Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Plaesius javanus

Jepson's Beetle

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type Description Download
Open this image in pop-up window Image: Specimen (BPBM) 53KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Jepson's Beetle

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE se.Asia - Indonesia

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Naturalised; Land, horticultural

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Biocontrol - released 1937 onwards

KEY FEATURES: Glossy black beetle to 14mmBL. Jaws long and curved; frontlegs thin and expanded laterally. Wingcovers with 4-6 longitudinal grooves long laterally and shortening posteriodorsally.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Platysoma urvillei is smaller to 6mmBL (vs 15mm); wingcovers with 2 long grooves and ±1 rudimentary (vs 1-2 long, 3-4 short).

Enlarged Image of 'Plaesius javanus'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR 
MG
AT
MK
MT
AK
PL
TK
MN
P

Northern Group:
TN 
MH
RK
PK
NS
SW

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Plaesius javanus Erichson, 1834
SYNONYMS: Plaesius (Plaesius) javanus Erichson, 1834

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; ARTHROPODA; ATELOCERATA; HEXAPODA; INSECTA; PTERYGOTA; Coleoptera; HISTERIDAE. COMMENT: Subfamily subf. Histerinae, Tribe Platysomatini

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Biocontrol - released 1937 onwards. Comments: First introduced from Fiji to the Southern Cook Islands 1937; first introduced from Java to the Cook Islands 1938; both introductions for the control of the Banana Weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus), however is not considered to exhibit effective control despite being well established. A 1940 shipment from Suva, Fiji actually consisted of this and a second species Hyposolenus laevigatus. (W&D79)

IDENTIFICATION: Glossy black beetle to 15mmBL. HEAD long curved jaws, antennae short. THORAX with rounded anterolateral projections. LEGS foreleg second segment thin and expanded with groove to infold outer segments. WINGCOVERS ~5 longitudinal grooves, laterally 1-2 very long, dorsoposteriorly 3-4 short; abdominal 2 rear segments exposed.

GENERAL NOTE: Predator on the Banana weevil borer.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Cooks: DSIR40; DSIR70s;

References:
Special Reference: PM79, W&D79

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM05b, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
Please refer to our use policy.


Search Biodiversity Database Biodiversity Database

More Options | Help
My List My List

 

 


Copyright © 2007 (July) The Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, all rights reserved.
Copyright & Use Policy