Protecting a subspecies before it becomes an extinct species: The Palkachupa Cotinga in Bolivia September 2011. The Bolivian subspecies of the Swallow-tailed Cotinga Phibalura flavirostris merits recognition as a species, says Bennett Hennessey, Executive Director of BirdLife's Bolivian Partner Asociación Armonía, in a paper just published in The Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
Fewer than 600 birds
Now reduced to fewer than 600 individuals in a few fragments of forest within an area of just over 1,000 km2, the "Palkachupa Cotinga" will be a candidate for a high threat category in the 2012 Red List update by BirdLife International.
Rediscovered in 2000
Unrecorded for 98 years, P. f. boliviana was rediscovered at the edge of a small (2-4 km2) forest fragment near Pata, north-west of the municipality of Apolo in Bolivia's Madidi National Park, in September 2000.
Bennett Hennessey rediscovered the bird, and is now leading Armonía's efforts to conserve it. It is still relatively common in patches of good habitat, but with so little good habitat remaining the population is very low. A stronghold of the population has been found at the original collection site, near the village of Aten.
"Without more support, we have another dry season on the horizon, during which more of Palkachupa's habitat will be cut and burnt for pasture land," says Bennett Hennessey. Armonía is seeking donations of $3000 to $5000 to protect the Palkachupa Cotinga (see end of story for details on how you can help).
59 hectares published
In June 2010, Armonía achieved the first step toward the creation of a Palkachupa Nature Reserve with the purchase of 59 ha near Aten. Negotiations with landowners continue, and they hope to purchase additional land. "The area requires complete boundary fencing to prevent further cattle grazing, and to allow reforestation. Restoration of savannah breeding habitat is needed, and for this we will first need to work with neighbouring landowners on fire management. Isolated trees will be planted to improve nesting habitat" said Bennet Hennessey.
"We will initiate a programme of protecting Palkachupa Cotinga nesting trees in the Aten area by purchasing the protection rights of important trees. These trees will be fenced off, and signs will be placed declaring these small areas as sanctuaries for nesting Palkachupa."
It would not be possible to protect the Palkachupa's habitat without the support and cooperation of the people of Aten. Armonía is working with a former Madidi park guard and Aten native, William Ferufino, to coordinate research and outreach activities with the local communities.
Local people have responded enthusiastically, and images of Palkachupa play a prominent role in annual Independence Day celebrations. Four high school students are working with William Ferufino as volunteer field assistants. In recognition of this important support, and to build greater local participation, Armonía provided assistance for improvements to the Aten school, including construction of three additional classrooms.
Swallow-tailed Cotinga
The Near Threatened Swallow-tailed Cotinga has traditionally been considered to consist of two subspecies with disjunct ranges. The nominate race is found in south-eastern Brazil, and also perhaps in northeast Argentina and east Paraguay, though with no records from these countries since 1977. 2,500 km separate the nearest known population of the nominate race from the area in central-western Bolivia where three specimens of the taxon known as P. f. boliviana were collected in 1845 and 1902.
Evidence presented by Hennessey in The Wilson Journal (123(3):454-458, 2011) indicated that the Bolivian population should be treated as a separate species, Phibalura boliviana. The plumage is distinctly different: boliviana males have longer tails than flavirostris, and their body plumage is significantly less sexually dimorphic. The iris of boliviana is mustard yellow, distinct from the blood red iris of flavirostris, andboliviana has orange-yellow feet while those of flavirostris are pink. Only one vocalisation type is recorded for flavirostris, whereas at least five calls and a song are known for boliviana, which vocalises significantly more often. The Brazilian flavirostris has strong seasonal movements, whereas boliviana is sedentary.
The proposed common name proposed for the species comes from the indigenous Quechua language: "palka" meaning fork and "chupa" meaning tail.
"On first speaking with the people of Aten, their comment was that they did not know Palkachupa was so rare" says Bennett Hennessey. "Being so common in their village they assumed it was found everywhere."
