Prodontria lewisi
Prodontria lewisi ( English common name: Cromwell Chafer Chafer Beetle or Cromwell ) is a flightless beetles in the family of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae ). It is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand and is there exclusively in the area around Cromwell Otago.
Features
The Beetle has grown 15-16 millimeters long and 8.5 millimeters wide. The females are longer and wider than the males, but have slightly shorter front and rear legs. The elytra are very convex, longitudinally provided with grooves and pale reddish - brown.
Dissemination
The beetle was first detected in 1904 by the entomologist ( entomologist ) Thomas Broun ( 1838-1919 ) in the area in and around Cromwell. It is believed that Prodontria lewisi has evolved from a small founder population, which seemed isolated in the period of the Pleistocene in the Cromwell Basin. It is assumed that prior to the settlement of New Zealand by Europeans, the habitat of the beetle comprised approximately 500 acres of land, but is now shrunk as a result of intensified land use and land consumption to less than 100 acres. After 1977, the public was made aware of the threat to the species in newspaper and television reports, a discussion got under way in 1979 that caused the city government of Cromwell a reserve for the time being ensured and einzäunte. 1983, designated as a protected area for the endangered in its existence beetles of this area 81 hectares under the Reserves Act (1977). Since 1997, the Beetle is also listed as an endangered with extinction in the Red List.
Lifestyle and behavior
The habitat of the beetle are the sand and dune areas in Cromwell level that a gappy vegetation of the Ordinary beach grass (Ammophila arenaria ), bush lupine ( Lupinus arboreus ), Monterey pine (Pinus radiata ) and silver pillows ( Raoulia australis), a resistant cushion plant, carry. The dominant grass species Poa laevis belongs to the type of tussock grasses.
Prodontria lewisi during the day up to 50 cm stretches deep into the wet sand back, often in roots of Poa laevis or Raoulia australis hidden. The latter is also its main food plant. Shortly after dawn he leaves the daytime roosts to feed. Particularly active Prodontria lewisi is in warm, humid weather, while he mostly remains at temperatures below 6 ° C in hiding. In the Dating males are the assets and make the choice for the appropriate females. The females lay their eggs on the roots of Tussockgrases from which later the larvae feed.
On the biology of Prodontria lewisi date, little is known why Ferreira and McKinlay have made on behalf of the " Department of Conservation " suggestions for further research in 1999.
Natural enemies
Apart from the man counting almost invariably introduced by Europeans species to the enemies of Prodontria lewisi. This includes for example the Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). Originally he had been based in New Zealand, because he should have been stopped, the entrained and uncontrollably replicating worm. Also, three imported from Europe bird species contribute to the risk of the beetle: Blackbird ( Turdus merula), song thrushes (Turdus melos ) and especially the little owl (Athene noctua). This was supposed to decimate the European songbirds that descend to the harvest time on fruit plantations. The owl eats about 10 percent of Prodontria lewisi. Native animals or parasites that could harm the beetle population are, except for the spider Porrhothele antipodiana not known. The New Zealand known as "Black Spider Tunnelweb " Art was the inspiration for the look Shelobs in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.