The status of the Fafak endemics

[Papuan birder]

Some year ago I read an article about a possible discovery of a new species Paradigalla and a new Bowerbird in the Fafak mountains and both seemed likely to be endemic to the mountain range, but I havent heard a single word about it since and I think is rather strange as we are talking about the possibilty that two new species is known but no one take time to describe them.

I have found sources suggesting a possibilty of another 2 new species from this area, but no reference for it.

Fakfak Honeyeater (no reference)

Fakfak Melidectes (no reference)

Fakfak Bowerbird (a single article)

Fakfak Paradigalla (a single article)


I will go to the Fafaks sometime late 06 or early 07 and I would be happy for any info that can help me to sort this mess out, are they endemics?undescribed subspecies or already described species?


/Papuan birder

[Tim Allwood]

Hi Papuan

i guess they are still being researched... it's not exactly a heavily visited area...

maybe you will be able to add something after your visit!

have you tried Dave Gibbs paper.... Gibbs, D. (1994) Undescribed taxa and new records from the Fakfak Mountains, Irian Jaya. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 114: 4-12.

Tim

[Hidde Bruinsma]

Indeed, Tim is right. This is a very little explored, but very promising corner of New Guinea. After the article of David Gibbs only the Bowerbird has been studied a little, I think by Borgia. Genetic material taken from these birds has shown them not to be radically different from the Arfak and Wandammen Mountains birds, although the bowers are rather different. I think the same will be shown in time for the Kumawa Mountains population, which has a different bower type again.
All the other recently discovered Fakfak birds are undescribed taxa and probably remain so for a long time to come. I've said this before, western New Guinea is a very frustrating place for an ornithologist with an interest in taxonomy. Since the late Seventies many birds have been found all over the place that are clearly undescribed but the political situation of this Indonesian province is such that collecting scientists are not allowed in. And to be quite honest, the eastern, independent part of the island which also has several unexplored mountain ranges containing lots of new goodies is not drawing in the collectors either.
I sincerely hope you will make some wonderful sightings for us (and yourself too, of course) when you visit the place. You have a decent camera, I suppose ?

[Rasmus Boegh]

Describing a new species is a hefty task that requires extensive knowledge, money and time. At this point, there are loads of new species just awaiting a scientific description. Indeed, in South America it seems new species are being discovered faster than they can be described (without doing a count, I guess I am aware of some 20-30 species that are still awaiting description in various parts of South America). So, when someone with the needed knowledge get the money & time... the Fakfak species will be described. But that may be many years into the future. Surely, there must also be additional species on the island of New Guinea that haven't been seen by anyone yet.

[Dimitris]

Describing a new species is a hefty task that requires extensive knowledge, money and time. At this point, there are loads of new species just awaiting a scientific description. Indeed, in South America it seems new species are being discovered faster than they can be described (without doing a count, I guess I am aware of some 20-30 species that are still awaiting description in various parts of South America). So, when someone with the needed knowledge get the money & time... the Fakfak species will be described. But that may be many years into the future. Surely, there must also be additional species on the island of New Guinea that haven't been seen by anyone yet.


Wasn't there a Bird of Paradise that has been only once as well? Or am I wrong?

I suppose that there could be a few of those gems still hiding...

Good luck with your trip and do let us know if u find anything interesting,

Cheers,

Dimitris

[Rasmus Boegh]

Wasn't there a Bird of Paradise that has been only once as well? Or am I wrong?

(Paradigalla is a type of Bird-of-Paradise):


Some year ago I read an article about a possible discovery of a new species Paradigalla...

[Papuan birder]

Thanks Tim, Hidde and Rasmus, this is very usefull info to me, you have cleared out this mystery for me now, well just hope that someone take time to describe all these new species all over the world, as I guess mot of them has very small distrubtion, therefore they havent been recorded until now, also hope that all large bird organisations around the world will be helpfull in this work.

Yes the Fafaks surely is a poorly known, rarely visited and remote place, you can hardly get a map over the place, I have found a very old ones which will due. Rather few described PNG species is endemic to this region so I dont expect to find something remarkable, it will also be hard to look after these possibly new ones as the description on two of them is rather poor and I dont have a single description note on the other two, but I will try to do my best. Iam rather familiar with both the bowerbirds and paradigallas so if I see one of these the id shouldent be that hard, familiar "old" one, unfamiliar most likley the new one.

As Hidde mentioned the political situation in the region isnt the best, but its improving each month and soon internaational companies hopefully will get intrested in the region and start making birding tours here, its needed as I would call this place the most remote and most rarely visited place on the entire island.

[Dimitris]

(Paradigalla is a type of Bird-of-Paradise):


Thanx for that


:gn:

Dimitris

[Rob Hutchinson]

Hi Papuan,

Iwein Mauro, now living in Sorong has been doing alot of work in the area.....certainly some interesting discoveries in the pipeline although trying to find out anything in advance of publication will probably be like getting blood from a stone! :D

Rob

[jurek]

At this point, there are loads of new species just awaiting a scientific description.

Wow, one of my life ambitions is to have a species named after myself. Or a bird or a tree after my late mother - any chance to name one "Joannae"?

[jurek]

I've said this before, western New Guinea is a very frustrating place for an ornithologist with an interest in taxonomy.

Well, not just birds. A new tree kangaroo was discovered few years ago. So who knows what may be there.

Like all, I am waiting for your observations - not just from Fakfak! :)

[Papuan birder]

Yes mammals is probably the category which got most focus in the fafaks recently, I think no less than 2 new species and 5 new subspecies has been recorded here the last 10 years, so the bird diveristy is probably much richer than currently is known.