Armonía is seeking donations of $3000 to $5000 to protect the Palkachupa Cotinga. Please contact abhennessey@armonia-bo.org if you wish to help efforts to save the species from extinction.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/Palkachupa-Cotinga.html
Showing posts with label rediscovered. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rediscovered. Show all posts
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Bizarre hairy fly is rediscovered
Scientists have rediscovered a bizarre insect in Kenya, collecting the first Terrible Hairy Fly specimen since 1948.
Since then, at least half a dozen expeditions have visited its only known habitat - a rock cleft in an area east of Nairobi - in search of the fly.
Two insect specialists recently spotted the 1cm-long insect, known as Mormotomyia hirsuta, living on the 20m-high rock.
They point out that it looks more like a spider with hairy legs.
The fly was found by Dr Robert Copeland and Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs during an expedition led by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).
"The rediscovery of the species, which has been collected on only two occasions before, in 1933 and 1948, has caused excitement in insect museums world-wide," the team members said in a statement.
The insect - found in only one location in Kenya - is covered in yellow hairs
Unable to fly and partial to breeding in bat faeces, the fly is thought to live only in the dank, bat-filled cleft of the isolated rock in Kenya's Ukazi Hills.
It also has non-functional wings that resemble miniature belt-straps, and tiny eyes.
Dr Copeland of the Nairobi-based ICIPE said the fly's physical appearance had left scientists bamboozled about where exactly it belonged in the entire order of Diptera, or "true flies".
"We have collected fresh specimens for molecular analysis to see where exactly the Terrible Hairy Fly fits into the evolutionary process," Robert Copeland told Reuters news agency.
"The fly has no obvious adaptations for clinging onto other animals for transfer from one place to another. With its long legs, it could perhaps wrap itself around a bat and get a ride... but it's never been found elsewhere."
But he added: "Since Mormotomyia cannot fly, there is a strong possibility that it is really restricted to this tiny habitat."
Since then, at least half a dozen expeditions have visited its only known habitat - a rock cleft in an area east of Nairobi - in search of the fly.
Two insect specialists recently spotted the 1cm-long insect, known as Mormotomyia hirsuta, living on the 20m-high rock.
They point out that it looks more like a spider with hairy legs.
The fly was found by Dr Robert Copeland and Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs during an expedition led by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).
"The rediscovery of the species, which has been collected on only two occasions before, in 1933 and 1948, has caused excitement in insect museums world-wide," the team members said in a statement.
The insect - found in only one location in Kenya - is covered in yellow hairs
Unable to fly and partial to breeding in bat faeces, the fly is thought to live only in the dank, bat-filled cleft of the isolated rock in Kenya's Ukazi Hills.
It also has non-functional wings that resemble miniature belt-straps, and tiny eyes.
Dr Copeland of the Nairobi-based ICIPE said the fly's physical appearance had left scientists bamboozled about where exactly it belonged in the entire order of Diptera, or "true flies".
"We have collected fresh specimens for molecular analysis to see where exactly the Terrible Hairy Fly fits into the evolutionary process," Robert Copeland told Reuters news agency.
"The fly has no obvious adaptations for clinging onto other animals for transfer from one place to another. With its long legs, it could perhaps wrap itself around a bat and get a ride... but it's never been found elsewhere."
But he added: "Since Mormotomyia cannot fly, there is a strong possibility that it is really restricted to this tiny habitat."
Bizarre hairy fly is rediscovered
Scientists have rediscovered a bizarre insect in Kenya, collecting the first Terrible Hairy Fly specimen since 1948.
Since then, at least half a dozen expeditions have visited its only known habitat - a rock cleft in an area east of Nairobi - in search of the fly.
Two insect specialists recently spotted the 1cm-long insect, known as Mormotomyia hirsuta, living on the 20m-high rock.
They point out that it looks more like a spider with hairy legs.
The fly was found by Dr Robert Copeland and Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs during an expedition led by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).
"The rediscovery of the species, which has been collected on only two occasions before, in 1933 and 1948, has caused excitement in insect museums world-wide," the team members said in a statement.
The insect - found in only one location in Kenya - is covered in yellow hairs
Unable to fly and partial to breeding in bat faeces, the fly is thought to live only in the dank, bat-filled cleft of the isolated rock in Kenya's Ukazi Hills.
