Flax weevil

Flax weevil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Curculionidae
Subfamily:	Cyclominae
Tribe:	Aterpini
Genus:	Anagotus
Species:	A. fairburni
Binomial name
	Anagotus fairburni; Brookes, 1932

The flax weevil (Anagotus fairburni) is a large flightless weevil.^[1] It was discovered by E. Fairburn in 1931 on D'Urville Island.^[2] The weevil is known to live on New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), feeding on leaves, where it produces a characteristic feeding notch. The weevil is a large, nocturnal, flightless weevil ranging in length from 20 to 25mm.^[3]

Although considered a coastal species, the flax weevil has been found in the Tararua Range on Phormium cookianum, a mountain flax. It is possible that other remnant populations survive in other mountain ranges.^[4] However, due to predation by mammals, it is likely restricted to rodent-free offshore islands in more modern times.^[3]

The eggs of the flax weevil can take 3 – 5 weeks to hatch. How long a weevil spends as a larva or pupa is unknown but adult flax weevils have lived for over 12 months in captivity.^[4]

References

↑ Watt, J. Charles (1981). "Notes on the Distribution. Abundance. Ecology and Status of Insects Included in the First Schedule of the Wildlife Amemdment Act. 1980" (PDF). The Weta. 4: 13.
↑ Brookes, Albert E. (1932). "A new genus and six new species of coleoptera" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 63: 25–33. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
1 2 Marris, J. "Beetles of Conservation Interest from the Three Kings Islands".
1 2 Meads, Mike (1990). Forgotten fauna : the rare, endangered, and protected invertebrates of New Zealand. Wellington: DSIR Pub. p. 42. ISBN 0477025900.

External links

A blog from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa about Anagotus fairburni and other mega-weevil species of New Zealand.

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[locationnow-1] Watt, J. Charles (1981). "Notes on the Distribution. Abundance. Ecology and Status of Insects Included in the First Schedule of the Wildlife Amemdment Act. 1980" (PDF). The Weta. 4: 13.

[Brookes_1932-2] Brookes, Albert E. (1932). "A new genus and six new species of coleoptera" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 63: 25–33. Retrieved 25 December 2015.

[marris-3] 1 2 Marris, J. "Beetles of Conservation Interest from the Three Kings Islands".

[Meads1990-4] 1 2 Meads, Mike (1990). Forgotten fauna : the rare, endangered, and protected invertebrates of New Zealand. Wellington: DSIR Pub. p. 42. ISBN 0477025900.