Vol 3 Land Resource Inventory Report - Department of Environment ...

3.10 A CHECKLIST OF THE INSECTS OF FIJI
This checklist represents a compilation of insect species of Fiji from those listed in the Fiji
Arthropod Survey Checklist website (http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/fiji/checklists.html) and
updated from various recently published and unpublished literatures where species are known
to occur in Fiji. The checklist records a total of 5,024 insect species belonging to 25 orders
and 349 families whilst many remain unknown to science. The Insecta (Class Hexapoda) is
one of the largest groups of living organisms known for Fiji. The insect order Coleoptera
(Beetles) is the largest group within the class, making up approximately 28% of Fiji‘s insect
fauna followed by Lepidoptera (24%) and then by Diptera (13%). Fiji has recorded high rates
of endemism for many of the major insect groups that have been studied however; less
remains known of the biology and ecology of these endemic insects and thus efforts to make
concise conservation and management efforts into protecting them better in their natural
habitat still awaits further scientific data.
Some of Fiji‘s insects have also captivated global interest e.g. the rare and endemic Fijian
giant long-horned beetle, Xixuthrus heros which is known to be the worlds‘ second largest
beetle measuring up to 14-15cm in length.
Table 3.16: Find below a summary of the Insects of Fiji
Order No. of Families No. of Species
Blattodea 3 22
Coleoptera 61 1428
Collembola 4 7
Dermaptera 3 22
Diptera 61 669
Embiidae 1 1
Ephemeroptera 2 18
Heteroptera 34 158
Homoptera 29 485
Hymenoptera 36 552
Isoptera 3 8
Lepidoptera 50 1184
Mantodea 1 3
Neoroptera 5 12
Odonata 6 51
Orthoptera 12 137
Phasmidae 2 23
Phthiraptera 9 28
Psocoptera 9 84
Siphonaptera 1 3
Strepsiptera 2 4
Thysanoptera 3 86
Thysanura 2 3
Trichoptera 9 35
Zoraptera 1 1
Total 349 5024
36