Plants & Animals of Papua New Guinea

166 species — 0 curated with local names, 166 regional · Oceania · Tok Pisin, English.

Regional highlights

High endemism: eucalypts, myrtles, marsupials and flightless birds
Pacific island agroforestry with taro, breadfruit and kava
Coral reef and coastal systems tightly linked to island flora

Regional species

Black swan
Cygnus atratus
Anatidae
Australian waterfowl
Red kangaroo
Macropus rufus
Macropodidae
largest marsupial
Queen Alexandra's birdwing
Ornithoptera alexandrae
Papilionidae
largest butterfly
Brush-tailed phascogale
Phascogale tapoatafa
Dasyuridae
marsupial carnivore
Western long-beaked echidna
Zaglossus bruijnii
Tachyglossidae
monotreme
Mango
Mangifera indica
Anacardiaceae
edible fruitleaf tea
Papaya
Carica papaya
Caricaceae
edible fruitdigestive
Aloe vera
Aloe vera
Asphodelaceae
burnsskin care
Ginger
Zingiber officinale
Zingiberaceae
spicecold & flu
Turmeric
Curcuma longa
Zingiberaceae
spiceanti-inflammatory
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Lamiaceae
culinary herbdigestive
Garlic
Allium sativum
Amaryllidaceae
spiceblood pressure
Guava
Psidium guajava
Myrtaceae
edible fruitdiarrhoea
Coconut palm
Cocos nucifera
Arecaceae
oildrinkfibre
Moringa
Moringa oleifera
Moringaceae
nutritionhypertension
House sparrow
Passer domesticus
Passeridae
urban bird
Western honey bee
Apis mellifera
Apidae
honeypollination
Rock dove
Columba livia
Columbidae
urban bird
Barn swallow
Hirundo rustica
Hirundinidae
migratory bird
Cattle egret
Bubulcus ibis
Ardeidae
farmland bird
Lemon
Citrus limon
Rutaceae
fruitvitamin C
Sweet orange
Citrus sinensis
Rutaceae
fruitjuice
Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Solanaceae
foodlycopene
Bird's eye chilli
Capsicum frutescens
Solanaceae
spice
Pumpkin
Cucurbita pepo
Cucurbitaceae
foodseeds
Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus
Malvaceae
soupfibre
Bitter melon
Momordica charantia
Cucurbitaceae
blood sugarfood
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Poaceae
teafever
Castor bean
Ricinus communis
Euphorbiaceae
oilindustrial
Sesame
Sesamum indicum
Pedaliaceae
oilseeds
Groundnut
Arachis hypogaea
Fabaceae
foodoil
Sugarcane
Saccharum officinarum
Poaceae
sugarjuice
Sweet potato
Ipomoea batatas
Convolvulaceae
staple food
Madagascar periwinkle
Catharanthus roseus
Apocynaceae
alkaloidsornamental
Brown rat
Rattus norvegicus
Muridae
commensal mammal
Peregrine falcon
Falco peregrinus
Falconidae
raptor
Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Nymphalidae
migratory insect
Green sea turtle
Chelonia mydas
Cheloniidae
marine reptile
Barn owl
Tyto alba
Tytonidae
rodent control
Nile tilapia
Oreochromis niloticus
Cichlidae
aquaculture
Silver fir
Abies alba
Pinaceae
timberessential oil
Century plant
Agave americana
Asparagaceae
fibresyrup
Onion
Allium cepa
Amaryllidaceae
foodantibacterial
Spring onion
Allium fistulosum
Amaryllidaceae
food
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Amaryllidaceae
culinary herb
Red amaranth
Amaranthus cruentus
Amaranthaceae
grainleaf vegetable
Smooth pigweed
Amaranthus hybridus
Amaranthaceae
leaf vegetable
Cedar of Lebanon
Cedrus libani
Pinaceae
timbernational tree
Jimsonweed
Datura stramonium
Solanaceae
toxicasthma (historic)
Fig
Ficus carica
Moraceae
fruit
Aubergine
Solanum melongena
Solanaceae
vegetable
Eurasian sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Accipitridae
raptor
Common myna
Acridotheres tristis
Sturnidae
urban bird
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Anatidae
