis (Fabricius, 1798) Three-striped lady-beetle

Coleoptera

Coccinelidae

Coleophora inaequalis (Fabricius, 1775)

Ladybird beetle

Coleoptera

Coccinelidae

Nephaspis nr. oculatus (Blatchley, 1917)

Ladybird beetle

Coleoptera

Coccinelidae

Nephaspis sp.

Ladybird beetle

Coleoptera

Coccinelidae

Nephus sp.

Ladybird beetle

Wi-N

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Function: U, unknown; D, detritivore; F, fungivore; Pa, parasite; Pr, predator; S, scavenger; O, omnivore; H, herbivore; B, blood feeder; K, kleptoparasite; PS, parasitoid; Po, pollen feeder. Status: U, unknown; A, alien; I, invasive; N, native; NA, not applicable/native species. Impact type: U, Unknown; HH, human health; S, structural damage; A, agricultural pest; B, biodiversity; FS, food storage pest; NA, not applicable/native species. Islet detected: P, Peale; Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet). Risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; NA, not applicable/native species. Management feasibility: H, high; L, low; M, medium; NA, not applicable/native species]

Taxonomy Order

Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function

Impact Status type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Insecta—Continued Coccinelidae

Coccinelidae sp.

Ladybird beetle

Wa, Wi-N

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Acalles wilkesii Perkins, 1926

Wilkes cryptorhynchine weevil

P, Wa, Wi-N

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Dryotribus mimeticus Horn, 1873

Cossine weevil

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Cossoninae sp.

Cossine weevil

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Hypothenemus sp.

Pygmy wood borer

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Myllocerus sp.

Broad-nosed weevil

Coleoptera

Dermestidae

Dermestes ater DeGeer, 1774

Black larder beetle

L-M

Coleoptera

Elateridae

Conoderus pallipes (Eschscholtz, 1829)

Click beetle

P, Wa

Coleoptera

Elateridae

Elateridae sp.

Click beetle

Coleoptera

Elateridae

Lacon modestus (Boisduval, 1835)

Click beetle

P, Wa

Coleoptera

Oedemeridae

Eobia bicolor (Fairmaire, 1849)

Red-black false blister beetle

Coleoptera

Scarabaeidae

Pleurophorus parvulus (Chevrolat, 1864)

Small dung beetle

Coleoptera

Scarabaeidae

Protaetia fusca (Herbst, 1790)

Mango flower beetle

L-M

Coleoptera

Silvanidae

Silvanidae sp.

Silvan flat bark beetle

D/F

P, Wa

L-M

Coleoptera

Tenebrionidae

Gonocephalum adpressiforme Kaszab, 1951

Darkling beetle

D/H

Coleoptera

Unknown

Coleoptera 1

Unknown

Coleoptera

Unknown

Coleoptera 2

Unknown

Wi-N

Coleoptera

Unknown

Coleoptera 3

Unknown

Coleoptera

Unknown

Coleoptera 4

Unknown

Dermaptera

Anisolabididae

Euborellia annulipes (Lucas, 1847)

Ring-legged earwig

Diptera

Agromyzidae

Liriomyza nr. sativae Blanchard, 1938 Vegetable leaf miner

L-M

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Coleoptera

205

206

Table C1. List and status of arthropods collected during the 2019 survey of Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Order

Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function

Impact Status type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Insecta—Continued Diptera

Anthomyzidae

Amygdalops nigronotum Sueyoshi and Rohácek, 2003

Anthomyzid fly

D/S

Diptera

Calliphoridae

Calliphora vomitoria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Blue bottle fly

Diptera

Ceratopogonidae

Ceratopogonidae sp.

Biting midge

Diptera

Ceratopogonidae

Possibly Forcipomyia sp.

Biting midge

Diptera

Chironomidae

Chironomidae sp.

Non-biting midge

Diptera

Chloropidae

Cadrema pallida (Loew, 1866)

Frit fly

Diptera

Chloropidae

Possibly Oscinis sp.

Frit fly

Diptera

Culicidae

Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823

Southern house mosquito

Diptera

Dolichopodidae

Chrysosoma globiferum (Wiedemann, 1830)

Long-legged fly

P, Wa, Wi

Diptera

Dolichopodidae

Sciapodinae sp.

Long-legged fly

Diptera

Fanniidae

Fannis scalaris (Fabricius, 1794)

Latrine fly

D/S

Diptera

Hippoboscidae

Olfersia sp.

Louse fly

Diptera

Hybotidae

Syneches sp.

Dance fly

Diptera

Lauxaniidae

Homoneura sp.

Lauxaniid fly

Diptera

Phoridae

Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866)

Laboratory fly

D/O

Diptera

Sarcophagidae

Sarcophaga peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830)

Flesh fly

D/S

Diptera

Scenopinidae

Scenopinus adventicius Hardy, 1960

Window fly

Diptera

Scenopinidae

Scenopinus lucidus Becker, 1902

Window fly

Diptera

Syrphidae

Syritta nr. orientalis Macquart, 1842

Oriental hover fly

Pr/H

Diptera

Tachinidae

Tachinidae sp.

Tachinid fly

Diptera

Tephritidae

Acinia picturata (Snow, 1894)

Fruit fly

Wa, Wi-S

Diptera

Tephritidae

Dioxyna sororcula (Wiedemann, 1830)

Fruit fly

Wa, Wi-S

Diptera

Therevidae

Bugulaverpa rebeccae Gaimari and Irwin, 2000

Stilleto fly

Wa, Wi-N

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Function: U, unknown; D, detritivore; F, fungivore; Pa, parasite; Pr, predator; S, scavenger; O, omnivore; H, herbivore; B, blood feeder; K, kleptoparasite; PS, parasitoid; Po, pollen feeder. Status: U, unknown; A, alien; I, invasive; N, native; NA, not applicable/native species. Impact type: U, Unknown; HH, human health; S, structural damage; A, agricultural pest; B, biodiversity; FS, food storage pest; NA, not applicable/native species. Islet detected: P, Peale; Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet). Risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; NA, not applicable/native species. Management feasibility: H, high; L, low; M, medium; NA, not applicable/native species]

Taxonomy Order

Family

Status and risk

Scientific name

Common name

Function

Impact Status type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Insecta—Continued Ulidiidae

Notogramma cimiciforme Loew, 1868 Picture-wing fly

Embioptera

Oligotomidae

Oligotoma sp.

Webspinner

Hemiptera

Aleyrodidae

Aleyrodidae sp.

Hemiptera

Anthocoridae

Orius persequens (White, 1877)

Hemiptera

Cicadellidae

Hemiptera

Coccidae

Hemiptera Hemiptera Hemiptera

Wa, Wi-S

Whitefly

Minute pirate bug

Pr/O

P, Wi-N

Circulifer nr. tenellus (Baker, 1896)

Leafhopper

Wi-N

Pulvinaria urbicola Cockerell, 1893

Urbicola soft scale

Wi-N

M-H

Cydnidae

Geotomus pygmaeus (Dallas, 1851)

Pygmy stinkbug

Geocoridae

Geocoris nr. pallens Stål, 1854

Western big-eyed bug

Pr/O

Wi-N

Lygaeidae

Nysius palor Ashlock, 1863

False chinch bug

P, Wi

Hemiptera

Miridae

Opuna sharpianus (Kirkaldy, 1902)

Leaf bug

Wi-N

Hemiptera

Pseudcoccidae

Pseudococcidae sp.

Mealy bug

Hemiptera

Psyllidae

Psyllidae sp.

Jumping plant louse

Hemiptera

Reduviidae

Empicoris sp.

Thread-legged bug

Hemiptera

Rhyparochromidae Pachybrachius nr. pacificus (Stål, 1874)

Seed bug

P, Wa

Hymenoptera

Ampulicidae

Ampulex compressa (Fabricius, 1871)

Emerald cockroach wasp

Hymenoptera

Apidae

Ceratina dentipes Friese, 1914

Small carpenter bee

Wa, Wi-S

Hymenoptera

Apidae

Xylocopa sonorina Smith, 1874

Large carpenter bee

Wa, Wi-N

Hymenoptera

Bethylidae

Epyris sp.

Bethylid wasp

Hymenoptera

Chalcidae

Psilochalcis nr. hespenheidei (Boucek, 1984)

Chalcid wasp

Hymenoptera

Chrysididae

Trichrysis lusca (Fabricius, 1804)

Cuckoo wasp

Crabronidae

Possibly Liris sp.

Digger wasp

Crabronidae

Pison nr. hospes Smith, 1879

Digger wasp

Wi-S

Hymenoptera

Eulophidae

Tetrastichinae sp.

Eulophid wasp

Hymenoptera

Evaniidae

Evania appendigaster (Linnaeus, 1758)

Ensign wasp

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Anochetus sp.

Trap jaw ant

P, Wa

207

Hymenoptera Hymenoptera

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Diptera

208

Table C1. List and status of arthropods collected during the 2019 survey of Wake Atoll.—Continued

Taxonomy Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function

Impact Status type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Order

Family

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857)

Yellow crazy ant

S/Pr

P, Wa, Wi-S

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Camponotus variegatus (Smith, 1858)

Carpenter ant

S/O

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851) Monomorium ant

S/Pr

L-M

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Monomorium liliuokalanii Forel, 1899

Monomorium ant

S/Pr

L-M

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Monomorium sp.

Monomorium ant

S/Pr

L-M

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Nylanderia bourbonica (Forel, 1886)

Robust crazy ant

S/Pr

P, Wa, Wi-N

L-M

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802)

Longhorn crazy ant

S/Pr

Wa, Wi-N

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793)

Big-headed ant

S/Pr

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Pheidole nr. moerens Wheeler, 1908

Big-headed ant

S/Pr

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Pheidole sp.

Big-headed ant

S/Pr

P, Wa

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius, 1804)

Tropical fire ant

S/Pr

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793)

Ghost ant

S/Pr

P, Wa, Wi

L-M

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Tetramorium nr. simillimum (Smith, 1851)

Tetramorium ant

S/Pr

P, Wa

L-M

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Tetramorium sp.

Tetramorium ant

S/Pr

L-M

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon, 1851)

Singapore ant

S/Pr

P, Wa, Wi-N

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Ponerinae sp.

Ponerine ant

S/Pr

Hymenoptera

Megachilidae

Megachile sp.

Leafcutter bee

Hymenoptera

Scelionidae

Anteromorpha sp.

Scelionid wasp

Insecta—Continued

Hymenoptera

Scelionidae

Baryconus sp.

Scelionid wasp

Hymenoptera

Scelionidae

Idris sp.

Scelionid wasp

Hymenoptera

Sclerogibbidae

Sclerogibba sp.

Sclerogibbid wasp

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Function: U, unknown; D, detritivore; F, fungivore; Pa, parasite; Pr, predator; S, scavenger; O, omnivore; H, herbivore; B, blood feeder; K, kleptoparasite; PS, parasitoid; Po, pollen feeder. Status: U, unknown; A, alien; I, invasive; N, native; NA, not applicable/native species. Impact type: U, Unknown; HH, human health; S, structural damage; A, agricultural pest; B, biodiversity; FS, food storage pest; NA, not applicable/native species. Islet detected: P, Peale; Wa, Wake; Wi-N, Wilkes (north islet); Wi-S, Wilkes (south islet). Risk assessment: H, high; M, medium; L, low; NA, not applicable/native species. Management feasibility: H, high; L, low; M, medium; NA, not applicable/native species]

Taxonomy Order

Family

Scientific name

Status and risk Common name

Function

Status

Impact type

Islet detected

Risk assessment

Management feasibility

Insecta—Continued Vespidae

Ropalidia marginata (Lepeletier, 1836)

Paper wasp

B/HH

P, Wa, Wi-N

L-M

Lepidoptera

Arctiidae

Utetheisa pulchelloides Hampson, 1907

Heliotrope moth

P, Wa, Wi

Lepidoptera

Autostichidae

Stoeberhinus testaceus Butler, 1881

Potato moth

Lepidoptera

Geometridae

Geometridae sp.

Geometer moth

Lepidoptera

Noctuidae

Noctuidae sp.

Owlet moth

Lepidoptera

Sphingidae

Agrius convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)

Pink-spotted hawkmoth

Lepidoptera

Unknown

Lepidoptera sp.

Moth

Mantodea

Mantidae

Hierodula patellifera Serville, 1839

Giant asian mantis

Odonata

Libellulidae

Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798)

Globe skimmer

Wa, Wi-N

Orthoptera

Acrididae

Oedaleus nr. abruptus (Thunberg, 1815)

Short-horned grasshopper

P, Wa

Orthoptera

Mogoplistidae

Mogoplistinae sp.

Scaly cricket

O/S

Orthoptera

Mogoplistidae

Ornebius sp.

Scaly cricket

O/S

Orthoptera

Tettigoniidae

Phaneroptera furcifera Stål, 1874

Philippine katydid

Orthoptera

Tettigoniidae

Tettigonidae sp.

Katydid

Psocoptera

Unknown

Psocoptera sp. 1

Barklouse

D/S

Psocoptera

Unknown

Psocoptera sp. 2

Barklouse

D/S

Thysanoptera

Phlaeothripidae

Phlaeothripidae sp.

Tube-bearing thrip

F/H

Zygentoma

Lepismatidae

Zygentoma sp.

Silverfish

D/S

Malacostraca Isopoda

Armadillidiidae

Armadillidae sp.

Pill bug

Wa, Wi-S

Isopoda

Porcellionidae

Porcellionidae sp.

