A high level of endemism, beautiful landscapes, large number of beaches, nice climate in winter, … the Canary Islands have it all. So last winter we planned an island-hopping trip in the Canaries and visited Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Tenerife.
As usual I had some species in mind I wanted to see. Six of them were crab species that I never saw before and could be found while snorkeling. The most difficult one was the Harlequin crab (Platypodiella picta), a small but colorful species, endemic to the islands of Macaronesia. After several unsuccessful attempts, I found one on the very last day of our trip. This lucky find made the crab-list complete. Yes!
Another crustacea on the target-list was a species of squad lobster: Munidopsis polymorpha. A small, pale, blind cave-dwelling lobster that is endemic to Lanzarote. The whole population of this species is restricted to one single cave that is filled with sea water.
In terms of reptiles 16 endemic species can be found on the Canary Islands, divided into three groups: wall lizards (Gallotia), skinks (Chalcides) and gecko’s (Tarentola). We found the ones that can be found on the islands we visited (three on Fuerteventura/Lanzarote and four on Tenerife), including the very rare Eastern Canary skink (Chalcides simonyi). Nine more to go on the other islands. Smells like another trip 🙂
Mammal-wise there are only two species endemic to the Canary Islands. One is the Canarian shrew (Crocidura canariensis), but more about this species in a seperate blogpost. The other one is a bat: the Canary long-eared bat (Plecotus teneriffae). Of course high on the wish list, so we visited some caves in Tenerife in search of this bat, but without success. Other mammals we saw were introduced species such as the Barbary ground squirrel and the North African hedgehog.
At the end of our trip, a strong wind came in during the night. As we were parked next to the beach I set my alarm for an early beachcombing session. In the light of my torch I saw many beached Portuguese man-o-wars, By-the-wind-sailors, Blue-button jellyfish and even an argonaut! Argonauts are a group of extraordinary pelagic octopuses. An unconventional octopus characteristic of argonauts is their weird ‘shell’ that is technically not a shell but an egg case. Only female argonauts make egg cases and use it as a brooding chamber for their unhatched young. It also has an important role in the buoyancy of the animal as they prefer spending time up near the surface of the ocean. Without egg case they would just sink to the bottom.
Unfortunately I also found two Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) on the beach. Both animals were still alive but entangled in plastic. From one individual the plastic could be removed and the turtle released. The other one had plastic stuck in his throat so this animal went to a turtle rescue centre. Afterwards, we heard the turtle was weakened, but doing better and better.
An unexpected highlight of the trip was the encounter with Angelsharks (Squatina squatina). Angelsharks have been eliminated throughout much of its historical range over the past century and are listed as Critically Endangered. The Canary Island archipelago appears to be the last major refuge for this species. While snorkeling I saw three indivuals; two in Lanzarote and one in Tenerife. What a thrill!
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