University of the Ryukyus · Tropical Biosphere Research Center

Research keywordsinsect taxonomy・DNA barcoding・mangrove ecology・parasitoid wasps・Iriomote biodiversity・host-use evolution

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• Taxonomic revision of two species of Aphelonyx (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) described in Japan2026 · Ide, T; Wachi, N; Abe, Y
• Field observation of predation on insects in mangrove habitat at Iriomote Island, the Yaeyama Islands, southwestern Japan2026 · Abstract Mangrove forests form vital interfaces between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, supporting a wide variety of organisms, both vertebrates and invertebrates. Although insects have long been underrepresented in mangrove research, particularly compared with studies on plant biology and ecosystem functioning, recent findings suggest that their diversity and ecological importance are greater than previously recognized. Nevertheless, their roles in trophic interactions, especially as prey, remain poorly understood. Here, we document six instances of insect predation from a mangrove habitat on Iriomote Island, the Yaeyama Islands, Japan. These include predation by fish, crabs, spiders, dragonflies, wasps and flies on various insect taxa, some of which are associated with mangrove environments. Although fragmentary, these records indicate that insects contribute to mangrove food webs not only as herbivores and detritivores but also as an important prey resource for a broad range of predators. Our observations underscore the need for further research into insect‐mediated trophic relationships in mangrove ecosystems.
• Occurrence of Eoophyla gibbosalis (Guenée, 1854) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Acentropinae) from Ishigaki Island, the Yaeyama Islands, Southwestern Japan2011 · The genus Eoophyla (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Acentropinae) is a diverse group widely distributed from the Oriental to the Australasian region, whose larvae are typically aquatic. In Japan, three species are currently known, including Eoophyla gibbosalis (Guenée, 1854), first recorded from Yonaguni Island in 2011 and later reported from the island of the Okinawa and Amami Islands. Here, I report the first record of E. gibbosalis from Ishigaki Island, representing the second locality in the Yaeyama Islands. A male specimen was collected near a water cascade within an ornamental pond of a hotel garden. I conducted a review of published Japanese records and a systematic survey of iNaturalist observations across the species’ range. This record fills a gap in the known distribution of E. gibbosalis in the Ryukyu Islands and may suggest ecological flexibility, although incidental occurrences cannot be excluded. ZooBank LSID: https://zoobank.org/References/EB95C6F2-A307-4ADE-AF92-EC53227C0F74
• 八重山諸島からのコウヤツリアブの初記録とコウシュンツリアブの確認記録(ハエ目・ツリアブ科)1916 · コウヤツリアブ Anthrax aygulus Fabricius,1805を西表島南風見および上原で採集し,八重山諸島および西表島からの初記録として報告する.また,西表島船浦で採集された個体をコウシュンツリアブAnthrax koshunensis Matsumura,1916として記録する.

• マングローブ環境における昆虫類の環境指標性の検証2025 · 基盤研究(C)
• 集団サイズ動態による過去の競争の検出2024 · 基盤研究(C)
• 無性生殖寄生蜂の遺伝的多様性はどのように刷新されるのか？2023 · 基盤研究(C)
• 文法記述と比較研究による琉球諸語と九州方言の歴史言語学的研究2022 · 基盤研究(A)

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