Socotran BioProvince

This BioProvince (as defined by Armen Takhtajan) comprises the island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea just north of Somalia. Most of the island is composed of a limestone plateau but the Haggier Range is granite. The geology comprises Precambrian basement rocks, which outcrops in several places, but is elsewhere overlain by a veneer of Cretaceous and Tertiary limestones. The climate is monsoonal but much less arid than the adjacent mainland. Much of the flora is unique and includes one near endemic family (Dirachmaceae), several endemic genera including Mitolepis (Asclepiadaceae), Haya (Caryophyllaceae), Dendrosicyos (Cucurbitaceae), Lachnocapsa (Brassicaceae), Nirarathamnos (Apiaceae), Angkalanthus, Ballochia and Trichocalyx (Acanthaceae), and of the 800 indigenous species about 295 are endemic.

The following accounts for this BioProvince have been written or will be written with particular reference to endemic and locally important species. Accounts available are displayed in green or yellow. Those displayed in red are either in the pipeline or awaiting expert contributions.

 

Index
Major Ecosystems
Endemic Vascular Plant Flora
Bryophyte Flora
Fungus Flora
Lichen Flora
Invertebrate Fauna
Amphibian Fauna
Reptile Fauna
Bird Fauna
Mammal Fauna
Conservation Status