Pill bug

1The more recognizable subclasses Acari (Class=Arachnida) and Collembola (Class=Entognatha) are provided for convenience.

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Hymenoptera

209

210

Table C2. List of arthropod species collected at Wake Atoll prior to 2019. [This list was compiled from various sources, including unpublished data. Full citations for published documents can be found in chapter C, section "References Cited"]

Family

Species

Collected during 2019 survey?

Source2 Acari1

Ixodida

Argasidae

Ornithodoros nr. capensis Neumann, 1901

Hebshi and others, 2011

Mesostigmata

Laelapidae

Laelaps nuttalli Hirst, 1916

Reeves and others, 2012

Oribatida

Galumnidae

Zetes bryani Jacot, 1934

Jacot, 1934

Possibly; similar to Oribatida 1

Oribatida

Neoliodidae

Udetaliodes hawaiiensis wakensis Jacot, 1929

Jacot, 1929

Possibly; similar to Oribatida 9

Oribatida

Oribotritiidae

Indotritia bryani (Jacot, 1929)

Jacot, 1928

Possibly; similar to Oribatida 5 and 6

Trombidiformes

Myobiidae

Radfordia ensifera (Poppe, 1896)

Reeves and others, 2012

Geophilomorpha

Oryidae

Orphnaeus brevilabiatus Newport, 1845

Bryan and others, 1926

Hebshi and others, 2011

Possibly

Chilopoda Diplopoda Polyxendia

Polyxenidae

Polyxenus sp. Insecta

Blattodea

Undetermined

Unidentified species

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly

Coleoptera

Anthribidae

Undetermined species

Bryan and others, 1926

Coleoptera

Bostrichidae

Amphicerus cornutus (Pallus, 1772)

Hebshi and others, 2011

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Dryotribus mimeticus Horn, 1873

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Microcryptorhynchus wilkesii (Perkins, 1926)3

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Rhyncogonus fallax Perkins, 1926

Bryan and others, 1926

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Sphaerorhinus pallescens Perkins, 1926

Bryan and others, 1926

Coleoptera

Curculionidae

Sphaerorhinus sordidus Perkins, 1926

Bryan and others, 1926

Coleoptera

Dermestidae

Dermestes ater DeGeer, 1774

Hebshi and others, 2011

Yes

Coleoptera

Elateridae

Agriotes sp.

Hebshi and others, 2011

Coleoptera

Elateridae

Conoderus pallipes (Eschscholtz, 1829)

Van Zwaluwenburg, 1948

Yes

Coleoptera

Elateridae

Megapenthes brunniventris (Canadeze, 1892)

Hebshi and others, 2011

Coleoptera

Scarabaeidae

Protaetia fusca (Herbst, 1790)

Krell and Breidenbaugh, 2016

Yes

Dermaptera

Labiduridae

Anisolabis maritima (Bonelli, 1832)

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Agromyzidae

Undetermined Milichiinae

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Asilidae

Undetermined species

Bryan and others, 1926

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Order

Table C2. List of arthropod species collected at Wake Atoll prior to 2019.—Continued [This list was compiled from various sources, including unpublished data. Full citations for published documents can be found in chapter C, section "References Cited"]

Order

Family

Species

Collected during 2019 survey?

Source2 Insecta—Continued

Diptera

Calliphoridae

Chrysomyia megacephala (Fabricius, 1794)

Bryan, 1948

Diptera

Calliphoridae

Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826)

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Canacidae

Tethina insularis Aldrich, 1831

Aldrich, 1931

Diptera

Chironomidae

Undetermined species

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly

Diptera

Culcidae

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762)

Rosen and others, 1948

Diptera

Culcidae

Aedes sp.

Bryan, 1959

Culcidae

Culex quinquesfasciatus Say, 1823

Reeves, 1953

Yes

Dolichopodidae

Paraphrosylus sp.

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Ephydridae

Canaceoides nudata (Cresson, 1926)4

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Ephydridae

Hecamede sp.

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Hippoboscidae

Olfersia aenescens Thomson, 1869

Hebshi and others, 2011

Possibly; needs confirmation

Diptera

Hippoboscidae

Olfersia spinifera (Leach, 1817)

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly; needs confirmation

Diptera

Muscidae

Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758

Bryan, 1948

Diptera

Muscidae

Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp, 1883)

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Oscinidae

Hippelatus nigricornis var. flavus Thomson, 1869

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Sapromyzidae

Sapromyza sp.

Bryan and others, 1926

Diptera

Syrphidae

Ischiodon scutellaris (Fabricius, 1805)

Hull, 1937

Diptera

Ulidiidae

Notogramma cimiciforme Lowe, 1868

Hebshi and others, 2011

Possibly

Embioptera

Oligotomidae

Oligotoma saundersii (Westwood, 1837)

Hebshi and others, 2011

Possibly

Hemiptera

Aleyrodidae

Aleyrodid

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly

Hemiptera

Aphididae

Aphis medicaginis Koch, 1854

Bryan and others, 1926

Hemiptera

Cicadellidae

Jassid 1

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly

Hemiptera

Cicadellidae

Jassid 2

Bryan and others, 1926

Hemiptera

Lygaeidae

Nysius picipes Usinger, 1937

Usinger, 1937

Hemiptera

Lygaeidae

Nysius sp.

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly same as N. palor

Hemiptera

Miridae

Opuna hawaiiensis (Kikraldy, 1902)

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes (=O. sharpianus)

Hemiptera

Nabidae

Nabis capsiformis Germar, 1838

Gross, 1963

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212

Family

Species

Collected during 2019 survey?

Source2 Insecta—Continued

Hemiptera

Nabidae

Reduviolus kahavalu (Kirkaldy, 1907)

Bryan and others, 1926

Hemiptera

Pentatomidae

Oechalia consocialis (Boisduval, 1835)

Usinger, 1941

Hymenoptera

Apidae

Xylocopa sonorina Smith, 1874

CEMML, unpub. data, 2017

Yes

Hymenoptera

Braconidaae

Chelonus sp.

Bryan and others, 1926

Hymenoptera

Eupelmidae

Eupelmus pacificus Timberlake, 1926

Bryan and others, 1926

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857)

Hebshi and others, 2011

Yes

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851)

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Bryan and others, 1926

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Nylanderia bourbonica (Forel, 1886)5

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Hymenoptera

Sphecidae

Prionyx nr. parkeri Bohart and Menke, 1963

Hebshi and others, 2011

Hymenoptera

Sphecidae

Sceliphron sp.

Gilardi, Island Conservation, unpub. data, 2014

Hymenoptera

Trichogrammatidae

Aphelinoidea oceanica Timberlake, 1926

Bryan and others, 1926

Hymenoptera

Vespidae

Ropalidia marginata (Lepeletier, 1836)

CEMML, unpub. data, 2017

Yes

Lepidoptera

Arctiidae

Utetheisa pulchelloides Hampson, 1907

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Lepidoptera

Cygnodiidae

Petrochroa dimorpha Busck, 1914

Bryan and others, 1926

Lepidoptera

Erebidae

Achaea janata (Linnaeus, 1758)6

Bryan and others, 1926

Lepidoptera

Nymphalidae

Hypolimnas bolina (Linnaeus, 1758)

Bryan and others, 1926

Lepidoptera

Plutellidae

Plutella maculipennis (Curtis, 1832)

Bryan and others, 1926

Lepidoptera

Sphingidae

Agrius convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)7

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Odonata

Aeshnidae

Anax guttatus (Burmeister, 1839)

Lieftinck, 1962

Odonata

Libellulidae

Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798)

CEMML, unpub. data, 2017

Yes

Orthoptera

Blaberidae

Pycnoscelus surinamensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Orthoptera

Blattidae

Melanozosteria soror (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865)8

Bryan and others, 1926

Yes

Orthoptera

Gryllidae

Gryllodes sigillatus (Walker, 1869)

Hebshi and others, 2011

Orthoptera

Gryllidae

Trigonidium flavipes (Saussure, 1878)9

Bryan and others, 1926

Orthoptera

Gryllidae

Ornebius sp.

Hebshi and others, 2011

Possibly

Phthiraptera

Hoplopleuridae

Hoplopleura pacifica Ewing, 1924

Reeves and others, 2012

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Order

Family

Species

Collected during 2019 survey?

Source2 Insecta—Continued

Psocoptera

Undetermined

Psocids

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly

Siphonaptera

Pulicidae

Xenopsylla cheopis (Rothschild, 1903)

Chilson, 1953

Zygentoma

Undetermined

Undetermined species

Bryan and others, 1926

Possibly

1The more recognizable subclass Acari (Class=Arachnida) is provided for convenience. 2First record of collection on Wake Atoll. 3Reported as Acalles wilkesii Perkins, 1926 by Bryan and others, 1926.

5Reported as Prenolepis bourbonica hawaiiensis Forel, 1886 by Bryan and others, 1926. 6Reported as Achaea melicerta (Drury, 1773) by Bryan and others, 1926. 7Reported as Herse convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758) by Bryan and others, 1926. 8Reported as Cutilia soror (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865) by Bryan and others, 1926. 9Reported as Litogryllus flavipes (Saussure, 1878) by Bryan and others, 1926.

Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide

4Reported as Canace nudata Cresson, 1926 by Bryan and others, 1926.

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C. References Cited Aldrich, J.M., 1931, New acalyptrate Diptera from the Pacific and Oriental regions: Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 7, no. 3, p. 395–399. Bryan, E.H., Jr., 1926, Insects of the Tanager Expedition [abs.], in Hawaiian Academy of Science Conference, 1st, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1926, Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Academy of Science, Bishop Museum Special Publication 11, 31 p. Bryan, E.H., Jr., 1948, Flies on Wake, in Hawaiian Entomological Society Conference, 13th, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1948, Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 13, 221 p. Bryan, E.H., Jr., 1959, Notes on the geography and natural history of Wake Island: Atoll Research Bulletin, no. 66, p. 1–22. [Available at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00775630.66.1.] Bryan, E.H., Jr., Timberlake, P.H., Wheeler, W.M., Van Zwaluwenburg, R.H., Perkins, R.C.L., Shannon, R.C., Swezey, O.H., Hebard, M., and Chamberlin, R.V., 1926, Insects of Hawaii, Johnston Island and Wake Island: Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin 31, Tanager Expedition Publication, no. 3, p. 1–94.

Hebshi, A., Kesler, D., and Zabin, C., 2011, Ecological monitoring on Wake Island prior to rat removal: Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, Project 09–438, 84 p., accessed April 15, 2019, at https://denix.osd.mil/nr/otherconservationtopics/ installationspecificinformation/wake-atoll/ecologicalmonitoring-compendium-on-wake-island-prior-torat-removal-final-technical-report-november-2011legacy-09-438/. Hull, F.M., 1937, A check list of the Syrphidae of Oceania: Honolulu, Hawaii, Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, v. 13, no. 10, p. 79–87. International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2019, Global invasive species database: Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), Species Survival Commission (SSC), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), online database, accessed November 7, 2019, at http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/. Jacot, A.P., 1928, New oribatoid mites: Psyche—A Journal of Entomology, v. 35, p. 213–215. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1155/1928/51346.] Jacot, A.P., 1929, Concerning the genus Neolides (Oribatoidea-Acarina): Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, v. 48, no. 1, p. 30–48. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2307/3222456.]

Chilson, L.M., 1953, Fleas on Wake Island, in Hawaiian Entomological Society, Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 15, no. 1, 1 p.

Jacot, A.P., 1934, Some Hawaiian Oribatoidea (Acarina): Honolulu, Hawaii, Bishop Museum Bulletin, v. 121, p. 1–99.

Gross, G.F., 1963, Insects of Micronesia—Coreidae (Alydini by J.C. Schaffner), Neididae, and Nabidae: Honolulu, Hawaii, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, v. 7, p. 357–390. [Available at http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pubs-online/pdf/ iom7-7cor.pdf.]

Krell, F.T., and Breidenbaugh, M., 2016, The mango flower beetle, Protaetia fusca (Herbst), on Wake Island, Western Pacific Ocean (Coleoptera—Scarabaeidae—Cetoniinae)— An accomplished island invasive: Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 48, p. 9–13.

Handler, A.T., Gruner, D.S., Haines, W.P., Lange, M.W., and Kaneshiro, K.Y., 2007, Arthropod surveys on Palmyra Atoll, Line Islands, and insights into the decline of the native tree Pisonia grandis (Nyctaginaceae): Pacific Science, v. 61, no. 4, p. 485–502. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2984/1534-6188(2007)61[485:ASOPAL] 2.0.CO;2.]

Lieftinck, M.A. 1962, Insects of Micronesia—Odonata: Honolulu, Hawaii, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Insects Micronesia v. 5, p. 1–95. [Available at http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pubs-online/pdf/iom5-1.pdf.] Neumann, G., O’Dowd, P.T., Gullan, P.J., and Green, P.T., 2014, First record of Pulvinaria urbicola Cockerell (Hemiptera—Coccidae), a potentially damaging scale insect, on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: Journal of AsiaPacific Entomology, v. 17, no. 1, p. 27–30. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aspen.2013.09.001.]

C. References Cited

215

Nishida, G.M., and Beardsley, J.W., 2002, A review of the insects and related arthropods of Midway Atoll: Bishop Museum Occasional Paper, no. 68, p. 25–69.

Suehiro, A., 1960, Insects and other arthropods from Midway Atoll: Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 17, p. 289–298.