It also has non-functional wings that resemble miniature belt-straps, and tiny eyes.
Dr Copeland of the Nairobi-based ICIPE said the fly's physical appearance had left scientists bamboozled about where exactly it belonged in the entire order of Diptera, or "true flies".
"We have collected fresh specimens for molecular analysis to see where exactly the Terrible Hairy Fly fits into the evolutionary process," Robert Copeland told Reuters news agency.
"The fly has no obvious adaptations for clinging onto other animals for transfer from one place to another. With its long legs, it could perhaps wrap itself around a bat and get a ride... but it's never been found elsewhere."
But he added: "Since Mormotomyia cannot fly, there is a strong possibility that it is really restricted to this tiny habitat."
Since then, at least half a dozen expeditions have visited its only known habitat - a rock cleft in an area east of Nairobi - in search of the fly.
Two insect specialists recently spotted the 1cm-long insect, known as Mormotomyia hirsuta, living on the 20m-high rock.
They point out that it looks more like a spider with hairy legs.
The fly was found by Dr Robert Copeland and Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs during an expedition led by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).
"The rediscovery of the species, which has been collected on only two occasions before, in 1933 and 1948, has caused excitement in insect museums world-wide," the team members said in a statement.
The insect - found in only one location in Kenya - is covered in yellow hairs
Unable to fly and partial to breeding in bat faeces, the fly is thought to live only in the dank, bat-filled cleft of the isolated rock in Kenya's Ukazi Hills.
It also has non-functional wings that resemble miniature belt-straps, and tiny eyes.
Dr Copeland of the Nairobi-based ICIPE said the fly's physical appearance had left scientists bamboozled about where exactly it belonged in the entire order of Diptera, or "true flies".
"We have collected fresh specimens for molecular analysis to see where exactly the Terrible Hairy Fly fits into the evolutionary process," Robert Copeland told Reuters news agency.
"The fly has no obvious adaptations for clinging onto other animals for transfer from one place to another. With its long legs, it could perhaps wrap itself around a bat and get a ride... but it's never been found elsewhere."
But he added: "Since Mormotomyia cannot fly, there is a strong possibility that it is really restricted to this tiny habitat."
Sunday, September 19, 2010
'Mythical' extinct fly rediscovered after 160 years (via Chad Arment)
A 'mythical' fly has been rediscovered after 160 years.
Thought to be the first fly driven to extinction by humans, it was also considered one of Europe's few endemic animals to have disappeared for good.
The bizarre fly was considered 'mythical' due to its orange head, its preference for living on dead animal carcasses, and the fact it was rarely sighted even in the 19th Century.
The discovery of the fly living in Spain is "sensational", say scientists.
The colourful, strange-looking fly goes by the scientific name of Thyreophora cynophila and belongs to the cheese and bone-skipper family of flies.
"T. cynophila has acquired almost mythical status among the entomological community due to several reasons which makes it a very unusual species," says Dr Daniel Martín-Vega of the University of Alcalá, to the east of Madrid in Spain.
Dead of night
It preferred to live in the cool season, whereas most flies like warmer temperatures.
It lived on the carcasses of dead animals that are in the advanced stages of decay, whereas most carrion flies prefer less rotten flesh.
The fly was also said to have had an orange head that would glow in the dark, with some 19th Century scientists writing about how it could be found at night due to its luminous shine.
And 50 years after being described, the fly suddenly disappeared, supposedly for good, with the last sighting in 1849.
Many aspects of its biology remained unknown, but the fly's niche lifestyle was thought to have contributed to its extinction, as some experts speculated that it had a preference for crushed bones, in which it would lay eggs that turned into maggots.
Changes in livestock management in central Europe, improved carrion disposal following the Industrial Revolution, as well as the eradication of wolves and other big bone-crushing carnivores could have helped eliminate the fly.
"Because of that, T. cynophila was claimed as the first case of a fly species eradicated by man," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"Consequently, T. cynophila was included, as the only dipteran [true fly], in a recent list of European animals considered globally extinct."
Double discovery
However, Dr Martín-Vega and colleagues have found the fly living in two separate regions in Spain.
