Turbott's weevil
{{Short description|Species of beetle}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Turbott's weevil
| image = Anagotus turbotti 123119959.jpg
| image_caption = Anagotus turbotti seen in the Poor Knights Islands
| taxon = Anagotus turbotti
| authority = (Spiller, 1942)
| synonyms = * Phaeophanus turbotti
}}
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 Donald Spiller first described this species in 1942, originally named as Phaeophanus turbotti. The description was based on two specimens collected by E. G. Turbott from the Poor Knights Islands in November 1940,{{cite Q|Q58676618}} leading the weevil to be named in honour of its collector. Turbott's weevil was recombined into the genus Anagotus in 1982 by Guillermo Kuschel.{{citeQ|Q54578100}}
Description
File:Anagotus turbotti (Spiller, 1942) AMNZ21840 profile view.jpg held at Auckland Museum]]
Turbott's weevil is one of the largest and most colourful of New Zealand's endemic weevils. This species is flightless and ranges in length from 18-25mm. It has conspicuous white markings and obvious tubercles.
Life cycle
Distribution and habitat
The locality from which the type specimen of this species was collected is the island of Aorangi. 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.{{cite book|last1=Marris|first1=John|title=Beetles of Conservation Interest from the Three Kings Islands|date=2001|publisher=Department of Conservation|location=Northland|page=14|hdl=10182/2996}} Adult beetles have been collected from Myoporum laetum and Corynocarpus laevigatus.{{cite journal|last1=Kuschel|first1=G.|last2=Worthy|first2=T. H.|title=Past distribution of large weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the South Island, New Zealand, based on Holocene fossil remains|journal=New Zealand Entomologist|date=1996|volume=19|page=16|doi=10.1080/00779962.1996.9722016|url=http://www.ento.org.nz/nzentomologist/free_issues/NZEnto19_1_1996/Volume%2019-15-22.pdf|access-date=23 December 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124181022/http://ento.org.nz/nzentomologist/free_issues/NZEnto19_1_1996/Volume%2019-15-22.pdf|archive-date=24 January 2016}}
Behaviour
Adult weevils are active both day and night and have been observed consuming the leaves of the ngaio tree.
Predation
The Turbott's weevil is prone to rat predation.{{cite book|last1=Meads|first1=Mike|title=Forgotten fauna : the rare, endangered, and protected invertebrates of New Zealand|date=1990|publisher=DSIR|location=Wellington|isbn=0477025900|url=http://musicmusic.tripod.com/forgotten-fauna/forgotten-fauna-weevils.html|access-date=25 December 2015}} 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.
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.{{cite web|title=Reintroduction Projects in New Zealand|url=http://www.massey.ac.nz/~darmstro/nz_projects.htm#Turbott%27s%20weevil|website=Massey University|publisher=Massey University|access-date=25 December 2015}}
Turbott's weevil are protected under Schedule 7 of The 1953 Wildlife Act, making it an offense to hunt, kill or possess a specimen.{{cite web|title=Wildlife Act 1953|url=http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1953/0031/latest/whole.html#DLM277090|website=New Zealand Legislation|publisher=Parliamentary Counsel Office|access-date=27 November 2016}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Wikispecies|Anagotus turbotti}}
- [http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/ca50f968-339b-476a-a0e9-9ad437e63b52 The New Zealand Organisms register entry for Anagotus turbotti]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q21243290}}
Category:Endemic beetles of New Zealand