This is a list of taxa whose location or distribution is notably difficult to explain; e.g., species which came to occupy a range distant from that of their closest relatives by a process or history that is not understood, or is a subject of controversy.
Specific taxa
*Mammals
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Falkland Islands wolf
The Falkland Islands wolf (''Dusicyon australis'') was the only native land mammal of the Falkland Islands. This endemic canid became extinct in 1876, the first known canid to have become extinct in historical times.
Traditionally, it had been ...
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Gansu mole
The Gansu mole (''Scapanulus oweni'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae endemic to central China, where it occurs in Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, and Qinghai. It is the only species in the genus ''Scapanulus''.
Along with the Medog mol ...
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Pennant's colobus
Pennant's colobus or Pennant's red colobus (''Piliocolobus pennantii'') is a species of tree-dwelling primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is endemic to tropical Central Africa. Three subspecies have traditionally been recognised but their d ...
*Birds
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Elephant bird
Elephant birds are extinct flightless birds belonging to the Order (biology), order Aepyornithiformes that were native to the island of Madagascar. They are thought to have gone extinct around 1000 CE, likely as a result of human activity. Eleph ...
s
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Moa
Moa are extinct giant flightless birds native to New Zealand.
Moa or MOA may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Metal Open Air, a Brazilian heavy metal festival
* MOA Museum of Art in Japan
* The Moas, New Zealand film awards
People
* Moa ...
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Nicobar megapode
The Nicobar megapode or Nicobar scrubfowl (''Megapodius nicobariensis'') is a megapode found in some of the Nicobar Islands (India). Like other megapode relatives, it builds a large mound nest with soil and vegetation, with the eggs hatched by th ...
*Reptiles
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Brachylophus
The genus ''Brachylophus'' consists of four Extant taxon, extant iguanid species native to the islands of Fiji and a giant extinct species from Tonga in the South West Pacific. One of the extant species, ''B. fasciatus'', is also present on Tong ...
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Lapitiguana
''Lapitiguana impensa'' is an extinct giant (1.5 m long) iguanid from Fiji. It likely became extinct following the human colonization of Fiji 3000 years ago.
All extant Fijian iguanas are in the genus '' Brachylophus'', together with an ext ...
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Phelsuma andamanense
The Andaman day gecko (''Phelsuma andamanensis''), also known as the Andaman Islands day gecko, is a species of gecko in the genus ''Phelsuma''. It is endemic to the Andaman Islands of India, and has recently been introduced to the Nicobar islan ...
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Assemblages of taxa
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Lusitanian flora
The Lusitanian flora is a small assemblage of plants that show a restricted and specific distribution in that they are mostly only to be found in the Iberian Peninsula or southwest Ireland. Generally, the plants are not found in England or western ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biogeographical puzzles
Biogeography
Lists of animals