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endemic species
is one which is naturally found only in a specific 
geographic area that is usually restricted in size. Other species are generalists: species which live in 
a wide variety of geographic areas; the raccoon (
Procyon
spp) for example, is native to most of North 
and Central America. 
Species distribution patterns
are based on biotic and abiotic factors and their influences during 
the very long periods of time required for species evolution; therefore, early studies of biogeography 
were closely linked to the emergence of evolutionary thinking in the eighteenth century. In areas that 
have been physically separated from one another by geographic barriers for millions of years, some 
of the most distinctive assemblages of plants and animals can be found. Australia, for instance, is 
thought to have between 600,000 and 700,000 plant and animal species, according to biologists. 
About 75% of all species of living plants and mammals are endemic to Australia (Figure 161 a,b). 
 

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233 
Figure 161.
Australia is home to many endemic species. The (a) wallaby (
Wallabia bicolor
), a medium-
sized member of the kangaroo family, is a pouched mammal, or marsupial. The (b) echidna (
Tachyglossus 
aculeatus
) is an egg-laying mammal
127
. 
 
Sometimes ecologists discover unique patterns of species distribution by determining where 
species are 
not
found. Despite being tropical, Hawaii, for example, has no native land species of 
reptiles or amphibians, only a few native species of butterflies, and only one native terrestrial 
mammal, the hoary bat. Most of New Guinea, as another example, lacks placental mammals.
 
Like animals, plants can be endemic or generalists; endemic plants can only be found in a 
limited number of geographic areas, while generalists can be found worldwide. Numerous endemic 
plant species can be found on remote land masses like Australia, Hawaii, and Madagascar. The 
activities of humans have put some of these plants in danger. The forest gardenia (
Gardenia 
brighamii
), for instance, is endemic to Hawaii; only an estimated 15–20 trees are thought to exist 
(Figure 162).