- English Common Name
- Yanbaru Long-armed Scarab Beetle
- Scientific name
- Cheirotonus jambar
- Taxonomy
- Order: Coleoptera, Family: Scarabaeidae
- Size
- 4.5 cm – 6.5 cm (male can be 13 cm – 14 cm including length of front legs)
- Species Distribution
- Northern part of Okinawa Island
- Okinawa Prefecture Natural Monument
- National Natural Monument
- National Endangered Species
- Okinawa Red List of Threatened Species: Endangered
- Japan Red List of Threatened Species: Endangered
- This species is endemic to the Yanbaru area in Okinawa Island and was found as a new species in 1983. From the time it was officially classified in 1984, it was considered to be near extinction. It was registered as a National Natural Monument in the following year. This species is endemic to the Yanbaru area in Okinawa Island and was found as a new species in 1983. From the time it was officially classified in 1984, it was considered to be near extinction. It was registered as a National Natural Monument in the following year.
- Yanbaru Long-armed Scarab Beetle larvae live in hollow chinquapin trees and feed on flake-like decaying plants. It takes larvae three years to mature. Male Yanbaru Long-armed Scarab Beetle starts flying around to find a mate. On the other side, the female barely gets out from the tree. Its characteristic long forelegs are developed to climb on trees or fight against other male beetles to find its mate.
Long developed front legs.
-
※Please note!
Cheirotonus jambar is an endangered species and has been declared a National and Okinawa Natural Monument. Please refer to the Act on Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and Japan’s law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. and Okinawa Prefecture’s law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. - Updated June 2017