Nishida, G.M., and Evenhuis, N.L., 2000, Arthropod pests of conservation significance in the Pacific—A preliminary assessment of selected groups, in Sherley, G., ed., Invasive species in the Pacific—A technical review and draft regional strategy—South Pacific Regional Environment Programme: Samoa, SPREP, p. 115–142.

Usinger, R.L., 1937, Two new Pacific Island species of Nysius (Lygaeidae-Hemiptera), Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 9, no. 3, p. 439–442.

O’Dowd, D.J., Green, P.T., and Lake, P.S., 2003, Invasional ‘meltdown’ on an oceanic island: Ecology Letters, v. 6, no. 9, p. 812–817. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00512.x.] Peck, R., Banko, P., Pendleton, F., Schmaedick, M., and Ernsberger, K., 2014, Arthropods of Rose Atoll with special reference to ants and Pulvinaria urbicola scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on Pisonia grandis trees: Hilo, Hawaii, Hawaii Cooperative Studies Unit Technical Report HCSU-057, Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaiʻi. Plentovich, S., Hebshi, A., and Conant, S., 2009, Detrimental effects of two widespread invasive ant species on weight and survival of colonial nesting seabirds in the Hawaiian Islands: Biological Invasions, v. 11, p. 289–298. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-008-9233-2.] Plentovich, S., Russell, T., and Fejeran, C.C., 2018, Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) reduce numbers and impede development of a burrow-nesting seabird: Biological Invasions, v. 20, p. 77–86. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1516-z.] Reeves, W.C., 1953, Possible recent introductions of mosquito vectors of human diseases in the central Pacific: Proceedings of the 7th Pacific Science Congress, v. 7, p. 371–373. Reeves, W.K., Utter, C.M., and Durden, L., 2012, Rickettsial pathogens and arthropod vectors of medical and veterinary significance on Kwajalein Atoll and Wake Atoll: Micronesica, v. 43, no. 1, p. 107–113. Rosen, L., Reeves, W.C., and Aarons, T., 1948, Aedes aegypti on Wake, in Hawaiian Entomological Society Conference, 13th, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1948, Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 13, p. 255–256.

Usinger, R.L., 1941, The genus Oechalis (Pentatomidae, Hemiptera), Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 11, no. 1, p. 59–93. Van Zwaluwenburg, R.H., 1948, New species and new records of elaterid beetles from the Pacific, III, in Hawaiian Entomological Society Conference, 13th, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1948, Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 13, p. 265–276. Wetterer, J.K., 2007, Biology and impacts of Pacific Island invasive species. 3–The African Big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (Hymenopotera— Formicidae): Pacific Science, v. 61, no. 4, p. 437–456. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2984/15346188(2007)61[437:BAIOPI]2.0.CO;2.] Wetterer, J.K., 2008, Worldwide spread of the longhorn crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis (Hymenoptera—Formicidae): Myrmecological News, v. 11, p. 137–149. Wetterer, J.K., 2011, Worldwide spread of the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata (Hymenoptera—Formicidae): Myrmecological News, v. 14, p. 21–35. Williams, F.X., 1945, Achaea janata (Linn.), in Hawaiian Entomological Society Conference, Proceedings: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 12, 233 p. Zimmerman, E.C., 1938, The status of Acalles wilkesii (Coleoptera, Curculionidae): Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society, v. 10, no. 1, p. 150–151.

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Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll Photograph and descriptive summary of native and introduced arthropods that have been recorded on Wake Atoll. (All photographs by R. Peck, Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo).

Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Moss Mites (Acari: Oribatida) from Wake Atoll

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Moss Mites (Acari: Oribatida) from Wake Atoll—Continued

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Wake Atoll

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Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Wake Atoll—Continued

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Spiders (Arachnida: Araneae), Pseudoscorpion (Arachnida; Pseudoscorpiones), Short-Tailed Whipscorpion (Arachnida; Schizomida), Scorpion (Arachnida; Scorpiones), and Centipedes (Chilopoda; Geophilomorpha, Lithobiomorpha, and Scolopendromorpha) from Wake Atoll

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Millipedes (Diplopoda), Including Flat-Backed Millipedes (Polydesmida) and Bristly Millipedes (Polyxenida), and Collembola (Entognatha, Including Entomobryidae and Isotomidae) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Cockroaches and Termites (Insecta: Blattodea) from Wake Atoll

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Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

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Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) and Earwig (Insecta: Dermaptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

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Flies (Insecta: Diptera) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Flies (Insecta: Diptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

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Flies (Insecta: Diptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Flies (Insecta: Diptera, Ulidiidae) and Webspinner (Insecta: Embioptera, Oligotomidae) from Wake Atoll—Continued

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Hemiptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Hemiptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

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Wasps and Bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Wasps and Bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

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Ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

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Ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Wake Atoll—Continued

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

Moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera), Mantis (Insecta: Mantoidea), Dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata) from Wake Atoll

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Crickets and Katydids (Insecta: Orthoptera) from Wake Atoll

Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll

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Booklice (Insecta: Psocoptera), Thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera), Pill bugs (Malacostraca: Isopoda) from Wake Atoll

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Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide By Stacie A. Hathaway, Adam R. Backlin, Cynthia J. Hitchcock, and Robert N. Fisher

D. Introduction

D. Methods

Historically, amphibians have not been reported, but reptiles have been observed at Wake during various expeditions, and voucher specimens have been deposited in museum collections since 1871. These collections and observations have been largely opportunistic and referenced in various published and unpublished literature (for example, Bryan, 1949; Bryan, 1959; Ineich and Zug, 1991; Crombie and Pregill, 1999; Ogden Environmental and Energy Services, Co., Inc., unpub. data, 1999; U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). Typical of small, remote, islands and atolls, the terrestrial reptile community has been presumed to consist of very few species. Before this study, the Wake terrestrial reptile community had never been formally surveyed. It is important to fill in knowledge gaps regarding the biodiversity at Wake and to establish a current (2019) baseline for evaluating change over time. This effort is essential in understanding the processes that give rise to Wake’s biodiversity and the status of processes that may threaten species. Nonnative herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) may pose a threat directly or indirectly to other taxa, natural biological processes, or even human infrastructure, and therefore, knowing their source and distribution is critical for making management decisions. These surveys serve as a basis for examining the status and distribution of reptile species known from Wake historically and can be used as a general assessment of the success of recent (2012) biosecurity measures in preventing new species arrivals and in identifying improvements to consider for the protocols currently (2019) in place. In spring 2019 (between May 24 and June 7), we surveyed during a 2-week field visit as one component of a larger project to update and assess the status of terrestrial plant, arthropod, and reptile communities on Wake. Rapid assessment surveys for reptiles were done with several objectives: (1) compile an updated species list to determine presence, and to the extent possible, the status and distribution of historically known species; (2) determine the presence of any new potentially invasive reptile species and any other invasive species with known or presumed effects on reptiles or other taxa native to Wake, with an emphasis on the yellow crazy ant (YCA) Anoplolepis gracilipes; (3) create a Wake reptile photograph identification guide; and (4) use these data to inform biosecurity and integrated pest management plans for Wake (Hathaway and others, 2022).

We compiled Wake Atoll-specific data from museums, as well as from published and unpublished literature, and interviewed people with local knowledge to summarize the status and distribution of reptiles known historically to exist on the atoll. As an initial step in an effort to inform the creation of long-term management strategies for invasive and other pest species at Wake, we carried out a small-scale internal preliminary risk analysis of species detected on Wake (Hathaway and others, 2022). We assessed introduced species as a potential threat to natural resources or base operations (for example, human health and the overall installation mission) on Wake if they were established and invasive elsewhere. Risk ranges were categorized from high to low based on published risk assessments or observations elsewhere while also considering conditions on Wake. We reviewed a variety of published sources, such as the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) Global Invasive Species Database (GISD; International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2019) to assess risk and management feasibility. Management feasibility, the likelihood of successful eradication or control, was categorized from very low to very high, with consideration given to several criteria, such as potential for effectiveness, practicality, cost, potential negative effects from control or eradication, and likelihood of reinvasion. The feasibility of controlling a species varies depending on the actual distribution of the species and the availability of effective control tools or protocols. We include the status and preliminary risk results for species detected on Wake in table D1 and for species included in the “Field Guide” section of this chapter. We completed reptile surveys broadly across Wake, including all three islets. Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islets have been separated into a series of habitat management units (HMUs) delineated to assist in the creation of natural resources management actions and approaches (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). We used the HMUs to reference specific focus areas we considered most likely to be vulnerable to invasive species incursions (for example, the marina and associated areas within HMU-11, areas with concentrated human populated buildings, such as in HMU-58, and cargocontainer unloading and storage areas within HMU-65; appendix D1, fig. D1.1).

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Field Surveys Herpetofauna surveys included three types of sampling to collect the most data on a suite of species with differing habits in a short amount of time. These methods were sticky glue-board trap transects, daytime visual encounter surveys (VES), and nighttime VES in dry weather conditions. Trap transects were composed of a series of individual glue boards measuring 19 centimeters (cm) by about 14 cm (fig. D1). These glue boards are the type used to ensnare rodents and insects and can passively capture lizards as they walk over the adhesive surface (for example, Trapper Max Free Mouse Glue Traps). Ensnared individuals were removed by applying cooking oil (for example, palm or vegetable), which degrades the adhesive from the parts of the body in contact with the board. All survey methods were employed on each of the three islets (Wake, Peale, and Wilkes). Glue-board trap transects ranged from 0.25 to 1 kilometer (km) long, and trap stations were set 5–100 meters (m) apart and were not restricted to individual habitat types. Each station consisted of up to three glue boards, with one board placed on the ground at each station, and if there is a log, we place a trap on a log, and if there is a tree, we place a trap on a tree 1 m off the ground. This configuration was intended to capture lizard species with different behavioral tendencies. We recorded latitude and longitude coordinates of each trap station. Initially, glue boards were checked frequently to determine how long they could be left out, which was determined by shade available, heat, which effects duration of “stickiness,” and captures of or disturbance by non-target species. Glue boards on transects were left out up to 24 hours, conditions permitting. Reptiles were identified to species, removed and, depending on number of captures, up to 20 individuals of each species were weighed and measured (ventrally from tip of nose to cloaca; snout to vent length). Up to 10 of each species per transect were collected as voucher specimens following the general protocol by McDiarmid (1994). After euthanizing, weighing, and measuring, we removed a tissue sample for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and the specimen was pickled in a 10-percent buffered formalin solution. As many lizards as possible were tail clipped for DNA. All tissue samples for DNA were stored in 95-percent ethanol. Multiple transects were run on Wake, Peale, and Wilkes Islets. Daytime and nighttime visual encounter surveys were done (mostly) by walking slowly through the different habitat types following the glue-board transects, although some surveys were longer than those transects, and additional searches were made around buildings. We scanned ahead, on the ground and in trees, while occasionally disarticulating fallen logs, peeling bark off trees, looking in root systems, going through litter, and turning over logs and rocks. Each lizard seen was counted and identified to species if possible. We attempted to hand-capture animals when possible and when necessary for identification. Habitat information was also noted. Daytime and nighttime surveys were done during non-rain events. Due to time constraints, daytime visual

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encounter surveys were generally concentrated on searches for novel species—any species not detected on glue boards or during nighttime visual encounter surveys. This process included any potential incidental observations of nonnative taxa, particularly amphibians or arthropods. Glue boards also provided a method for detecting arthropods. We focused on documenting the distribution of the invasive YCA because of its adverse ecological effects on other Pacific Islands. This species has been introduced into numerous tropical and subtropical islands, including those in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean (Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, the Cocos Islands, and the Christmas Islands), and in the Pacific (New Caledonia, Hawai`i, French Polynesia, Okinawa, Vanuatu, Micronesia, and the Galapagos archipelago; McGlynn, 1999; Holway and others, 2002; Wetterer, 2005). When collecting traps, we examined them for any arthropods we had not seen on previously collected traps and kept those traps for our arthropod expert (Robert Peck) for identification (see chapter C “Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide”) to supplement his surveys. We also hand-collected a few macro-invertebrates.

Figure D1. Example of a sticky glue board attached to a tree. (Photograph by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

D. Results Historical Records Our initial review of museum records indicated eight terrestrial reptile species had been collected from Wake, with the first reptile record, the Oceania snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus), collected in 1871 (fig. D2; table D1). We identified at least two misidentifications in the records. We verified eight species deposited in museums: the Oceania snake-eyed skink, azure-tailed skink (Emoia cyanura), dark-bellied copper-striped skink (Emoia impar), mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris), common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus), stump-toed gecko (Gehyra insulensis), Brahminy blindsnake, (Ramphotyphlops braminus), and the gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer; figs. D2–D11; table D1).

There was a misidentification in the museum records, which included four specimens identified as the metallic skink (Lygosoma metallicum). Upon review of the specimens, we realized they were Oceania snake-eyed skinks (fig. D11). Bryan (1959) reported that a brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) was collected at Wake in 1948, and that finding has been circulating in the literature since then. The specimen identification was verified and had been updated in the museum records as a gopher snake in 1987; however, it continued to be referenced in the literature as the brown tree snake. We procured photographs of the specimen and include it here for species verification (fig. D10). While reviewing unpublished literature, we found reference to an additional nonnative species mentioned for Wake. A worker at Wake, possibly a member of the TEC Inc. staff, reported seeing a green anole (Anolis carolinensis) during a 2008 site visit to Wake (U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017). Additional information was not provided, and other documentation supporting this observation was not located.

