Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 3. Terrestrial Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
McIntire (1960) noted that there were no mosquitoes on Abariringa (Canton). But there was
a parasitic hippoboscid louse fly on some birds. If there was standing water, damselflies
became numerous.
Gressitt and Yamamoto (1963) reported that there were four ways that insects get to oceanic
islands: (1) air currents; (2) rafts or logs; (3) feet or feathers of birds; and (4) man. Voluntary
flight may be the mechanism for two species of dragonflies to become established on
Abariringa (Canton). In addition, it may also be the mechanism used by the butterfly
Hypolimnas bolina to become re-established there.
Shiroma (1965) confirmed the absence of mosquitoes on Abariringa (Canton). Shiroma
(1965) noted that 40 species of insects had been collected on Abariringa (Canton). No
species list was provided.
Beardsley (1965) reported that the notorious Rutherglen bug of Australia, Nysius vinitor
Bergroth, had become established on Abariringa (Canton).
Shiroma (1966) reported in 1965 there was an insect survey of Abariringa (Canton). During
that survey 42 species of insects were collected. Eleven new insect were recorded. They
included:
1) Icerya purchasi (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae),
2) Pseudococcus vastator (Homoptera: Pesudococcidae);
3) Orius persequens (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae);
4) Chrysodeixis chalcites (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae);
5) Perigea dolorosa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae);
6) Drosophila busckii (Diptera: Drosophilidae);
7) Notogramma cimiciforme (Diptera: Otitidae);
8) Hostis guamensis (Diptera: Ephydridae);
9) Placopsidella cynecephala (Diptera: Ephydridae);
10) Chrysoma megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae); and
11) Chrysopa ramburi (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae);
Amerson (1968) lists the bird hosts for the tick, Ornithoros capensis and the O. capensis
group in Abariringa (Canton) (see Table III-3.11).
Table III-3.11. Distibution and hosts of Ornithoros capensis Neumann (*)
and Ornithodoros capensis group (+) in the Phoenix Islands
(source: Amerson 1968)
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