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| Amystax urara
Kojima & Yôro, 2020
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Abstract
Amystax urara Kojima and Yôro, sp. nov. is described from the mountainous area of the Yakushima World Natural Heritage island, Kyushu, southwestern Japan. Adult weevils were captured on leaves of Pieris japonica var. yakushimensis and Buxus microphylla var. japonica (Ericaceae and Buxaceae, respectively). This is the second species of this genus known from the island.
Key word: taxonomy, new taxa, Entiminae, Tanymecini, species discovery
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| FIGURES 1–4. Habitus photos of Amystax urara sp. nov. 1. male (Holotype), 2. female (paratype), 3. male (paratype), 4. female (paratype). |
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| FIGURES 5–10. Habitat, habitus and adult host plants of Amystax urara sp. nov. 5. Habitat in Nageishidaira (ca. 1,700 m a.s.l.), 6. adult, female, 7. ditto, male, 8. ditto, female, 9. Pieris, 10. Buxus microphylla var. japonica. |
Amystax urara Kojima and Yôro, sp. nov.
Etymology. “Urara” means beautiful things in Japanese, and is also the name of our close associate on Yakushima Island, Mrs. Urara Ogata of the Riverside Café Bar, St. Pote. The brownish gray to ash green lustrous scales of this species make it the brightest species in the genus Amystax.
Biology. Adults were found on the leaves of Pieris japonica var. yakushimensis T. Yamaz. and Buxus microphylla var. japonica (Müll. Arg. ex Miq.) Rehder et E.H.Wilson from June to the middle of August. They were not found in October at the type locality. Adults are common in July and their feeding scars were observed on leaf margins of the aforementioned shrubs (Figs. 9 & 10). The microhabitat of this weevil seems to be restricted to shrubs on nearly flat or gently sloping areas at the type locality; no adults were found on shrubs on slopes.
The type locality, Nageishidaira, is a relatively flat, rocky site, ca. 1,700 m a.l.s, with low-growing shrubs such as R. yakushimanum, P. japonica var. yakushimensis, Buxus microphylla var. japonica (Tsuge in Japanese; Buxaceae), etc. Weevils appeared to associate with, not only P. j. var. yakushimensis, but also B. m. var. japonica.
Distribution. Japan (Kyushu: mountainous area on Yakushima Island).
Hiroaki Kojima and Takeshi Yôro. 2020. A New Species of Amystax Roelofs, 1873 endemic to the Mountainous Area of the Yakushima World Natural Heritage Site, Kyushu, Japan. Zootaxa. 4732(3); 495–500. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4732.3.12