Figure D2. Oceania snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus) from Wake Atoll. (Photographs by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure D3. Azure-tailed skink (Emoia cyanura) from Wake Atoll. (Photograph by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure D4. Azure-tailed skink (Emoia cyanura), melanistic phenotype from Wake Atoll. (Photograph by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

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Figure D5. Dark-bellied copper-striped skink (Emoia impar; photograph by C.W. Brown, U.S. Geological Survey, 2006).

Figure D6. Mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) from Wake Atoll. (Photograph by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Figure D7. Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) from Wake Atoll. (Photograph by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure D8. Pacific stump-toed gecko (Gehyra insulensis). (Photograph by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey, 2009).

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Figure D9. Brahminy blindsnake (Ramphotyphlops braminus) from Wake Atoll. (Photograph by J. Gilardi, Island Conservation, 2017).

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

Figure D10. Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) specimen from Wake Atoll in1948 (previously identified as a brown tree snake [Boiga irregularis]). (Photograph by B.P. Bishop Museum, 2019).

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Figure D11. Oceania snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus) specimen from Wake Atoll identified in the museum record as a metallic skink (Lygosoma metallicum). (Photographs by Brigham Young University Life Science Museum, 2019).

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

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Field Surveys

Summary of Reptile Species

We captured 206 lizards, detecting 4 of the 8 verified species of reptiles previously recorded at Wake on glueboard traps set across the 3 islets (178 trap stations with 458 total glue boards; table D2). We were able to place at least 1 glue-board trap station within 27 of the 65 habitat mapping units delineated for natural resource management of Wake (table D2; appendix D1, fig. D1.1). These sites represented most of the dominant types of habitat present. Most glue boards were open for some period during daytime and nighttime hours for roughly equivalent durations (ranged from 100 to 591 minutes open in daylight and 80 to 300 minutes at night). Because of time, logistics, and safety, some transects were only open during the daytime (that is, Peale Coast) or nighttime (that is, Peale North and the mowed area of the Bird Sanctuary). One trap station was not re-opened at night due to proximity to wedge-tailed shearwaters. Table D2 provides information about the HMUs surveyed, number of transects and traps, and species captured for each islet. We detected YCAs on glue boards broadly across the atoll on parts of all three islets; YCAs were not detected on Wilkes North, which complemented what was detected during arthropod surveys (see chapter C; table D2; appendix D1, figs. D1.2, D1.3). A variety of arthropods were given to the arthropod expert (R. Peck) for identification and for including in the results of the arthropod surveys (chapter C). We also observed high numbers of the Pacific rat (Rattus exulans) throughout Wake Islet and Wilkes Islet; Pacific rats were not detected on Peale. We did not detect any amphibians. We detected 417 lizards across all nighttime visual encounter surveys. Of these lizards, 76 percent were common house gecko detections compared to 23 percent mourning geckos, and 1 percent azure-tailed skinks (table D3). During daytime visual encounter surveys, we did not encounter any species that had not been recorded on glue boards or during nighttime visual encounter surveys. However, we did encounter and capture three additional Oceania snakeeyed skinks in a new location, near the visitor lodging in HMU 58 the day before leaving Wake. We collected 62 individuals for museum vouchers and an additional 61 tail tips across the 4 species encountered (table D4; appendix D2, table D2.1). A single melanistic azure-tailed skink species was detected on Wake Islet, and all four species were collected on each of the three islets although not on every transect (table D2; appendix D1, figs. D1.2, D1.4–D1.7). Based on our surveys, the Oceania snake-eyed skink, azure-tailed skink, mourning gecko, and common house gecko can be considered established and generally widespread (appendix D1, figs. D1.2, D1.4–D1.7; table D2).

For additional description, see the “Field Guide to the Herpetofauna of Wake Atoll” section (appendix D3); locations of reptile detections are noted in appendix D1).

Skinks The Oceania snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus; tables D1, D2, D4; fig. D2; appendices D1 [figs. D1.2, D1.4] and D3) is native to Wake. There were relatively low detections of this species, with eight (4 percent) captures on less than 2 percent of the glue boards across three transects and five (19 percent) of the HMUs surveyed. The Oceania snake-eyed skink was captured on all three islets, mostly on stations in open vegetation nearest the coast. This species was originally collected as a single record in 1871 and was collected from all three islets in 1923. The azure-tailed skinks (Emoia cyanura; tables D1–D4; figs. D3, D4; appendices D1 [figs. D1.2, D1.5], D3) may be native to Wake or could have been accidentally introduced before World War II (WWII). The first records of this species were from the Tanager Expedition in 1923. Azure-tailed skinks were the most detected and widespread species captured using glue boards. The azure-tailed skink was detected with 74 percent of all captures on 21 percent of all glue boards across 11 transects and 20 (74 percent) of the HMUs surveyed. This species was detected almost equally on boards, the ground, and on logs in almost every habitat type. We detected a single capture of a melanistic azure-tailed skink on a glue board (table D2; fig. D4) on a log under Terminalia catappa. This detection was in open native vegetation along a road in HMU 27. This record is the first of a melanistic azure-tailed skink at Wake. Melanism can be common in some far eastern populations of this species, such as Clipperton Atoll, and these can be difficult to identify from melanistic dark-bellied copper-striped skinks (Bruna and others, 1996a, 1996b). This species is known to tolerate even extreme disturbance (Bruna and others, 1996a). The dark-bellied copper-striped skink (Emoia impar; table D1; fig. D5; appendix D3) may be native to Wake or could have been accidentally introduced before WWII. The only record of this species is a single individual collected as part of the Tanager Expedition in 1923. We did not detect this species during our survey.

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Geckos The mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris; tables D1–D4; fig. D6; appendices D1 [figs. D1.2, D1.6] and D3) is considered native to Wake and was first recorded on Peale Islet by the Tanager Expedition in 1923. Mourning geckos accounted for 7 percent of all lizard captures on glue boards. We detected mourning geckos on 63 percent of our nighttime searches. There were about equivalent numbers of common house geckos and mourning geckos on 4 of the 10 surveys, during which both species were detected; otherwise, there were considerably higher numbers of common house geckos on all other surveys (table D3). We consider mourning geckos native because the presumptive area of origin for this hybrid parthenogenic species is the southern Marshall Islands at or near Arno Atoll (Radtkey and others, 1995). Mourning geckos have clearly spread with humans more recently, and Ineich (1999) reported high clone turnover in some places due to the movement of people and equipment during WWII. For Wake, this species could have arrived on its own with early Micronesians and Europeans. Mourning geckos have probably arrived several times and could have experienced this clonal turnover. Because we cannot resolve this question, we conservatively consider mourning geckos are native. The common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus; tables D1–D4; fig. D7; appendices D1 [figs. D1.2, D1.7] and D3) is not native to Wake and is considered invasive. The common house gecko was the second most detected species on glue boards, with 32 (16 percent) captures on 9 percent of all glue boards across 8 transects and 13 (48 percent) of the HMUs surveyed. We detected common house geckos on 100 percent of our nighttime visual encounter surveys (table D3). We detected common house geckos in great abundance on lighted and dark structures, rock walls, and on vegetation, including Heliotropium and Casuarina. Common house geckos seemed especially numerous on the dead or dying trees with peeling bark. We detected one common house gecko in the Lepturus field on Peale Islet. Common house geckos were first collected at Wake in 1957. The Pacific stump-toed gecko (Gehyra insulensis; table D1; fig. D8; appendix D3) is considered a pre-WWII invasive species to Wake and was first recorded by the Tanager Expedition in 1923. The Pacific stump-toed gecko is considered a relatively recent invader in the Pacific during the last few hundred years because of European traders (Fisher, 1997). This species has been seen to decline over time in places that are invaded by the common house gecko, and we did not detect it on Wake during our survey.

Snakes Brahminy blindsnakes (Ramphotyphlops braminus; table D1; fig. D9; appendix D3) are not native to Wake. We did not see any Brahminy blindsnakes during these surveys; however, we received photograph documentation of this

species on Peale Islet in 2017 from John Gilardi of Island Conservation (fig. D9). The original museum record had been collected on Wake Islet in 1998. The Brahminy blindsnake is potentially localized on Wake and Peale; however, this cryptic fossorial species is mostly nocturnal and generally detected by moving soil, leaf litter, rocks and debris, or occasionally on the surface during rains. The species resembles an earthworm, so it is often overlooked.

Invertebrates We detected YCAs on 137 of 458 (or 30 percent) of all glue boards and YCA detections on 98 percent of the glue boards used on Peale (table D2). We did not find any YCAs at the Bird Sanctuary (HMUs 1–3) on Wilkes. We also observed another invertebrate species of concern, the Asian forest centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes), on Peale.

D. Discussion This work is the first formal reptile survey at Wake and compiles what is known regarding historic and current (2019) status and distribution, providing information that can be used to modify and create more management measures as well as evaluate their current (2019) and future success. As expected, and typical of remote, isolated, small islands and atolls, the Wake terrestrial reptile species community consists of very few species. During these surveys, we detected three species presumed to be native, two skinks and one gecko, as well as one nonnative gecko species. It is important that we detected the Oceania snake-eyed skink for which there had been previous concern regarding its possible extirpation. Given that recent reviews of the genus (Horner, 2007; Blom and others, 2019) continue to reveal previously undescribed species, future genetic and morphologic analyses of the specimens from Wake could show it to be endemic. Besides Wake, the closest location where this species is known is Bokak Atoll in the Marshall Islands (Buden and others, 2020). The Oceania snake-eyed skink is absent from the rest of the Marshall Islands and all the other Caroline Islands (Crombie and Pregill, 1999; Buden and Taboroši, 2015). The other two skinks (the azure-tailed and dark-bellied copper-striped skink) may be native or could have arrived unintentionally as a result of human movement. The previous map of these two Emoia species for the Pacific indicated that only the azure-tailed was recorded on Wake, and it missed the early dark-bellied copper-striped skink record (Ineich and Zug, 1991). We detected 1 melanistic azure-tailed skink out of 206 captures using glue boards. This finding indicates the phenotype is present but rare (Bruna and others, 1996b). We cannot know how this information compares to past numbers or if this phenotype is changing frequencies within Wake, limiting our ability to interpret these results. We did not detect any Pacific stump-toed geckos. This species more than likely

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide arrived unintentionally with humans, which is common for this species (Fisher, 1997). The last vouchered specimen was deposited in 1953, and the last verbally reported observation (no photograph or other voucher of any kind) of the Pacific stump-tailed gecko was in 1998. It is possible that this species is still present on Wake in very low numbers; however, it may have been extirpated. The distribution of Pacific stumptailed geckos in Hawai`i has been presumed to be reduced by the spread of the common house gecko, and it is now rare (McKeown, 1996). We did not encounter any reptile species not historically recorded at Wake. Although short in duration, the formal nature of our surveys gives us confidence the past record is accurate as to the minimum species present. With regards to the dark-bellied copper-striped skink, which was only recorded in 1923, it is possible that this species is either very rare or secretive and was missed, or it could have been extirpated. There is some likelihood of extirpation given that Pacific rats (Rattus exulans) were reported to be abundant as early as 1568 (Bryan, 1959; Werstein, 1964;), yet the first known reptile voucher was not collected until 1871. The Pacific rat is thought to be mainly vegetarian; however, their diet can expand to include more animal prey, especially when vegetation fails to produce enough food, such as during severe weather events (Mosby and others, 1973). This finding indicates the rats may have indirect and direct effects on reptiles, at least temporarily (as long as they are present). Hoare and others (2007) reported empirical evidence that Pacific rats ecologically displaced Duvaucel’s gecko, reducing capture and recruitment rates in the presence of rats. Towns and others (2007) identified recruitment of tuataras on three islands 4–5 years after eradication of Pacific rats compared to a fourth island that lacked recruitment where rats remained. Towns and others (2007) also saw a large and highly significant increase of body condition (mass) in some cases in the adult tuataras on the three islands where rats had been removed. Fisher and others (2019) reported evidence of recruitment in Pacific iguanas after the eradication of Pacific rats on an island in Fiji. There was no evidence of recruitment in the 14 years prior to their removal. Although tuataras are a distinct lineage and not lizards, their similarities support the documented iguana response to rats. There is likely a negative interaction with rats and resiliency to rebound with rat removal. In New Caledonia, Thibault and others (2017) detected remains of several skink and gecko species in Pacific and black rat guts, further contributing to the base of knowledge regarding rat predation on lizards. Thought to be introduced in the 1970s, the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi) was confirmed to be present at Wake (Siers and others, 2015) but has since been eradicated (Griffiths and others, 2014). Both the Pacific and Asian house

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rats were confirmed to be eradicated from Peale Islet in 2012. We would expect that any rare reptile species historically present and still persisting at very low levels on Peale would have potentially rebounded and been detected during our surveys. We did, however, find YCAs, which are an additional likely threat to reptiles at Wake. Yellow crazy ants are widely distributed across Peale and are well known for their effects on many taxa, and reptiles are no exception (O’Dowd and others, 2003; Fisher and Ineich, 2012; Smith and others, 2012; Hoffmann and others, 2014). The history of the YCA and its distribution on Wake is not well known. We did not detect any YCAs on the transect at the north end of Peale, which may be a refuge from YCA; however, this was a short transect set out for about 80 minutes. More searching would be needed to map YCA extent. Although studies elsewhere indicate it is likely, we do not currently (2019) have direct evidence that YCAs are negatively affecting reptile populations at Wake. Because this was the first systematic survey for reptiles, there was little previous distribution data for this taxonomic group. The 2019 field surveys were an initial assessment of species distributions as well as a general representation of relative abundance. All four species detected were on each islet (appendix D1, figs. D1.4–D1.7) and varied in relative abundance (tables D2, D3). Although we do not know the historical distribution of reptile species on Wake, the current (2019) work indicates that it has not changed considerably from the historical record, with two exceptions: (1) the stump-toed gecko has not been vouchered since 1953, with only one report of a sighting more than two decades ago and (2) the dark-bellied copper-striped skink was recorded in 1923, identified in 1990 by Ivan Ineich, but then not included in the map presented in Ineich and Zug (1991). This species has not been documented again on Wake. The common house geckos and azure-tailed skinks have likely become more widespread and abundant given continued habitat disturbance with storms and new construction during the last several decades. Our surveys indicate that despite extreme and continual modifications to the landscape at Wake and the presence of invasive species known to affect reptiles, the reptile community continues to persist. Time constraints prohibited more exhaustive searching; however, additional adventive and invasive reptile and amphibian species have presumably not recently (in the last several decades) arrived to Wake and become established, with the exception of the blindsnake. Due to time constraints, some HMUs were surveyed less thoroughly than others or not at all. However, the data presented here can serve as a general baseline for future monitoring and management decision making for addressing ecosystem health and in relation to carrying out the installation mission.

