Cybister rugosus
Coleoptera / Family: Dytiscidae
- Total length
- 27-33 mm
- Range
- The Ryukyu Islands (south of Tanegashima), China, Southeast Asia, and India
Fiercely carnivorous, it preys on various aquatic animals and scavenges on carrion. In the diorama, it seems to have just caught a dragonfly nymph.
Its hardened forewings are mainly brown to greenish-black with a strong sheen, edged with yellow to pale yellowish-brown. Males possess fan-like protrusions on their forelegs, which are used during mating.
It is believed to have once been widely distributed across the island, but it is currently on the brink of extinction due to the loss of rice paddies, bank protection of ponds, and the inflow of agricultural chemicals into their habitats. The larvae are also carnivorous. They undergo complete metamorphosis, becoming pupae underground at the shore.
Habitat of This Animal:
B:Forest along the mountain ridge - B1:Forest near the settlement
Most of the forests in Tokunoshima Island are secondary forests that were once cleared in the past. Especially near the settlements, there are forests that have become well-lit thanks to recent pruning. Remains of paths, charcoal kilns, and fields form a reminder of the relationship between people and nature. Such forests accessible from settlements are inhabited by many living creatures fond of the well-lit environment.
This B1:Forest near the settlement