Turbott's weevil
| Turbott's weevil | |
|---|---|
_AMNZ21840_profile_view.jpg) | |
| Anagotus turbotti (Spiller, 1942) profile view of holotype specimen held at Auckland Museum licensed under CC BY 4.0 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Curculionidae |
| Subfamily: | Cyclominae |
| Tribe: | Aterpini |
| Genus: | Anagotus |
| Species: | A. turbotti |
| Binomial name | |
| Anagotus turbotti (Spiller, 1942) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Turbott's weevil (Anagotus turbotti) is a weevil that is endemic to New Zealand. It has been found on the Hen and Chicken Islands, the Poor Knights Islands and the Three Kings Islands.
Taxonomy
New Zealand entomologist D. Spiller first described this species in 1942 after a specimen was collected by E. G. Turbott from the Poor Knights Islands in November 1940.[1] Anagotus turbotti was named in honour of its collector.[1]
Description
Turbott's weevil is one of the largest and most colourful of New Zealand's endemic weevils.[2]
Life cycle
The larvae of Turbott's weevils are wood borers and have been discovered in several different tree species. However they are most commonly found in nagio and karaka trees.[2]
Distribution and habitat
The locality from which the type specimen of this species was collected is the island of Aorangi.[1] As well as the Poor Knights Islands, Turbott's weevil can also be found on the Three Kings Islands and on Muriwhenua of the Hen and Chicken Islands.[2][3] Adult beetles have been collected from Myoporum laetum and Corynocarpus laevigatus.[4]
Behaviour
Adult weevils are active both day and night and have been observed consuming the leaves of the ngaio tree.[2]
Predation
The Turbott's weevil is prone to rat predation.[2]
Conservation Status and Efforts
In September of 2006 the Department of Conservation translocated 30 Turbott's weevils from Muriwhenua Island to Lady Alice Island, a predator free Island also in the Hen and Chicken Islands group. This was done in the hope that they would become established on that Island. To assist with their establishment the weevils were placed inside cages situated in West Bay containing tree species the weevils are known to consume.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 Spiller, D. (1942). "A Giant Weevil Phaeophanus Turbotti N. Sp. From the POOR KNIGHTS ISLANDS". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum 2 (6): 265–267. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Meads, Mike (1990). Forgotten fauna : the rare, endangered, and protected invertebrates of New Zealand. Wellington: DSIR. ISBN 0477025900. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ↑ Marris, John (2001). Beetles of Conservation Interest from the Three Kings Islands. Northland: Department of Conservation. p. 14. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
- ↑ Kuschel, G.; Worthy, T. H. (1996). "Past distribution of large weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the South Island, New Zealand, based on Holocene fossil remains" (PDF). New Zealand Entomologist 19: 16. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
- ↑ "Reintroduction Projects in New Zealand". Massey University. Massey University. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
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External links
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