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Table D1. Summary and status (including risk and management feasibility based on preliminary risk assessment) of reptile species and dates recorded on Wake Atoll in museum records (with corrected species identifications), reports, and other opportunistic observations, and during U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reptile surveys in 2019.[—Left] [Status: A-I, alien invasive; Nat, native; E*, possibly endemic; A, alien; A-N, alien naturalized. Wake risk: H, high; NA, not applicable/native species; L, low; M, medium. Management feasibility: L, low; NA, not applicable/native species; VL, very low; M, medium. Other abbreviations: —, not applicable; U, no further locality information beyond Wake Island/Atoll; W, Wake Islet; WI, Wilkes Islet; P, Peale Islet. Note that this table should be read left-to-right across both pages]

Status

Wake risk

Management feasibility

1871 (A. Owston)

1923 (Tanager expedition)

1948 (C.M. Holmes)

1950 (D.D. Davis and R.F. Inger)

1952 (Unknown)

1953 (C. R. Joyce)

Species records Year collected or recorded (collector)

Green Anole

A-I

—

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1836)

Oceania snakeeyed skink

Nat/E*

W, WI, P

—

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1836)

Cryptoblepharus boutonii (Desjardin, 1831)2

Oceania snakeeyed skink

—

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1836)

Lygosoma metallicum (O'Shaughnessy, 1874)3 (metallic skink)

Oceania snakeeyed skink

—

Emoia cyanura (Lesson, 1830)

Azure-tailed skink

Nat/A-N

NA/L

—

WI, P

—

Emoia impar (Werner, 1898)

Dark-bellied copperstriped skink

Nat/A-N

NA/L

—

Gehyra insulensis (Girard, 1857)

Gehyra mutilata (Wiegmann, 1834)

Pacific stumptoed gecko

A-I

—

Hemidactylus frenatus (Schlegel, 1836)

Common house

A-I

—

Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril and Bibron, 1836)

Mourning gecko

Nat

—

Ramphotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803)

Ramphotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803; Photograph documentation only)

Brahminy blindsnake

A-I

—

Pituophis catenifer (Blainville, 1835)

Pituophis melanoleucus5 (Blainville, 1835). Updated from Boiga irregularis (brown tree snake; Bechstein, 1802) in 1987

Gopher snake

—

Scientific name actual species identification

Species identification as listed in museum database or report

Anolis carolinensis Voigt in Cuvier and Voigt

Anolis carolinensis Voigt in Cuvier and Voigt (verbal record,1 U.S. Air Force, unpub. data, 2017)

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1836)

Common name

gecko

1Reported observation, no voucher documentation (for example, specimen, photograph) available for verifying species identification. 2Synonym for Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus. 3Synonym for Lamphropholis delicata. 4Documented by photograph. 5Synonym for Pituophis catenifer.

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

255

Table D1. Summary and status (including risk and management feasibility based on preliminary risk assessment) of reptile species and dates recorded on Wake Atoll in museum records (with corrected species identifications), reports, and other opportunistic observations, and during U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reptile surveys in 2019.[—Right] [Status: A-I, alien invasive; Nat, native; E*, possibly endemic; A, alien; A-N, alien naturalized. Wake risk: H, high; NA, not applicable/native species; L, low; M, medium. Management feasibility: L, low; NA, not applicable/native species; VL, very low; M, medium. Other abbreviations: —, not applicable; U, no further locality information beyond Wake Island/Atoll; W, Wake Islet; WI, Wilkes Islet; P, Peale Islet. Note that this table should be read left-to-right across both pages]

1957 (F. Krauss)

1959 (Y. Oshiro)

1961 (Unknown)

1963 (Unknown)

1964 (D. Johnston)

1966 (Unknown)

1968 (R.W. Schreiber via R.W. McDiarmid)

1969 (D.M. Allred)

1996 (T. Sutterfield)

1998 (E.T. Ricketts)

1998 (Ogden Environmental and Energy Services, Co., Inc., unpub. data, 1999)

2008 (Unknown)

2017 (J. Gilardi)

2019 (USGS)

Species records Year collected or recorded (collector)

Anolis carolinensis Voigt in Cuvier and Voigt

—

Cryptoblepharus

—

W, WI, P

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1836)

—

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1836)

—

Emoia cyanura (Lesson, 1830)

—

W, WI, P

Emoia impar (Werner, 1898)

—

Gehyra insulensis (Girard, 1857)

—

WI1

—

Hemidactylus frenatus (Schlegel, 1836)

—

W, WI, P

Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril and Bibron, 1836)

—

W, WI, P

Ramphotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803)

—

Pituophis catenifer (Blainville, 1835)

—

Scientific name actual species identification

poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1836)

256

Table D2. Sticky glue board transect summary for U.S. Geological Survey reptile surveys at Wake Atoll in 2019.

Date surveyed (mm/dd/yyyy)

Total no. trap stations

No. glue boards

Transect no.

Transect name

HMU

No. trap stations

No. glue boards T

No. traps occupied

Count of species captured

Total

CRPO

EMCY

EMCY*

HEFR

LELU

YCA

Peale Islet 05/29/2019

Peale Road

—

05/29/2019

—

Peale Road

—

05/29/2019

—

Peale Road

—

05/29/2019

Peale North

—

05/29/2019

Peale Coast (East)

—

All HMUs

Wake Islet 06/03/2019

Marina

—

06/03/2019

—

Marina

—

06/03/2019

MDA area

—

06/03/2019

—

MDA area

—

06/03/2019

—

MDA area

—

06/03/2019

—

MDA area

—

06/03/2019

—

MDA area

—

06/01/2019

Lumber storage area

—

06/01/2019

—

Lumber storage area

—

06/01/2019

—

Lumber storage area

—

05/31/2019

Industrial vegetation area

—

05/31/2019

—

Industrial vegetation area

—

05/25/2019

North Wake

—

06/04/2019

Gardens

—

05/31/2019

Supply building area

—

243

All HMUs

Wilkes Islet 05/26/2019

Bird Sanctuary/ Wilkes North

—

05/26/2019

—

Bird Sanctuary/ Wilkes North

—

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

[Trap type: T, tree; L, log; G, ground. Species codes: CRPO, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Oceania snake-eyed skink); EMCY; Emoia cyanura (azure-tailed skink); EMCY*, melanistic azure-tailed skink; HEFR, Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko); LELU, Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko). Abbreviations: mm/dd/yyyy, month/day/year; No., number; HMU, habitat management unit; YCA, yellow crazy ant; —, not applicable; MDA, Missile Defense Agency]

Table D2. Sticky glue board transect summary for U.S. Geological Survey reptile surveys at Wake Atoll in 2019.—Continued [Trap type: T, tree; L, log; G, ground. Species codes: CRPO, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Oceania snake-eyed skink); EMCY; Emoia cyanura (azure-tailed skink); EMCY*, melanistic azure-tailed skink; HEFR, Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko); LELU, Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko). Abbreviations: mm/dd/yyyy, month/day/year; No., number; HMU, habitat management unit; YCA, yellow crazy ant; —, not applicable; MDA, Missile Defense Agency]

Date surveyed (mm/dd/yyyy)

Total no. trap stations

No. glue boards

Transect no.

Transect name

HMU

No. trap stations

No. glue boards T

No. traps occupied

Count of species captured

Total

CRPO

EMCY

EMCY*

HEFR

LELU

YCA

Wilkes Islet—Continued —

—

Bird Sanctuary/ Wilkes North

—

05/26/2019

—

Bird Sanctuary/ Wilkes North

—

05/28/2019

Wilkes South

—

05/28/2019

—

Wilkes South

—

05/28/2019

—

Wilkes South

—

05/28/2019

—

Wilkes South

—

All HMUs

116

Grand total

178

143

140

175

458

151

137

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

05/26/2019

257

258

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna Table D3. Summary of U.S. Geological Survey nighttime visual encounter surveys for reptiles at Wake Atoll in 2019. [Species codes: EMCY, Emoia cyanura (azure-tailed skink); HEFR, Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko); LELU, Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko). Abbreviations: mm/dd/yyyy, month/day/year; MDA, Missile Defense Agency]

Date surveyed

Species detections

Transect EMCY

HEFR

LELU

Peale Islet 05/30/2019

Peale bridge to middle

—

05/29/2019

Peale south interior

05/30/2019

Peale middle to north end

Totals Wake Islet 05/25/2019

Building 116 area

—

06/04/2019

Gardens

—

05/31/2019

Lumber storage area

—

05/31/2019

Supply building area

—

05/31/2019

Containers west of supply building area

—

05/31/2019

Industrial vegetation area

06/01/2019

Marina

—

06/03/2019

MDA

—

06/03/2019

Aircraft revetment

—

244

Totals Wilkes Islet 5/28/2019

Wilkes South opposite marina

—

5/28/2019

Wilkes South lighted building

—

5/28/2019

Wilkes South north end

—

5/26/2019

Bird Sanctuary

—

Totals

Table D4. Summary of reptile specimens collected at Wake Atoll during U.S. Geological Survey surveys in 2019. [Species codes: CRPO, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Oceania snake-eyed skink); EMCY, Emoia cyanura (azure-tailed skink); HEFR, Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko); LELU, Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko)]

Specimen type

Species

Total

Body

Tail

CRPO

EMCY

HEFR

LELU

Totals

123

Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide

D. References Cited Blom, M.P.K., Matzke, N.J., Bragg, J.G., Arida, E., Austin, C.C., Backlin, A.R., Carretero, M.A., Fisher, R.N., Glaw, F., Hathaway, S.A., Iskandar, D.T., McGuire, J.A., Karin, B.R., Reilly, S.B., Rittmeyer, E.N., Rocha, S., Sanchez, M., Stubbs, A.L., Vences, M., and Moritz, C., 2019, Habitat preference modulates trans-oceanic dispersal in a terrestrial vertebrate: Proceedings of the Royal Society B—Biological Sciences, v. 286, no. 1904, p. 1–10. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.2575.] Bruna, E.M., Fisher, R.N., and Case, T.J., 1996a, New evidence of habitat segregation between two cryptic species of Pacific skinks (Emoia cyanura and E. impar): Copeia, v. 1996, no. 4, p. 998–1005. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2307/1447665.] Bruna, E.M., Fisher, R.N., and Case, T.J., 1996b, Morphological and genetic evolution appear decoupled in Pacific skinks (Squamata: Scincidae: Emoia): Proceedings of the Royal Society B—Biological Sciences, v. 263, no. 1371, p. 681–688. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1996.0102.] Bryan, E.H., Jr., 1949, Snakes in paradise—One found in Wake: Honolulu Advertiser. Bryan, E.H., Jr., 1959, Notes on the geography and natural history of Wake Island: Atoll Research Bulletin no. 66, p. 1–22. [Available at https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00775630.66.1.] Buden, D.W., and Taboroši, D., 2015, Reptiles of the Federated States of Micronesia: Island Researcher and Education Initiative, 311 p. Buden, D.W., Taboroši, D., Kottermair, M., Jalandoni, A., and Martin, M., 2020, Reptiles of the Northern Marshall Islands: Pacific Science, v. 74, no. 2, p. 189–209. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2984/74.2.8.] Crombie, R.I., and Pregill, G.K., 1999, A checklist of the herpetofauna of the Palau Islands (Republic of Belau), Oceania: Herpetological Monographs, v. 13, p. 29–80. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2307/1467060.] Fisher, R.N., 1997, Dispersal and evolution of the Pacific Basin gekkonid lizards Gehyra oceanica and Gehyra mutilata: Evolution, v. 51, no. 3, p. 906–921. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2307/2411165.] Fisher, R., and Ineich, I., 2012, Cryptic extinction of a common Pacific lizard Emoia impar (Squamata, Scincidae) from the Hawai’ian Islands: Oryx, v. 46, no. 2, p. 187–195. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605310001778.]