Dr Martín-Vega's team were researching carrion flies in the country in a bid to help police forensic teams.
They use the appearance of flies on corpses to help determine where and when a body may have died and how long it has been decomposing.
Around Madrid, the researchers use carrion-baited traps to catch more than 50,000 flies which have been studied and catalogued.
"I noticed the presence of six specimens of a strange-looking fly," which turned out to be the long-lost T. cynophila, Dr Martín-Vega told the BBC.
He and his colleagues have published details of this new discovery in the journal Systematic Entomology.
While they were waiting for the paper to be published, another group of researchers also found the fly living in La Rioja Province, in northern Spain.
Treasure collectors
Dr Martín-Vega's team have also discovered an old museum specimen of the fly which they believe originated in Algeria.
"This specimen, together with the present captures in Spain, suggest that probably the species is also present in more countries of the Mediterranean Basin," he says.
The researchers want to ensure the fly is listed as a protected species, until more is known about where it lives.
"The protection of T. cynophila is essential since one of the major threats for rediscovered insects is the indiscriminate capture by insect collectors, who consider these insects species a 'treasure' for their collections," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"In the case of T. cynophila, its colourful appearance is an extra handicap, indeed some authors called this species the 'Holy Grail' of Dipterology, [the study of flies]".
Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News
17 September 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9008000/9008585.stm
Thought to be the first fly driven to extinction by humans, it was also considered one of Europe's few endemic animals to have disappeared for good.
The bizarre fly was considered 'mythical' due to its orange head, its preference for living on dead animal carcasses, and the fact it was rarely sighted even in the 19th Century.
The discovery of the fly living in Spain is "sensational", say scientists.
The colourful, strange-looking fly goes by the scientific name of Thyreophora cynophila and belongs to the cheese and bone-skipper family of flies.
"T. cynophila has acquired almost mythical status among the entomological community due to several reasons which makes it a very unusual species," says Dr Daniel Martín-Vega of the University of Alcalá, to the east of Madrid in Spain.
Dead of night
It preferred to live in the cool season, whereas most flies like warmer temperatures.
It lived on the carcasses of dead animals that are in the advanced stages of decay, whereas most carrion flies prefer less rotten flesh.
The fly was also said to have had an orange head that would glow in the dark, with some 19th Century scientists writing about how it could be found at night due to its luminous shine.
And 50 years after being described, the fly suddenly disappeared, supposedly for good, with the last sighting in 1849.
Many aspects of its biology remained unknown, but the fly's niche lifestyle was thought to have contributed to its extinction, as some experts speculated that it had a preference for crushed bones, in which it would lay eggs that turned into maggots.
Changes in livestock management in central Europe, improved carrion disposal following the Industrial Revolution, as well as the eradication of wolves and other big bone-crushing carnivores could have helped eliminate the fly.
"Because of that, T. cynophila was claimed as the first case of a fly species eradicated by man," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"Consequently, T. cynophila was included, as the only dipteran [true fly], in a recent list of European animals considered globally extinct."
Double discovery
However, Dr Martín-Vega and colleagues have found the fly living in two separate regions in Spain.
Dr Martín-Vega's team were researching carrion flies in the country in a bid to help police forensic teams.
They use the appearance of flies on corpses to help determine where and when a body may have died and how long it has been decomposing.
Around Madrid, the researchers use carrion-baited traps to catch more than 50,000 flies which have been studied and catalogued.
"I noticed the presence of six specimens of a strange-looking fly," which turned out to be the long-lost T. cynophila, Dr Martín-Vega told the BBC.
He and his colleagues have published details of this new discovery in the journal Systematic Entomology.
While they were waiting for the paper to be published, another group of researchers also found the fly living in La Rioja Province, in northern Spain.
Treasure collectors
Dr Martín-Vega's team have also discovered an old museum specimen of the fly which they believe originated in Algeria.
"This specimen, together with the present captures in Spain, suggest that probably the species is also present in more countries of the Mediterranean Basin," he says.
The researchers want to ensure the fly is listed as a protected species, until more is known about where it lives.
