薩摩黒島産小蛾類目録

抄録

Satsuma-Kuroshima Island is an important region for biogeographic analyses of post-disturbance colonization processes and differences among neighboring islands. The island is located in close proximity to the Kikai Caldera, and the caldera-forming Kikai-Akahoya eruption (ca. 7,300 years ago) caused extensive large-scale disturbance across the surrounding region. In addition, because neighboring islands differ in their geological histories and environmental conditions, they represent suitable comparative systems for evaluating the effects of volcanic activity and subsequent community assembly processes on insect assemblages. Microlepidoptera are often regarded as sensitive indicators of habitat condition, yet their diversity and distribution in this region have remained poorly documented.

Here, we compiled historical records and conducted field surveys in 2023-2024 to establish a baseline inventory of the microlepidopteran fauna of Satsuma-Kuroshima. The literature survey confirmed 51 species in 7 families, whereas field sampling recorded 101 species in 21 families. In total, 135 species in 24 families (including four unidentified taxa) are currently known from the island. Our surveys added 84 species and17 families and revealed four species newly recorded from the Ryukyu Islands (Thecobathra lambda, Aethes rectilineana, Pyroderces sarcogypsa and Assara pallidella). This checklist provides the first comprehensive baseline dataset for the microlepidoptera of Satsuma-Kuroshima and will support future monitoring and comparative studies across nearby islands with contrasting geological histories and environments.