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Fisher, R.N., Niukula, J., Harlow, P., Rasalato, S., Chand, R., Thaman, B., Seniloli, E., Vadada, J., Cranwell, S., Brown, J., Lovich, K., and Thomas-Moko, N., 2019, Community-based conservation and recovery of native species on Monuriki Island, Fiji, in Veitch, C.R., Clout, M.N., Martin, A.R., Russell, J.C., and West, C.J., eds., Island invasives—Scaling up to meet the challenge: Gland, Switzerland, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Proceedings of the International Conference on Island Invasives 2017, Occasional Paper SSC no. 62, p. 552–557. Griffiths, R., Wegmann, A., Hanson, C., Keitt, B., Howald, G., Brown, D., Tershy, B., Pitt, W., Moran, M., Rex, K., White, S., Flint, B., and Torr, N., 2014, The Wake Island rodent eradication—Part success, part failure, but wholly instructive, in Vertebrate Pest Conference, 26th, Davis, Calif., 2014, Proceedings: Davis, Calif., University of California, Davis, p. 101–111. Hathaway, S.A., Jacobi, J.D., Peck, R., and Fisher, R.N., 2022, Updates for Wake Atoll biosecurity management, biological control, survey, and management, and integrated pest management plans: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2022–1067, 56 p., accessed August 26, 2022, at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221067. Hoare, J.M., Pledger, S., Nelson, N.J., and Daugherty, C.H., 2007, Avoiding aliens—Behavioural plasticity in habitat use enables large, nocturnal geckos to survive Pacific rat invasions: Biological Conservation, v. 136, no. 4, p. 510–519. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2006.12.022.] Hoffmann, B.D., Auina, S., and Stanley, M.C., 2014, Targeted research to improve invasive species management—Yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes in Samoa: PLoS One, v. 9, no. 4, 10 p. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0095301.] Holway, D.A., Lach, L., Suarez, A.V., Tsutsui, N.D., and Case, T.J., 2002, The causes and consequences of ant invasions: Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, v. 33, no. 1, p. 181–233. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.33.010802.150444.] Horner, P., 2007, Systematics of the snake-eyed skinks, Cryptoblepharus Wiegmann (Reptilia—Squamata— Scincidae)—An Australian based review: Beagle, Supplement, v. 3, p. 21–202. Ineich, I., 1999, Spatio-temporal analysis of the unisexual-bisexual Lepidodactylus lugubris complex (Reptilia, Gekkonidae), in Ota, H., ed., Tropical island herpetofauna—Origin, current diversity, and conservation: Developments in Animal and Veterinary Sciences, v. 29, Elsevier, p. 199–228.

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Ineich, I., and Zug, G.R., 1991, Nomenclatural status of Emoia cyanura (Lacertilia, Scincidae) populations in the Central Pacific: Copeia, v. 1991, no. 4, p. 1132–1136. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2307/1446114.] International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2019, Global invasive species database: Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), Species Survival Commission (SSC), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), online database, accessed November 7, 2019, at http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/. McDiarmid, R.W., 1994, Preparing amphibians as scientific specimens, in Heyer, W.R., Donnelly, M.A., McDiarmid, R.W., Hayek, L.C., and Foster, M.S., eds., Measuring and monitoring biological diversity—Standard methods for amphibians: Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 289–297. McGlynn, T.P., 1999, The worldwide transfer of ants— Geographical distribution and ecological invasions: Journal of Biogeography, v. 26, no. 3, p. 535–548. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00310.x.] McKeown, S., 1996, A field guide to reptiles and amphibians in the Hawai’ian Islands: Los Osos, Calif., Diamond Head Publishing Inc., 172 p. Mosby, J.M., Wodzicki, K., and Thompson, H.R., 1973, Food of the kimoa (Rattus exulans) in the Tokelau Islands and other habitats in the Pacific: New Zealand Journal of Science, v. 16, p. 799–810. O’Dowd, D.J., Green, P.T., and Lake, P.S., 2003, Invasional ‘meltdown’ on an oceanic island: Ecology Letters, v. 6, no. 9, p. 812–817. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00512.x.]

Radtkey, R.R., Donnellan, S.C., Fisher, R.N., Moritz, C., Hanley, K.A., and Case, T.J., 1995, When species collide—The origin and spread of an asexual species of gecko: Proceedings of the Royal Society B—Biological Sciences, v. 259, no. 1355, p. 145–152. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1995.0022.] Siers, S.R., Shiels, A.B., Goldade, D.A., Volker, S.F., McAuliffe, T.W., Coad, H.L., and Pitt, W.C., 2015, Wake Atoll fish tissue sampling and analysis three years after an island wide rodenticide application: Final Report QA 2241, USDA, APHIS, WS, NWRC. Hilo, HI. 49 p. + appendices. Smith, M.J., Cogger, H., Tiernan, B., Maple, D., Boland, C., Napier, F., Detto, T., and Smith, P., 2012, An oceanic island reptile community under threat—The decline of reptiles on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: Herpetological Conservation and Biology, v. 7, no. 2, p. 206–218. Thibault, M., Brescia, F., Jourdan, H., and Vidal, E., 2017, Invasive rodents, an overlooked threat for skinks in a tropical island hotspot of biodiversity: New Zealand Journal of Ecology, v. 41, no. 1, p. 74–83. [Available at https://doi.org/10.20417/nzjecol.41.9.] Towns, D.R., Parrish, G.R., Tyrrell, C.L., Ussher, G.T., Cree, A., Newman, D.G., Whitaker, A., and Westbrooke, I., 2007, Responses of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) to removal of introduced Pacific rats from islands: Conservation Biology, v. 21, no. 4, p. 1021–1031. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00742.x.] Werstein, I., 1964, Wake—The story of a battle: New York, Crowell Company, 145 p. Wetterer J., K., 2005, Worldwide distribution and potential spread of the long-legged ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Sociobiology, v. 45, p. 77–97.

Appendix D1. U.S. Geological Survey 2019 Reptile Survey Locations and Results

Figure D1.1. Locations of glue-board stations used during U.S. Geological Survey reptile surveys at Wake in 2019. (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image taken October 2015).

261

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure D1.2. Reptile and yellow crazy ant (YCA) detections on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019. (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image taken October 2015).

Appendix D1. U.S. Geological Survey 2019 Reptile Survey Locations and Results

Figure D1.3. Yellow crazy ant (YCA) detection locations on reptile glue-board surveys and arthropod surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019. (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image taken October 2015).

263

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure D1.4. Oceania snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus) detection locations on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019. (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image taken October 2015).

Appendix D1. U.S. Geological Survey 2019 Reptile Survey Locations and Results

Figure D1.5. Azure-tailed skink (Emoia cyanura) detection locations on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019. (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image taken October 2015).

265

266

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Figure D1.6. Mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) detection locations on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019. (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image taken October 2015).

Appendix D1. U.S. Geological Survey 2019 Reptile Survey Locations and Results

Figure D1.7. House gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) detection locations on glue-board surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey at Wake in 2019. (U.S. Air Force, WorldView 3 image taken October 2015).

267

268

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Appendix D2. Reptile Specimens Collected by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019 Table D2.1. List of reptile specimens collected during reptile surveys done by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019. [All specimens have accompanying tissue samples for future DNA studies. Observers: SAH, SA Hathaway; ARB, AR Backlin; JCM, JC Molden. Species codes: CRPO, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Oceania snake-eyed skink); EMCY, Emoia cyanura (azure-tailed skink); HEFR, Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko); LELU, Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko). Abbreviations: no., number; mm/dd/yyyy, month/day/year; NVES, night visual encounter survey]

Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

Observers

Survey type

RNF no./ Specimen label code

Species

Tissue

Peale Islet 05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11884

Body

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11885

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11891

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11892

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11893

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11894

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11895

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11896

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11897

Body

05/16/2018

SAH, JCM

Glue board

EMCY

11898

Body

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

P1A EMCY

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

P2A EMCY

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

P4A EMCY

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

P13A EMCY A

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI6G

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11878

Body

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11879

Body

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

PNVES1STRT HEFR A

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

PNVES1STRT HEFR B

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

P10 LELU

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

P11 LELU

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

PNVES1STRT LELU A

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

PNVES1STRT LELU B

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

PNVES1STRT LELU C

Tail

05/29/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

PNVES1STRT LELU D

Tail

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11883

Body

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11882

Body

06/01/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11889

Body

06/01/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11888

Body

Wake Islet

06/01/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11887

Body

06/07/2019

SAH, ARB

Incidental

CRPO

11899

Body

06/07/2019

SAH, ARB

Incidental

CRPO

11900

Body

06/07/2019

SAH, ARB

Incidental

CRPO

11901

Body

06/07/2019

SAH, ARB

Incidental

CRPO

CRPO near dorms building 116

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11858

Body

Appendix D2. Reptile Specimens Collected by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019

Table D2.1. List of reptile specimens collected during reptile surveys done by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019.—Continued [All specimens have accompanying tissue samples for future DNA studies. Observers: SAH, SA Hathaway; ARB, AR Backlin; JCM, JC Molden. Species codes: CRPO, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Oceania snake-eyed skink); EMCY, Emoia cyanura (azure-tailed skink); HEFR, Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko); LELU, Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko). Abbreviations: no., number; mm/dd/yyyy, month/day/year; NVES, night visual encounter survey]

Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

Observers

Survey type

RNF no./ Specimen label code

Species

Tissue

Wake Islet—Continued 05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11862

Body

06/03/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11890

Body

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WS3G EMCY A

Tail

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WS4G EMCY

Tail

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WS6G EMCY

Tail

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WS7G EMCY

Tail

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WC2 EMCY A

Tail

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WC2 EMCY B

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Incidental

EMCY

Mess Hall

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11860

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11851

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11852

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11861

Body

06/03/2019

SAH, ARB

Incidental

HEFR

11886

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11840

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11841

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11842

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11843

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11844

Body

05/31/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

WL6L HEFR

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

WN1VESBag2 HEFR A

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

WN1VESBag2 HEFR B

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

WN1VESBag2 HEFR C

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

11859

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

11857

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

11874

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

11875

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

11876

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

11877

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

WN1VESBag2 LELU A

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

WN1VESBag2 LELU B

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

WN1VESBag2 LELU C

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

WN1VESBag2 LELU D

Tail

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

WN1VESBag2 LELU E

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

WIN2VES LELU A

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

LELU

WIN2VES LELU B

Tail

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Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

Observers

Survey type

RNF no./ Specimen label code

Species

Tissue

Wilkes Islet 05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

CRPO

11873

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11855

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11864

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11865

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11866

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11867

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11870

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11871

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11872

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

11856

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI1 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI6 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI7 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI8 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI9G EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI11G

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI13 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI13 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI13 EMCY B

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI19 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI20 EMCY A

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI20 EMCY B

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI21 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI21 EMCY

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI23 EMCY

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI32 EMCY A

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI32 EMCY B

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI32G

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI33 EMCY

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI33 EMCY

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI37 EMCY

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI37 EMCY A

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI37 EMCY B

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI37 EMCY A

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI37 EMCY B

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI39 EMCY A

Tail

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

EMCY

WI39 EMCY B

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11853

Body

Appendix D2. Reptile Specimens Collected by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019 Table D2.1. List of reptile specimens collected during reptile surveys done by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019.—Continued [All specimens have accompanying tissue samples for future DNA studies. Observers: SAH, SA Hathaway; ARB, AR Backlin; JCM, JC Molden. Species codes: CRPO, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Oceania snake-eyed skink); EMCY, Emoia cyanura (azure-tailed skink); HEFR, Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko); LELU, Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko). Abbreviations: no., number; mm/dd/yyyy, month/day/year; NVES, night visual encounter survey]

Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

Observers

Survey type

RNF no./ Specimen label code

Species

Tissue

Wilkes Islet—Continued 05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11850

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11868

Body

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

11880

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11845

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11846

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11847

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11848

Body

05/25/2019

SAH, ARB

NVES

HEFR

11849

Body

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

HEFR

WI33T HEFR

Tail

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

11863

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

11854

Body

05/26/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

11869

Body

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

11881

Body

05/28/2019

SAH, ARB

Glue board

LELU

WI34T

Tail

271

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Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll Photographs and descriptive summaries of native and introduced reptile species that have been recorded on Wake Atoll and amphibian and reptile species that have higher potential to arrive.

About this Guide We attempted to make this guide simple and easy to use. We include basic information on the species recorded (here this means a physical voucher, such as a specimen or photograph) and a short list of “horizon” species we consider to be the most likely reptile species (“on the horizon”) to arrive at Wake Atoll (hereafter referred to generally as “Wake”). As such, species could be observed at Wake that are not included in this guide. Identification to species level often requires close up details of the animal. As a result, it is ideal to capture, contain, or at minimum photograph an animal if there is question of identification.

We included a quick reference guide, beginning with the species that have been recorded at Wake, with a recent (1923 to 2019) physical voucher (specimen or photograph) followed by species that have the highest likelihood of arriving unintentionally through human movement. This guide includes abbreviated information regarding the status for Wake, that is to say, whether they are considered to be native, endemic, adventive or invasive, or no record; their four-letter species code (the first two letters of their genus combined with the first two letters of their specific epithet) for ease of reference; their size, as indicated by the range of adult snout vent length (SVL); and the time they are most active (day or night). More information regarding status is provided in the “Species Accounts for Taxa Recorded at Wake Atoll” section. Photographs for the “Quick Reference Guide” section were provided by A.R. Backlin, C.W. Brown, R.N. Fisher, S. Fisher, S.A. Hathaway, and J.Q. Richmond, U.S. Geological Survey. Graphics and illustrations were created by C.J. Hitchcock, U.S. Geological Survey.

