Ptilinopus arcanus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	COLUMBIFORMES	COLUMBIDAE

Scientific Name:

Ptilinopus arcanus

Species Authority:

Ripley & Rabor, 1955

Common Name/s:

English

–

Negros Fruit-dove, Negros Fruit Dove, Negros Fruit-Dove

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered C2a(ii);D ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Symes, A., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Justification:
This species has not been recorded since the type specimen was collected in 1953, despite a number of recent protracted surveys. However, it may remain extant, given that there was an unconfirmed report in 2002. Further surveys are required on Panay where it may conceivably occur. Any remaining population is likely to be tiny, and undergoing a continuing decline owing to hunting and extensive habitat destruction. For these reasons, it is listed as Critically Endangered.

History:

2008	–	Critically Endangered
2006	–	Critically Endangered
2004	–	Critically Endangered
2000	–	Critically Endangered
1996	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Critically Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Ptilinopus arcanus is endemic to the Philippines, where it is known only by a single female specimen (one of a pair) collected on Mt Canlaon on the island of Negros in 1953. Its population is unknown and, given the failure of any fieldworker to encounter it since its discovery, it must be extremely rare. However, the recent discovery on Panay of threatened species which, until 1990, were known only from Negros, and sometimes formerly Guimaras (e.g. Negros Bleeding-heart Gallicolomba keayi and White-throated Jungle-flycatcher Rhinomyias albigularis), suggests that it is not impossible that this enigmatic bird may be extant.
Countries:	Native: Philippines
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Population assumed to be tiny based on lack of records since the only specimen was collected in 1953.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

Population assumed to be tiny based on lack of records since the only specimen was collected in 1953.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The specimen was shot in a tall fruiting tree in primary forest at c.1,100 m. It is possible that it is a lowland specialist discovered at its upper altitudinal limit (as forest at this site had been cleared up to 1,000 m).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	A combination of hunting, which affects all pigeons and fruit-doves on Negros, and habitat destruction are presumably the major threats. Just 4% of Negros remained forested in 1988, and remnant tracts are small, heavily fragmented and under incessant pressure from clearance for agriculture, timber and charcoal-burning.

Major Threat(s):

A combination of hunting, which affects all pigeons and fruit-doves on Negros, and habitat destruction are presumably the major threats. Just 4% of Negros remained forested in 1988, and remnant tracts are small, heavily fragmented and under incessant pressure from clearance for agriculture, timber and charcoal-burning.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway The only record derives from Mt Canlaon Natural Park, which supports 115 km² of mainly montane forest. No other conservation measures are known to have been taken other than its depiction in the mid-1990s on a bilingual environmental education poster in the "Only in the Philippines" series. Conservation Actions Proposed Comprehensively survey all suitable lowland to mid-montane forested habitat on Negros to determine whether the species is extant. Conduct surveys for fruit-doves Ptilinopus spp. on Panay. Carry out, if possible, biochemical analyses on the type-specimen to confirm its taxonomic validity.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
The only record derives from Mt Canlaon Natural Park, which supports 115 km² of mainly montane forest. No other conservation measures are known to have been taken other than its depiction in the mid-1990s on a bilingual environmental education poster in the "Only in the Philippines" series.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Comprehensively survey all suitable lowland to mid-montane forested habitat on Negros to determine whether the species is extant. Conduct surveys for fruit-doves Ptilinopus spp. on Panay. Carry out, if possible, biochemical analyses on the type-specimen to confirm its taxonomic validity.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Ptilinopus arcanus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.
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