dabbling duck
Common swift
Apus apus
Apodidae
aerial insectivore
Grey heron
Ardea cinerea
Ardeidae
wetland bird
Common buzzard
Buteo buteo
Accipitridae
raptor
Grey wolf
Canis lupus
Canidae
apex predator
Domestic dog
Canis familiaris
Canidae
companionworking animal
Great white shark
Carcharodon carcharias
Lamnidae
apex marine predator
Goldfish
Carassius auratus
Cyprinidae
ornamental fish
Seven-spot ladybird
Coccinella septempunctata
Coccinellidae
aphid control
Mute swan
Cygnus olor
Anatidae
ornamental waterfowl
Common carp
Cyprinus carpio
Cyprinidae
food fish
Horse
Equus caballus
Equidae
transportsport
Donkey
Equus asinus
Equidae
pack animal
Common kestrel
Falco tinnunculus
Falconidae
hovering raptor
Domestic cat
Felis catus
Felidae
companion animal
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Fringillidae
songbird
Chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus
Phasianidae
eggsmeat
Herring gull
Larus argentatus
Laridae
coastal bird
House mouse
Mus musculus
Muridae
commensal rodent
Orca
Orcinus orca
Delphinidae
apex marine predator
Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes
Hominidae
closest human relative
Great tit
Parus major
Paridae
garden bird
Black redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
Muscicapidae
urban bird
Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Physeteridae
deep diver
Common pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Vespertilionidae
insect-eating bat
Black rat
Rattus rattus
Muridae
commensal rodent
Whale shark
Rhincodon typus
Rhincodontidae
largest fish
Atlantic mackerel
Scomber scombrus
Scombridae
food fish
Common starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Sturnidae
murmuration bird
Wild boar
Sus scrofa
Suidae
forest omnivore
Domestic pig
Sus scrofa domesticus
Suidae
meat
Atlantic bluefin tuna
Thunnus thynnus
Scombridae
prized food fish
Common blackbird
Turdus merula
Turdidae
garden songbird
Bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Delphinidae
intelligent cetacean
Northern lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Charadriidae
farmland wader
Mourning dove
Zenaida macroura
Columbidae
common bird
Viviparous lizard
Zootoca vivipara
Lacertidae
live-bearing lizard
Blue gum
Eucalyptus globulus
Myrtaceae
Blue gum (English)
eucalyptus oiltimber
Tea tree
Melaleuca alternifolia
Myrtaceae
antiseptic oil
Pōhutukawa
Metrosideros excelsa
Myrtaceae
coastal tree
Kava
Piper methysticum
Piperaceae
ceremonial drinkcalming
Breadfruit
Artocarpus altilis
Moraceae
staple food
Taro
Colocasia esculenta
Araceae
staple food
Sandalwood
Santalum spicatum
Santalaceae
fragranceoil
Eastern grey kangaroo
Macropus giganteus
Macropodidae
grassland herbivore
Koala
Phascolarctos cinereus
Phascolarctidae
eucalypt specialist
North Island brown kiwi
Apteryx mantelli
Apterygidae
endemic bird
Platypus
Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Ornithorhynchidae
monotreme
Rose-crowned fruit dove
Ptilinopus regina
Columbidae
seed disperser
Mountain ash
Eucalyptus regnans
Myrtaceae
tallest flowering plant
River red gum
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Myrtaceae
riverine tree
Lemon-scented gum
Corymbia citriodora
Myrtaceae
citronellal oil
Blackwood
Acacia melanoxylon
Fabaceae
timber
Silver wattle
Acacia dealbata
Fabaceae
ornamentalgum
Old man banksia
Banksia serrata
Proteaceae
nectarfire-adapted
Silky oak
Grevillea robusta
Proteaceae
timbershade
Crimson bottlebrush
Callistemon citrinus
Myrtaceae
nectargarden
Mānuka
Leptospermum scoparium
Myrtaceae