"The protection of T. cynophila is essential since one of the major threats for rediscovered insects is the indiscriminate capture by insect collectors, who consider these insects species a 'treasure' for their collections," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"In the case of T. cynophila, its colourful appearance is an extra handicap, indeed some authors called this species the 'Holy Grail' of Dipterology, [the study of flies]".
Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News
17 September 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9008000/9008585.stm
'Mythical' extinct fly rediscovered after 160 years (via Chad Arment)
A 'mythical' fly has been rediscovered after 160 years.
Thought to be the first fly driven to extinction by humans, it was also considered one of Europe's few endemic animals to have disappeared for good.
The bizarre fly was considered 'mythical' due to its orange head, its preference for living on dead animal carcasses, and the fact it was rarely sighted even in the 19th Century.
The discovery of the fly living in Spain is "sensational", say scientists.
The colourful, strange-looking fly goes by the scientific name of Thyreophora cynophila and belongs to the cheese and bone-skipper family of flies.
"T. cynophila has acquired almost mythical status among the entomological community due to several reasons which makes it a very unusual species," says Dr Daniel Martín-Vega of the University of Alcalá, to the east of Madrid in Spain.
Dead of night
It preferred to live in the cool season, whereas most flies like warmer temperatures.
It lived on the carcasses of dead animals that are in the advanced stages of decay, whereas most carrion flies prefer less rotten flesh.
The fly was also said to have had an orange head that would glow in the dark, with some 19th Century scientists writing about how it could be found at night due to its luminous shine.
And 50 years after being described, the fly suddenly disappeared, supposedly for good, with the last sighting in 1849.
Many aspects of its biology remained unknown, but the fly's niche lifestyle was thought to have contributed to its extinction, as some experts speculated that it had a preference for crushed bones, in which it would lay eggs that turned into maggots.
Changes in livestock management in central Europe, improved carrion disposal following the Industrial Revolution, as well as the eradication of wolves and other big bone-crushing carnivores could have helped eliminate the fly.
"Because of that, T. cynophila was claimed as the first case of a fly species eradicated by man," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"Consequently, T. cynophila was included, as the only dipteran [true fly], in a recent list of European animals considered globally extinct."
Double discovery
However, Dr Martín-Vega and colleagues have found the fly living in two separate regions in Spain.
Dr Martín-Vega's team were researching carrion flies in the country in a bid to help police forensic teams.
They use the appearance of flies on corpses to help determine where and when a body may have died and how long it has been decomposing.
Around Madrid, the researchers use carrion-baited traps to catch more than 50,000 flies which have been studied and catalogued.
"I noticed the presence of six specimens of a strange-looking fly," which turned out to be the long-lost T. cynophila, Dr Martín-Vega told the BBC.
He and his colleagues have published details of this new discovery in the journal Systematic Entomology.
While they were waiting for the paper to be published, another group of researchers also found the fly living in La Rioja Province, in northern Spain.
Treasure collectors
Dr Martín-Vega's team have also discovered an old museum specimen of the fly which they believe originated in Algeria.
"This specimen, together with the present captures in Spain, suggest that probably the species is also present in more countries of the Mediterranean Basin," he says.
The researchers want to ensure the fly is listed as a protected species, until more is known about where it lives.
"The protection of T. cynophila is essential since one of the major threats for rediscovered insects is the indiscriminate capture by insect collectors, who consider these insects species a 'treasure' for their collections," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"In the case of T. cynophila, its colourful appearance is an extra handicap, indeed some authors called this species the 'Holy Grail' of Dipterology, [the study of flies]".
Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News
17 September 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9008000/9008585.stm
Thought to be the first fly driven to extinction by humans, it was also considered one of Europe's few endemic animals to have disappeared for good.
The bizarre fly was considered 'mythical' due to its orange head, its preference for living on dead animal carcasses, and the fact it was rarely sighted even in the 19th Century.
The discovery of the fly living in Spain is "sensational", say scientists.
The colourful, strange-looking fly goes by the scientific name of Thyreophora cynophila and belongs to the cheese and bone-skipper family of flies.
