Turbott's weevil

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.

Turbott's weevil
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
  • Phaeophanus turbotti

Taxonomy

New Zealand entomologist Donald Spiller first described and named this species in 1942, based on two specimens 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] This species is flightless and ranges in length from 18-25mm. It has conspicuous white markings and obvious tubercles.[3]

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 ngaio 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] This is due to it being large and slow moving. The extinction of its sister species, Anagotus stephenensis from the mainland was probably due to rat predation. The Turbott's weevil was probably more widespread historically, but is now only found on predator-free islands.[3]

Conservation status and efforts

In September 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]

Turbott's weevil are protected under Schedule 7 of The 1953 Wildlife Act, making it an offense to hunt, kill or possess a specimen.[6]

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References
  1. 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. JSTOR 42905988.
  2. Meads, Mike (1990). Forgotten fauna : the rare, endangered, and protected invertebrates of New Zealand. Wellington: DSIR. ISBN 0477025900. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  3. Marris, John (2001). Beetles of Conservation Interest from the Three Kings Islands. Northland: Department of Conservation. p. 14. hdl:10182/2996.
  4. 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. doi:10.1080/00779962.1996.9722016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  5. "Reintroduction Projects in New Zealand". Massey University. Massey University. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  6. "Wildlife Act 1953". New Zealand Legislation. Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 27 November 2016.


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