Species and genetic diversity of beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera) of the Izu Islands, Tokyo, Japan, with detection of biodiversity hotspot

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510333
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Resource conservation science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: KOJIMA Hiroaki 東京農業大学, 農学部, 教授 (80332849)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ARAYA Kunio 九州大学, 比較社会文化研究科, 教授 (10263138) ; YOSHITOMI Hiroyuki 愛媛大学, 学内共同利用施設等, 准教授 (10542665) ; NOMURA Shuhei 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, その他の部局等, その他 (80228361)
• Research Collaborator: WATANABE Yasuaki 東京農業大学, 名誉教授
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 昆虫資源 / 分類学 / 生物多様性 / 保全生物学 / 系統生物地理 / 分子系統解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Beetle fauna of the Izu Islands, Tokyo, Japan was intensively surveyed mainly focused on the following minor interest but ecologically important taxa: weevils (Curculionoidea), rove beetles (Staphylinidae, especially Omallinae and Pselaphinae), and water beetles. Endemic beetle taxa to the islands and regarded to be relict was also studied based on the molecular phylogenetic analysis. As the results, two of them (Lucanidae) are considered to be derived rather recently from the sister taxon occurring neighboring area. And, the third one (Curculionidae) was unexpectedly regarded to be an introduced species due to the unnatural habitat, which is restricted to the plantation forests of coniferous trees.
Lastly, Mikurajima Island might become a candidate's area of one of the biodiversity hotspots within the Izu Islands from the viewpoint of beetle fauna. Toshima Island located on the northern Izu Islands was also regarded as an important area among the islands.

Free Research Field

昆虫学