"T. cynophila has acquired almost mythical status among the entomological community due to several reasons which makes it a very unusual species," says Dr Daniel Martín-Vega of the University of Alcalá, to the east of Madrid in Spain.
Dead of night
It preferred to live in the cool season, whereas most flies like warmer temperatures.
It lived on the carcasses of dead animals that are in the advanced stages of decay, whereas most carrion flies prefer less rotten flesh.
The fly was also said to have had an orange head that would glow in the dark, with some 19th Century scientists writing about how it could be found at night due to its luminous shine.
And 50 years after being described, the fly suddenly disappeared, supposedly for good, with the last sighting in 1849.
Many aspects of its biology remained unknown, but the fly's niche lifestyle was thought to have contributed to its extinction, as some experts speculated that it had a preference for crushed bones, in which it would lay eggs that turned into maggots.
Changes in livestock management in central Europe, improved carrion disposal following the Industrial Revolution, as well as the eradication of wolves and other big bone-crushing carnivores could have helped eliminate the fly.
"Because of that, T. cynophila was claimed as the first case of a fly species eradicated by man," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"Consequently, T. cynophila was included, as the only dipteran [true fly], in a recent list of European animals considered globally extinct."
Double discovery
However, Dr Martín-Vega and colleagues have found the fly living in two separate regions in Spain.
Dr Martín-Vega's team were researching carrion flies in the country in a bid to help police forensic teams.
They use the appearance of flies on corpses to help determine where and when a body may have died and how long it has been decomposing.
Around Madrid, the researchers use carrion-baited traps to catch more than 50,000 flies which have been studied and catalogued.
"I noticed the presence of six specimens of a strange-looking fly," which turned out to be the long-lost T. cynophila, Dr Martín-Vega told the BBC.
He and his colleagues have published details of this new discovery in the journal Systematic Entomology.
While they were waiting for the paper to be published, another group of researchers also found the fly living in La Rioja Province, in northern Spain.
Treasure collectors
Dr Martín-Vega's team have also discovered an old museum specimen of the fly which they believe originated in Algeria.
"This specimen, together with the present captures in Spain, suggest that probably the species is also present in more countries of the Mediterranean Basin," he says.
The researchers want to ensure the fly is listed as a protected species, until more is known about where it lives.
"The protection of T. cynophila is essential since one of the major threats for rediscovered insects is the indiscriminate capture by insect collectors, who consider these insects species a 'treasure' for their collections," says Dr Martín-Vega.
"In the case of T. cynophila, its colourful appearance is an extra handicap, indeed some authors called this species the 'Holy Grail' of Dipterology, [the study of flies]".
Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News
17 September 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9008000/9008585.stm
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Beetle mania as 'extinct' insect found on Scots isle
A RARE beetle thought until recently to have died out in Britain has been found living in numbers on a Scottish island.
The discovery of a population of short-necked oil beetles has excited entomologists as the insects had not been seen for about 60 years until rediscovered in Devon in 2007.
But an expert on holiday on the island of Coll reported seeing the oil beetle last month and a team travelled to investigate the discovery and to look for other species.
Now the team is trying to establish how the insects, which cannot fly, got to the island.
Surprisingly, the team did not find any oil beetles on neighbouring Tiree, despite it having similar conditions.
About 40 beetles were found on four sites on Coll, examined by the team, which includes Jeanne Robinson, the curator of entomology at Glasgow Museums; Geoff Hancock, of Glasgow's Hunterian Museum; Garth Foster, of the Aquatic Coleoptera Trust, and beetle expert Darren Mann of Oxford University Museum of Natural History. It is thought that the beetle population might be much larger.
Until the small colony was found in Devon, it was thought the insect, Meloe brevicollis, had been extinct in the UK since the 1940s due to intensive farming.
Ms Robinson said: "It's hard to believe it could have been present in those numbers for some time. Almost definitely, there is a bigger population than what we have found so far.
"We were there for only two and a half days and there is a certain amount of chance and luck involved (in finding the insects].
"They are very vulnerable to disturbance and what the Devon and Coll sites have in common is that they have been relatively undisturbed for a long time."
