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  3. Psacothea hilaris subsp.

Psacothea hilaris subsp.

Basic information
Scientific name Psacothea hilaris subsp. (No picture)
Common names yellow-spotted longicorn beetle
Higher taxon Cerambycidae, Chrysomeloidea, Coleoptera
Natural range Natural range of the entire species: Izu Islands (Miyakejima and Mikurajima Islands), Ryukyu Archipelago, Taiwan, continental China, and Ulleungdo Is (South Korea). Whether the populations of central to western Honshu, Shikoku, and northern Kyushu (“Western Japan Form”) are native or exotic is unresolved.
Habitat Forest, farm, city, etc.
Invasion information
Range in Japan Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Central to northeastern Honshu is occupied by “Eastern Japan Form,” whereas central to western Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu Islands are occupied by “Western Japan Form.” The feral population in Hachijojima Island (Izu Islands) is identified as P. h. maculata (natural range: Amamioshima and Tokunoshima Islands, Ryukyus). Range in Japan
Origin Various among local populations.
Date The first record in Japan was in 1870s at lumber yard of Nagasaki. The first record of Eastern Japan Form was in 1930s at Tokyo. In main land of Kagoshima, various subspecies originating from Ryukyu Archipelago have been recorded since 1959.
Route Accidental: Hitchhiking on with transport of ornamental trees such as banyan (Ficus microcarpa).
Impact Feeding on Moraceae plants such as Ficus carica, Morus spp., etc.
Native organism(s) affected: Moraceae plants such as Ficus carica, Morus spp., etc.
Regulation in Japan Family Cerambycidae is desgnated as a Quarantine Pest (the Plant Protection Law).
Introduced range in other countries None.
Reference Notes
  • Nakamura (ed) (1988) Alien Species of Japan. Kanagawa Prefectural Museum. (in Jpn)
  • Plant Protection Station (2011) The Plant Protection Act. Quarantine Pest List. (Accessed on 2012-6-15) http://www.pps.go.jp/law_active/Notification/basis/5/245/html/245.html (in Jpn)
  • Tsutsumi & Yamanaka (1996) Effects of nonwoven fabric sheet containing entomogenous fungus, Beauveria brongniartii (SACC.) PETCH. GSES, on adult yellow spotted longicorn beetle, Psacothea hilaris (PASCOE) (Coleoptera : Cerambycidae) on fig trees. Jpn J Appl Zool Entomol. 40(2):145-151
  • etc.