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll

Information for Reference General Shapes:

Skink

Anole

Gecko

Frog/Toad

Snake

Lizards Definitions

Risk Assessment

Dorsal

upper side or “back” region of an individual

Low (Risk)

likely not to be an economic or ecological problem

Ventral

underside or “belly” region of an individual

Medium (Risk)

could pose a moderate economic or ecological problem

Lateral

along the sides of the body of an individual

High (Risk)

Likely to pose an economic or ecological problem

SVL

snout vent length; the distance between the tip of the snout and the cloaca (opening on underside near base of tail) of an individual

Lamellae

thin plates or scales on underside of toes of lizards

Adventive

a species persisting outside its native range after arrival by human activity directly or indirectly, intentionally, or accidentally

Invasive

adventive but has the potential to become a problem economically or ecologically at the site locally

Endemic

a species that exists only at the site locality

Native

a species that naturally inhabits the site locality

Management Feasibility Very low (Feasibility)

highly unlikely to be effectively eradicated or controlled

Low (Feasibility)

unlikely to be effectively eradicated or controlled

Medium (Feasibility)

moderate likelihood to be effectively eradicated or controlled

High (Feasibility)

likely to be effectively eradicated or controlled

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Diagnostic Characters: No Toe Pad

Parietal Eye

Types of Toe Lamellae

Tail Spikes

Toe Pad No Toe Claw Reduced Toe Claw

Tail Curl

Toe Claw

GEOC HEFR LELU

Example of fused and unfused scales: unfused

Graphics and illustrations were created by C.J. Hitchcock, U.S. Geological Survey.

Tail Whorls

fused

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll

Anterior Loreal Guide The two skinks Emoia cyanura and Emoia impar can be difficult to tell apart, so we highlight specific distinguishing characters. Typically, although not always, E. cyanura has a visible parietal eye, which E. impar lacks. Emoia impar generally has one or more points with paired dorsal scale fusion along the midline where it has its central stripe, and E. cyanura does not have this feature. Emoia cyanura has a white underside, and E. impar has a grey/dusky belly. The last main character that separates the two species is the anterior loreal scale. Because we did not capture any E. impar during our survey, and there is only one museum specimen of the species at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum from the Tanager Expedition, we do not know the variance in the shape of this scale in Wake across both species. This difference is subtle; it requires the capturing of the animal and close examination with a strong hand lens or microscope while measuring with calipers to distinguish. This practice is not practical for most rapid field assessments. Typically,

275

E. cyanura has an anterior loreal scale that is “wider than tall,” and E. impar has an anterior loreal scale that is “taller than wide.” When we looked at the scales for the E. cyanura on Wake, we did not find them to be typical, so we have included a diagram to reduce confusion. In the three examples from Wake shown on the figure, the anterior loreal scales are not longer than tall but are convex posteriorly. This shape makes using the loreal scale as a character difficult. We also illustrate one E. cyanura and two E. impar from Swains Atoll for comparison. These illustrations show that the E. cyanura from Swains Atoll has a similar anterior loreal scale to specimens from Wake, but the difference in shape for E. cyanura is striking compared to E. impar in which the anterior loreal scale is more angular and “taller than wide.” The one museum specimen of E. impar from Wake has a scale that is similar to the E. impar from Swains Atoll, and thus, we accept that identification. Although we did not detect E. impar at Wake, the previous identification indicates that continuing the search is reasonable.

Anterior loreal scale illustrations:

Graphics and illustrations were created by C.J. Hitchcock, U.S. Geological Survey.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Components of Species Accounts:

Tail Regrowth

Photograph by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey

276

Description: A general description and photographs of species’ characteristics to help in identification. We point out species that are often difficult to distinguish from each other and highlight features to assist with correctly identifying them. Note: Lizards can regrow their tails when lost to predators or injury. References to tail descriptions in this guide assume that it is the original tail, not one that has regenerated (see example of regrown tail in the photograph shown). Habitat: A general description of what types of habitats a species is likely to prefer and in which habitats they are likely to be detected. Historical Status and Distribution: Refers to when a species was first documented and possibly last seen at Wake, on which islets (if known), whether a species is considered native, endemic, adventive, or invasive, and remarks about its relative abundance. Risk Assessment: We carried out a preliminary risk assessment for individual taxa (plants, arthropods, and reptiles) to rank species established at Wake according to their invasive effect (known or potential) and management feasibility for prioritizing integrated pest management at Wake (Hathaway and others, 2022). Species’ invasive effect was ranked high, medium, or low based on published risk assessments, when available, or based on effects of similar species. We include a datasheet at the back of this guide (Supplemental D.1) for reporting any potential observations of species not known to be native or already established on Wake.

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll

Quick Reference Guide SPECIES RECORDED

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus Oceania Snake-eyed Skink Status: native or endemic 4-Letter Code: CRPO SVL: 37-51 mm (1.5-2 inches) DAY Emoia cyanura Azure-tailed Skink Status: adventive or native 4-Letter Code: EMCY SVL: 39-56 mm (1.5-2.2 inches) DAY Emoia impar Dark-bellied Copper-striped Skink Status: adventive or native 4-Letter Code: EMIM SVL: 40-47 mm (1.5-1.85 inches) DAY Gehyra insulensis Pacific Stump-toed Gecko Status: adventive 4-Letter Code: GEIN SVL: 36-50 mm (1.4-2 inches) NIGHT Hemidactylus frenatus Common House Gecko Status: invasive 4-Letter Code: HEFR SVL: 42-60 mm (1.6-2.4 inches) NIGHT Lepidodactylus lugubris Mourning Gecko Status: native 4-Letter Code: LELU SVL: 33-49 mm (1.3-2 inches) NIGHT Ramphotyphlops braminus Brahminy Blindsnake Status: adventive 4-Letter Code: RABR SVL: 98-170 mm (3.9-6.7 inches) NIGHT Photographs for the “Quick Reference Guide” section were provided by A.R. Backlin, C.W. Brown, R.N. Fisher, S. Fisher, S.A. Hathaway, and J.Q. Richmond, U.S. Geological Survey. Graphics and illustrations were created by C.J. Hitchcock, U.S. Geological Survey.

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Quick Reference Guide

SPECIES WHICH MAY ARRIVE Rhinella marina Cane Toad Status: no record 4-Letter Code: RHMA SVL: 80-238 mm (3.1-9.25 inches) NIGHT Eleutherodactylus coqui Coqui Frog Status: no record 4-Letter Code: ELCO SVL: 35-60 mm (1.4-2.4 inches) NIGHT Lampropholis delicata Metallic Skink Status: no record 4-Letter Code: LADE SVL: 30-45 mm (1.2-1.8 inches) DAY Lipinia noctua Moth Skink Status: no record 4-Letter Code: LINO SVL: 35-45 mm (1.4-1.8 inches) DAY Carlia ailanpalai Admiralty Brown Skink Status: no record 4-Letter Code: CAAI SVL: 48-60 mm (1.9-2.4 inches) DAY Nactus pelagicus Pacific Slender-toed Gecko Status: no record 4-Letter Code: NAPE SVL: 50-75 mm (2-3 inches) NIGHT

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll

Quick Reference Guide SPECIES WHICH MAY ARRIVE Gehyra oceanica Oceanic Gecko Status: no record 4-Letter Code: GEOC SVL: 60-85 mm (2.4-3.4 inches) NIGHT Phelsuma laticauda Gold-dust Day Gecko Status: no record 4-Letter Code: PHLA SVL: 45-60 mm (1.8-2.4 inches) DAY Anolis carolinensis Green Anole Status: no record 4-Letter Code: ANCA SVL: 50-70 mm (2-2.8 inches) DAY Anolis sagrei Brown Anole Status: no record 4-Letter Code: ANSA SVL: 45-70 mm (1.8-2.8 inches) DAY Boiga irregularis Brown Tree Snake Status: no record 4-Letter Code: BOIR SVL: 80-250 cm (31.5-98.5 inches) NIGHT Pituophis catenifer Gopher Snake Status: single record 4-Letter Code: PICA SVL: 76-153 cm (30-60 inches) DAY

279

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Graphics and illustrations were created by C.J. Hitchcock, U.S. Geological Survey.

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll

Species Accounts for Taxa Recorded at Wake Atoll Diagnostics for species accounts for taxa recorded at Wake Atoll and for horizon species were based our own data as well as drawn from Buden, 2009; Tonione and others, 2011; Zug, 2013; and Buden and Taboroši, 2016.

Lizards (Skinks and Geckos) Oceania Snake-eyed Skink, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Weigmann, 1836) Description: The Oceania snake-eyed skink is small to midsized, with slightly elongate-body, short limbs, and a long sub-cylindrical tapering tail. The head is ovate and barely distinguishable from the neck. This species does not have eyelids. The eyes are protected by a clear scale. The dorsum color is variable but consistent within local populations from golden tan to coppery brown with dark flecks on top and cream spots on the sides. The tail is typically a lighter shade than the body. The underside can be bluish white to creamy tan. Adult SVL ranges from 37 to 51 millimeters (mm) and hatchlings from 21 to 23 mm. Habitat: This species is typically detected in beach habitats of rock shorelines and beach side trees and shrubs. Most active during daytime. Historical Status and Distribution: Native or endemic. First recorded in 1871, last recorded in 2019 (U.S. Geological Survey) on Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islets.

Photographs by A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Not applicable.

281

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna Azure-tailed Skink, Emoia cyanura (Lesson, 1830) Description: The azure-tailed skinks’ dorsal ground color is black to dark copper, overlain by three bright cream-to-copper stripes. The mid-dorsal stripe extends from the tip of the snout to the tail. In “melanistic” individuals, stripes are often lacking, and the skin is dark copper. The tail is bluish in some small juveniles but typically greenish brown in juveniles and adults, although more often brown in adults. The underside is white with coppery overtone and may be tinged with green near the vent. This species may have a distinct parietal eye. Adults range from 39 to 56 mm SVL, and hatchlings range from 20 to 23 mm SVL. The tail is 150–175 percent of the SVL. Habitat: This species is predominantly terrestrial but forages occasionally on the low bases of trees and in the lower branches of trees or axils of palms and pandanus. The azure-tailed skink prefers open-sky habitat, such as lawns and shrubby areas within urban landscapes or grassy beach-sides, gardens, and open-canopied, secondary-growth forests. Most active during daytime. Historical Status and Distribution: Adventive or native. First recorded in 1923 (Tanager Expedition), last recorded in 2019 (U.S. Geological Survey) on Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islets. Risk Assessment: Low.

Photographs by C.W. Brown and A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey

282

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll Dark-bellied Copper-striped Skink, Emoia impar (Werner, 1898) Description: The dark-bellied copper-striped skink has a dorsal ground color of black to dark copper, overlain by three bright copper-color stripes, which are usually distinct to the anterior trunk and fading thereafter. The mid-dorsal stripe extends from the tip of the snout to the tail. In “melanistic” individuals, stripes are generally absent, and the skin is dark copper. The tail is bright blue in juveniles and fading but distinctly blue in adults. The mid-dorsal paired row of scales almost always has some pairs fused into larger single scales. The underside is a gray/dusky color. Adult SVL ranges from 40 to 47 mm, and hatchling SVL is about 22 mm. The tail is usually 125–175 percent of the SVL. Habitat: This species is generally shade-loving, detected mainly in strong canopied forest or at forest edges. This skink is predominantly terrestrial but forages occasionally on the bases of trees and in the lower branches of trees or axils of palms and pandanus. Most active during daytime. Historical Status and Distribution: Adventive or native. Only one record from 1923 (Tanager Expedition); no additional location description beyond “Wake Island.”

Emoia impar

Emoia cyanura

Photographs by C.W. Brown U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Low.

283

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna Pacific Stump-toed Gecko, Gehyra insulensis (Girard, 1857) Description: The Pacific stump-toed gecko is usually unicolor dorsally from light gray to medium brown, often with brown blotches, and occasionally, white spots with the tail often alternating lighter and darker bands. The underside tends to be pale gray or yellow. Toe pad lamellae are broad and divided. The tail is usually a thick, slightly flattened cylinder, tapering to a blunt tip. Adult SVL ranges about 36–50 mm, and hatchlings range about 21–23 mm SVL. The skin is loosely attached and often peels when captured. Habitat: Outside of its native range, this species is most often detected with human habitation and less often in forests. Most active during nighttime. Historical Status and Distribution: Adventive. First recorded in 1923 (Tanager Expedition) on Wilkes Islet, and also the last record with a specimen; a verbal record on Wilkes Islet with no supporting documentation was last made in 1998. Risk Assessment: Medium.

Photographs by R.N. Fisher, C.W. Brown, and A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey

284

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll Common House Gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus Schlegel, 1836 Description: The common house gecko is a midsized, moderately robust, slightly flattened lizard with well-developed limbs. Coloration is light to medium gray to dusky brown. There may be a lateral brown stripe from the snout to the hind limb. The underside may be whitish to dark beige. Toe lamellae are divided except near the base of the toe. The tail is strongly segmented with large, flattened cone-shaped scales. Adult SVL ranges from 42 to 60 mm, with the tail about equal length to the body. Hatchlings’ SVL ranges from 19 to 26 mm. Habitat: This species is rarely detected away from human structures, but on Wake, it has recently (2019) been reported throughout the atoll. This gecko species may be seen or heard during daytime but most often at night. Historical Status and Distribution: Invasive. First recorded 1953, last recorded 2019 (U.S. Geological Survey) on Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islets.

Common house gecko (top, bottom left, and middle in bottom right). All other geckos (bottom) are mourning geckos. Photographs by C.W. Brown, A.R. Backlin, and S.A. Hathaway, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: High.