mānuka honeyantibacterial
Kauri
Agathis australis
Araucariaceae
timberancient tree
Tōtara
Podocarpus totara
Podocarpaceae
carving timber
Rimu
Dacrydium cupressinum
Podocarpaceae
timber
Harakeke / NZ flax
Phormium tenax
Asphodelaceae
weaving fibre
Cabbage tree
Cordyline australis
Asparagaceae
fibrefood
Kōwhai
Sophora microphylla
Fabaceae
nectarnational flower
Macadamia
Macadamia integrifolia
Proteaceae
nut
Brush cherry
Syzygium australe
Myrtaceae
bush food
Kakadu plum
Terminalia ferdinandiana
Combretaceae
highest vitamin C
Bush tomato
Solanum centrale
Solanaceae
bush food
Tahitian chestnut
Inocarpus fagifer
Fabaceae
island staple
Sea poison tree
Barringtonia asiatica
Lecythidaceae
fish poisoncoastal
Screw pine
Pandanus tectorius
Pandanaceae
weavingfruit
Beach hibiscus
Hibiscus tiliaceus
Malvaceae
fibrecoastal
Noni
Morinda citrifolia
Rubiaceae
juicetraditional medicine
Purple yam
Dioscorea alata
Dioscoreaceae
staple food
Sago palm
Metroxylon sagu
Arecaceae
starch staple
Coastal she-oak
Casuarina equisetifolia
Casuarinaceae
dune stabilisation
Silver fern
Cyathea dealbata
Cyatheaceae
national emblem
Spotted mangrove
Rhizophora stylosa
Rhizophoraceae
coastal nursery
Red kangaroo
Osphranter rufus
Macropodidae
arid grazer
Swamp wallaby
Wallabia bicolor
Macropodidae
forest browser
Common wombat
Vombatus ursinus
Vombatidae
burrowing marsupial
Tasmanian devil
Sarcophilus harrisii
Dasyuridae
carnivorous marsupial
Spotted-tailed quoll
Dasyurus maculatus
Dasyuridae
carnivorous marsupial
Common brushtail possum
Trichosurus vulpecula
Phalangeridae
urban marsupial
Sugar glider
Petaurus breviceps
Petauridae
gliding marsupial
Short-beaked echidna
Tachyglossus aculeatus
Tachyglossidae
monotreme
Grey-headed flying fox
Pteropus poliocephalus
Pteropodidae
pollinator
Emu
Dromaius novaehollandiae
Dromaiidae
flightless bird
Sulphur-crested cockatoo
Cacatua galerita
Cacatuidae
parrot
Galah
Eolophus roseicapilla
Cacatuidae
parrot
Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus
Psittaculidae
arid parrot
Laughing kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae
Alcedinidae
iconic call
Superb lyrebird
Menura novaehollandiae
Menuridae
mimicry
Kākāpō
Strigops habroptilus
Strigopidae
flightless parrotcritically endangered
Kea
Nestor notabilis
Strigopidae
alpine parrot
Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Meliphagidae
nectar feeder
Tuatara
Sphenodon punctatus
Sphenodontidae
living fossil reptile
Lace monitor
Varanus varius
Varanidae
arboreal reptile
Carpet python
Morelia spilota
Pythonidae
constrictor
Eastern brown snake
Pseudonaja textilis
Elapidae
venomous snake
Australian green tree frog
Litoria caerulea
Pelodryadidae
amphibian
Southern cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
Casuariidae
rainforest seed disperser
Greater bird-of-paradise
Paradisaea apoda
Paradisaeidae
display plumage
Lemon myrtle
Backhousia citriodora
Myrtaceae
flavouringoil
Ti plant
Cordyline fruticosa
Asparagaceae
ritualfood wrapping
Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata
Myrtaceae
timberhoney
Kānuka
Kunzea ericoides
Myrtaceae
honeyoil
Burrawang
Macrozamia communis
Zamiaceae
cycadtoxic seeds (treated)
Grass tree
Xanthorrhoea australis
Asphodelaceae
resinfire ecology
Arafura file snake
Acrochordus arafurae
Acrochordidae
aquatic snake
Australian owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles cristatus
Aegothelidae
nocturnal bird
Wedge-tailed eagle
Aquila audax
Accipitridae
largest Australian raptor
Dwarf cassowary
Casuarius bennetti
Casuariidae
rainforest bird