KnowKi

Key Places for biodiversity

Learn the wildlife of New Guinea

Papua New Guinea · Indonesia

New Guinea is one of E.O. Wilson's Key Places, irreplaceable for life on Earth. 8,739 species have research-grade observations there on iNaturalist, and KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos.

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys447
  2. Blyth's Hornbill Rhyticeros plicatus400
  3. Papuan Eclectus Eclectus polychloros383
  4. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus302
  5. Rufous-bellied Kookaburra Dacelo gaudichaud267
  6. Red Bird-of-Paradise Paradisaea rubra238
  7. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita229
  8. Sahul Sunbird Cinnyris frenatus221
  9. Red-cheeked Parrot Geoffroyus geoffroyi210
  10. Pinon's Imperial Pigeon Ducula pinon203

Plants

  1. Coconut palm Cocos nucifera115
  2. Great pitcher-plant Nepenthes maxima106
  3. Philippine Ground Orchid Spathoglottis plicata92
  4. Sensitive Plant Mimosa pudica74
  5. Nepenthes neoguineensis72
  6. Common Swamp Pitcher-Plant Nepenthes mirabilis71
  7. Beach naupaka Scaevola taccada68
  8. Flask-shaped pitcher plant Nepenthes ampullaria59
  9. Orangefruit Passionflower Passiflora vesicaria58
  10. Beach Morning Glory Ipomoea pes-caprae57

Mammals

  1. Waigeo Spotted Cuscus Spilocuscus papuensis234
  2. Northern Common Cuscus Phalanger orientalis105
  3. Spectacled Flying-fox Pteropus conspicillatus61
  4. Common Spotted Cuscus Spilocuscus maculatus57
  5. Striped Possum Dactylopsila trivirgata56

Insects

  1. Common Green Birdwing Ornithoptera priamus290
  2. Asian Weaver Ant Oecophylla smaragdina287
  3. Painted Grasshawk Neurothemis stigmatizans248
  4. Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus210
  5. Orange-banded plane Lexias aeropa190
  6. Brown Pansy Junonia hedonia184
  7. Neurothemis decora174
  8. Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum169
  9. Ambrax Swallowtail Papilio ambrax161
  10. Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina157

Spiders and kin

  1. Giant Golden Orbweaver Nephila pilipes341
  2. Christmas spider Gasteracantha taeniata110
  3. Leucauge grata90
  4. Gasteracantha crucigera87
  5. Painted Cross Spider Argiope picta65

Reptiles

  1. Pacific Bluetail Skink Emoia caeruleocauda364
  2. Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata256
  3. Emerald Tree Skink Lamprolepis smaragdina210
  4. Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus182
  5. Mangrove Monitor Varanus chlorostigma162
  6. Brown Tree Snake Boiga irregularis159
  7. Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas148
  8. Papua Bow-fingered Gecko Cyrtodactylus papuensis146
  9. Amethyst Python Simalia amethistina108
  10. Indonesian Brown Rainbow Skink Carlia fusca99

Amphibians

  1. White-lipped Tree Frog Sandyrana infrafrenata349
  2. Cane Toad Rhinella marina169
  3. Papua Wrinkled Ground Frog Cornufer papuensis158
  4. Asian Common Toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus79

Fish

  1. Clark's Anemonefish Amphiprion clarkii359
  2. Spine-cheek Clownfish Amphiprion biaculeatus343
  3. Blackspotted Puffer Arothron nigropunctatus322
  4. Moorish Idol Zanclus cornutus288
  5. Giant Moray Gymnothorax javanicus270
  6. Napoleon Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus261
  7. Bleeker's Parrotfish Chlorurus bleekeri259
  8. Bluespotted Grouper Cephalopholis cyanostigma246
  9. Orange-spotted Trevally Flavocaranx bajad235
  10. Ocellaris Anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris233

Mollusks

  1. Blue Dragon Pteraeolidia semperi219
  2. Boring Giant Clam Tridacna crocea204
  3. Varicose Wart Slug Phyllidia varicosa196
  4. Fluted Giant Clam Tridacna squamosa168
  5. Loch's Chromodoris Chromodoris lochi158
  6. Indian Caloria Caloria indica157
  7. Gigas Giant Clam Tridacna gigas155
  8. Anna's Chromodoris Chromodoris annae153
  9. Broadclub Cuttlefish Ascarosepion latimanus144
  10. Elegant Phyllidia Phyllidia elegans139

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.