285

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna Mourning Gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril and Bibron, 1836) Description: The mourning gecko is a small, moderately robust lizard with short, well-developed limbs and tail. Color is generally light to medium brown with variable dorsal patterns that may be unicolor to dark and may have chevrons or dark blotches. The underside is white to light beige. Only the distal two or three lamellae are divided. The tail is thick and flattened tapering to a blunt tip. Adult SVL ranges from 33 to 49 mm, with the tail longer than body, and hatchlings range from 14 to 20 mm SVL. Habitat: This species is commonly associated with humans, but its habitat ranges from shrubs bordering beaches to secondary forest, and it is generally less abundant in gardens, disturbed forest, and rock outcrops. This species is seen or heard most often at night. Historical Status and Distribution: Native. First recorded 1923 (Tanager Expedition), last recorded 2019 (U.S. Geological Survey) on Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islets. Risk Assessment: Not applicable.

Photographs by C.W. Brown and R.N. Fisher, U.S. Geological Survey

286

Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll

287

Snakes Brahminy Blindsnake, Ramphotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803) Description: The Brahminy blindsnake is a tiny snake that resembles an earthworm and has a rounded head with vestigial eyes that are difficult to see and a pointed tail with a tiny spur at the end. Total length is 98–170 mm. Habitat: This species lives in soil and can be detected in leaf litter, rocks, and debris. This snake is occasionally seen on the surface, especially after rain. Historical Status and Distribution: Invasive. First recorded 1998 on Wake Islet, last recorded 2017 on Peale Islet.

Photographs by A.J. Louros, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Low.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Horizon Species: Descriptions Frogs and Toads Cane Toad, Rhinella marina (Linnaeus, 1758) Description: The cane toad has variable coloration from tan to reddish, brown to gray, with dark spots. This species has large prominent glands on its shoulders and ridges on the top of its head. Adults range from 80 to 238 mm. Habitat: Cane toads can be detected near human habitation and will breed in the vegetated areas of any freshwater habitat. This species is most active during nighttime. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake. Risk Assessment: Not assessed. Invasive on many islands, including Hawai`i and Guam.

Photographs by C.W. Brown, C.J. Hitchcock, and A.R. Backlin, U.S. Geological Survey

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Coqui Frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui Thomas, 1966 Description: The coqui frog is a relatively small frog that is highly variable in coloration, including tan, yellow, orange, red, and dark brown. Coloration may have no pattern, one or two cream stripes, or patterns ranging from spots, blotches, v-shaped marks, or an “M” between the shoulders. Eyes are gold to brown. Coqui frogs are often identified (and detected) by the distinctive call “Ko-Kee” made by adult males. Adult SVL ranges from 35 to 60 mm, and froglets start at about 5 mm SVL. Habitat: Coqui are habitat generalists and can be detected on the forest ground and varying heights using trees, shrubs, and leaf litter. This species is most active during nighttime. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake.

Photographs by C.W. Brown, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Not assessed. Invasive on Hawai`i and Guam.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Lizards (Skinks, Geckos, and Anoles) Metallic Skink, Lampropholis delicata (De Vis, 1888) Description: The metallic skink is a small typically brown or bronze skink often with a rainbow iridescence. Some individuals have a stripe down the back. The underside is whitish with gray striations on the throat. Adults range from 30 to 45 mm SVL. The tail is much longer than the body. Habitat: The metallic skink is ground dwelling and uses leaf litter across a variety of habitats from urban to farmland and scrub to forest. This species is most active during daytime. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake. Risk Assessment: Not assessed. This invasive species is now the dominant invasive skink on the island of Hawai`i.

Photographs by C.W. Brown, U.S. Geological Survey

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Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll Moth Skink, Lipinia noctua (Lesson, 1830) Description: The moth skink is a small and slender lizard with a cylindrical tail. The body color is light to medium brown. The head is triangular with a light spot which transforms into a mid-dorsal stripe. It has a dark brown stripe that starts before the eye and runs down to base of the tail. Adult SVL ranges from 38 to 47 mm, and hatchling SVL ranges from 15 to 17 mm. Habitat: This species prefers forest floor to scrubby forest and edge habitat in some areas but is strongly arboreal in open areas and less-disturbed areas. This species is most active during daytime. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake.

Photographs by C.W. Brown, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Not assessed.

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna Admiralty Brown Skink, Carlia ailanpalai Zug, 2004 Description: The Admiralty brown skink is mid-sized and stockier/bulkier than skinks known to inhabit Wake. It has normal shaped limbs and a thick tail. This species has only four toes on its forelimbs. No other skinks currently (2019) recorded on Wake have only four toes. The dorsum color is pale orangish, brown, or smokey grey. It has a lighter orange or pinkish underside and lacks striping seen in skinks at Wake, with the exception of melanistic azure-tailed skinks. Adult SVL ranges from 48 to 60 mm and hatchlings range from 22 to 25 mm SVL. Habitat: This species is quite broad in its habitat use, including extremely urban areas and even walking into the open doors of buildings. It is sometimes called the curious skink due to this behavior. Most active during daytime. Historical Status and Distribution: No record for Wake. Risk Assessment: High. This species is considered invasive where it has been introduced, including Guam, Palau, and in the Federated States of Micronesia on Yap and Chuuk (Buden, 2009). If observed, rapid action is warranted.

Photographs by R.N. Fisher, U.S. Geological Survey

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Pacific Slender-Toed Gecko, Nactus pelagicus (Girard, 1858) Description: The Pacific slender-toed gecko is a mid-sized gecko with a circular tail. It lacks wide toepads. The body and head are brownish grey with white spots along the labial scales and darker blotches or crossbands on the back. This species has rough skin with rows of elevated scales in parallel following its dorsal surface. The eyelids are yellowish, and the eyes are gold and red. The tail is banded. The underside is purplish grey but can change color to whitish. Adult SVL ranges from 48 to 75 mm. Habitat: This species typically roams across the forest floor and stays low in trees and bushes and can sometimes be detected on the walls of houses. This species can be detected under rocks and coconuts during daytime. Most active at night. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake.

Photographs by C.W. Brown and J.Q. Richmond, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Low. This species is known to be in Guam and across the Federated States of Micronesia. This species is not known to be invasive anywhere; however, it is parthenogenic, so one female may start a new population on Wake if she arrives there.

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna Oceanic Gecko, Gehyra oceanica (Lesson, 1830) Description: The oceanic gecko is a fairly robust lizard with short limbs. This species is usually unicolor dorsally from light or dark olive-brown to gray, with the tail often alternating lighter and darker bands. A pale stripe may extend from the snout through the eye to above the ear opening. The underside tends to be uniformly grayish olive or yellow. The toe lamellae are thin and undivided. The tail is usually a thick, slightly flattened cylinder, tapering to a blunt tip. Adult SVL ranges 59–84 mm, and hatchlings range 28–34 mm SVL. The tail is about the same length as the body. Habitat: This species uses a range of habitats, including gardens, forests, and buildings. They are mostly seen at night but may be out in shade during the day. They particularly like banana plants. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake. Risk Assessment: Low. Widespread in the central Pacific. There are no known invasive populations of this species. If this species established at Wake, it might only persist around the populated areas where there is more moisture.

Photographs by C.W. Brown, U.S. Geological Survey

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Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll Gold-dust Day Gecko, Phelsuma laticauda (Boettger, 1880) Description: The gold-dust day gecko is a mid-sized gecko that is dorsally flattened and has a flat tail. The head is large and flattened. This species lacks claws on any of its toes. It is dorsally green with blue stripes on its head and red cross bands. It has three red streaks on its back and yellow/gold dusty coloration on the back of its head, neck, and shoulders. It has a blue ring around its eye and a red iris. Adult SVL ranges from 45 to 60 mm, and hatchlings range from 38 to 42 mm SVL. Habitat: This species is invasive around houses on garden plants and can be detected on buildings and along rock walls as well as in scrubby habitats; however, it is not often seen on the ground. Most often active during daytime but can be detected near lights on buildings at night. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake.

Photographs by C.W. Brown, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Not assessed. This invasive species has been rapidly spreading and replacing all other lizards on islands in Hawai`i for the last 25 years. It has been detected in Moorea (at least since 2006) and in California (in 2017); it has been detected in a few nurseries. This species is considered invasive in Hawai`i and could become damaging to species in Wake if it arrived and spread.

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis Voigt in Cuvier and Voigt, 1832 Description: The green anole is a mid-sized lizard with an elongated body, very pointed head, and a long and slender tail. This species has toe pads like some geckos. Coloration is uniformly green above but can be brown depending on the background substrates, and it has a white stripe along its dorsal mid-line. The underside is pure white and lacks any other color patterning. Adult SVL ranges from 50 to 70 mm, and hatchlings are about 21 mm SVL. Habitat: This species is typically detected off the ground, on plants in gardens, and on the walls of houses. It will change colors to match its background. Most active during daytime but can be active near lights at night. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake. Risk Assessment: High. This species is invasive in Hawai`i, some islands in Japan, the southern Mariana Islands, and Palau and Yap in the Caroline Islands. Because this species has affected the Oceania snake-eyed skink in Japan, we consider it a species of concern if it arrives in Wake.

Photographs by C.W. Brown and S. Fisher, U.S. Geological Survey

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Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll Brown Anole, Anolis sagrei Cocteau in A. M. C. Duméril and Bibron, 1837 Description: The brown anole is a mid-sized lizard and has a squat body and long limbs with a long tail. Coloration is brown with various possible patterns but typically has a white dorsal stripe. Males have an orange dewlap (a flap of skin that hangs beneath the lower jaw often brightly colored and used for territorial or mate signaling). The tail is dorso-laterally flattened. Adult SVL is from 45 to 70 mm, and hatchlings range 15–16 mm SVL. Habitat: This species can be detected on various substrates on the ground and low on trees and bushes and rock and brick walls. Most active during daytime but can be active near lights at night. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake.

Photographs by S. Fisher, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: High. This species has been rapidly replacing many other lizards on islands in Hawai`i during the last decade and seems to have displaced Oceania snake-eyed skinks on Hawai`i in their nearshore habitats. This species has the potential to displace Oceania snake-eyed skinks because it utilizes the same habitats, and this species is much more aggressive and larger.

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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Snakes Brown Tree Snake, Boiga irregularis (Bechstein, 1802) Description: The brown tree snake is a large and slender snake. It has vertical pupils and a large triangular head. It is brown or greenish yellow with some cross banding. Adult SVL ranges from 80 to 250 cm, and hatchlings are about 330-mm SVL. Habitat: These snakes live in trees and shrubs but can be detected on houses, in the eves and other building features, in vehicles, and generally anywhere. They are active at night. Historical Status and Distribution: No record on Wake. Risk Assessment: High. These snakes have been a highly problematic invasive species in Guam, affecting biodiversity and economic health for more than 60 years (Rodda and Savidge, 2007; Soto and others, 2022). This species could decimate the birds and lizards of Wake if it arrived and could be difficult or impossible to eradicate if established.

Photographs by J.Q. Richmond and R.N. Fisher, U.S. Geological Survey

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Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer (Blainville, 1835) Description: The gopher snake is a heavier bodied snake with a tapering tail. It is tan with blotches across its dorsum. It has rounded pupils. Adult SVL ranges from 76 to 153 cm. Habitat: The species is typically detected on the ground and will hide under surface objects. It is often active during daytime. Historical Status and Distribution: There was one record at Wake from 1948.

Photographs by A.R. Backlin and C.W. Brown, U.S. Geological Survey

Risk Assessment: Low. The species does not appear to be invasive anywhere. Because it is not a tropical species, it might not be able to establish in this environment.

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D.3 References Cited Buden, D.W., 2009, Carlia ailanpalai (Reptilia—Scincidae)— An invasive species of lizard in the Federated States of Micronesia: Pacific Science, v. 63, no. 2, p. 243–251. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2984/049.063.0206.] Buden, D.W., and Taboroši, D., 2016, Reptiles of the Federated States of Micronesia: Palikir, Phonpei, Island Research and Education Initiative, p. 1–311. Hathaway, S.A., Jacobi, J.D., Peck, R., and Fisher, R.N., 2022, Updates for Wake Atoll biosecurity management, biological control, survey, and management, and integrated pest management plans: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2022–1067, 56 p., accessed August 26, 2022, at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221067. Rodda, G.H., and Savidge, J.A., 2007, Biology and impacts of Pacific island invasive species—2. Boiga irregularis, the brown tree snake (Reptilia—Colubridae): Pacific Science, v. 61, no. 3, p. 307–324. [Available at https://doi.org/10.2984/1534-6188(2007)61[307:BAIOPI]2 .0.CO;2.]

Soto, I., Cuthbert, R.N., Kouba, A., Capinha, C., Turbelin, A., Hudgins, E.J., Diagne, C., Courchamp, F., and Haubrock, P.J., 2022, Global economic costs of herpetofauna invasions: Scientific Reports, v. 12, no. 10829, p. 1–12. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15079-9.] Tonione, M.A., Reeder, N., and Moritz, C.C., 2011, High genetic diversity despite the potential for stepping-stone colonizations in an invasive species of gecko on Moorea, French Polynesia: PLOS One, v. 6, no. 11, 6 p. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0026874.] Zug, G.R., 2013, Reptiles and amphibians of the Pacific Islands: Berkley, Calif., University of California Press, 306 p. [Available at https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520955400.]

Supplemental D.1.

Supplemental D.1. Example Species Observation Data Sheet

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Director, Western Ecological Research Center U.S. Geological Survey 3020 State University Drive East Sacramento, California 95819 https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc Publishing support provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Science Publishing Network, Sacramento Publishing Service Center

Hathaway and others—Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna—OFR 2023–1066

ISSN 2331-1258 (online) https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231066

Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

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