The beetle has parasitic young that depend on solitary nesting bees for survival. Ms Robinson added: "The beetle does not fly and relies on the bee carrying its young to disperse it, so how it got to Coll remains quite interesting.
"We are hoping there is the potential to do some genetic analysis so see where the population came from."
She said there were records of the beetle being found in Ireland and it was feasible that bees had flown over the island bearing the oil beetle.
She added: "We went first to Tiree, which also has huge population of the solitary bee that the oil beetle relies upon and nice sand dunes as well, but we just did not find anything.
Coll is a bit more rugged and there are subtle difference in conditions."
Ms Robinson said that the solitary bee population on Coll was doing "incredibly well' because of the quality of its sand dunes, which are very sheltered and remain largely undisturbed.
She said there was a delicate balance between the beetles and bees as the former - whose larvae feed on the bees' young and pollen stores - would not survive if it decimated the bee population.
The entomologists' discoveries will be listed on the National Recording Scheme and Natural Biodiversity Network which allows changes in populations and biodiversity to be monitored.
The oil beetle gets its name from the highly toxic oil secretions it produces when threatened. The discovery in Devon was made by an amateur entomologist during a wildlife survey on National Trust land.
Prior to that, the beetles were last recorded at Chailey Common, Sussex in 1948.
By JOHN ROSS
http://news.scotsman.com/inverness/Beetle-mania-as-39extinct39-insect.6423196.jp?articlepage=1
The discovery of a population of short-necked oil beetles has excited entomologists as the insects had not been seen for about 60 years until rediscovered in Devon in 2007.
But an expert on holiday on the island of Coll reported seeing the oil beetle last month and a team travelled to investigate the discovery and to look for other species.
Now the team is trying to establish how the insects, which cannot fly, got to the island.
Surprisingly, the team did not find any oil beetles on neighbouring Tiree, despite it having similar conditions.
About 40 beetles were found on four sites on Coll, examined by the team, which includes Jeanne Robinson, the curator of entomology at Glasgow Museums; Geoff Hancock, of Glasgow's Hunterian Museum; Garth Foster, of the Aquatic Coleoptera Trust, and beetle expert Darren Mann of Oxford University Museum of Natural History. It is thought that the beetle population might be much larger.
Until the small colony was found in Devon, it was thought the insect, Meloe brevicollis, had been extinct in the UK since the 1940s due to intensive farming.
Ms Robinson said: "It's hard to believe it could have been present in those numbers for some time. Almost definitely, there is a bigger population than what we have found so far.
"We were there for only two and a half days and there is a certain amount of chance and luck involved (in finding the insects].
"They are very vulnerable to disturbance and what the Devon and Coll sites have in common is that they have been relatively undisturbed for a long time."
The beetle has parasitic young that depend on solitary nesting bees for survival. Ms Robinson added: "The beetle does not fly and relies on the bee carrying its young to disperse it, so how it got to Coll remains quite interesting.
"We are hoping there is the potential to do some genetic analysis so see where the population came from."
She said there were records of the beetle being found in Ireland and it was feasible that bees had flown over the island bearing the oil beetle.
She added: "We went first to Tiree, which also has huge population of the solitary bee that the oil beetle relies upon and nice sand dunes as well, but we just did not find anything.
Coll is a bit more rugged and there are subtle difference in conditions."
Ms Robinson said that the solitary bee population on Coll was doing "incredibly well' because of the quality of its sand dunes, which are very sheltered and remain largely undisturbed.
She said there was a delicate balance between the beetles and bees as the former - whose larvae feed on the bees' young and pollen stores - would not survive if it decimated the bee population.
The entomologists' discoveries will be listed on the National Recording Scheme and Natural Biodiversity Network which allows changes in populations and biodiversity to be monitored.
The oil beetle gets its name from the highly toxic oil secretions it produces when threatened. The discovery in Devon was made by an amateur entomologist during a wildlife survey on National Trust land.
Prior to that, the beetles were last recorded at Chailey Common, Sussex in 1948.
By JOHN ROSS
http://news.scotsman.com/inverness/Beetle-mania-as-39extinct39-insect.6423196.jp?articlepage=1
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