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''Styloniscus manuvaka'' is a species of terrestrial isopod endemic to the islands of
Rapa Nui Easter Island ( rap, Rapa Nui; es, Isla de Pascua) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is most famous for its nearly ...
and
Rapa Iti Rapa, also called Rapa Iti, or "Little Rapa", to distinguish it from Easter Island, whose Polynesian name is Rapa Nui, is the largest and only inhabited island of the Bass Islands in French Polynesia. An older name for the island is Oparo. The ...
. Its name is an epithet in the Rapa Nui language that translates roughly to "Canoe Bug". The name references the Canoe Bug Hypothesis which holds this species colonized these islands alongside ancient Polynesians via transplanted "Canoe Plants" such as banana, taro, and breadfruit. While this species is presently known only by relict populations in caves on Rapa Nui, its status on Rapa Iti is unknown. Another "Canoe Bug", ''
Hawaiioscia rapui ''Hawaiioscia rapui'' is a species of woodlouse endemic to the island of Rapa Nui. The specific epithet honors Sergio Rapu Haoa, a humanitarian, archaeologist, anthropologist, and politician of Rapanui descent who aided research terms studyi ...
'', is the only other terrestrial isopod species native to Rapa Nui. ''Styloniscus manuvaka'' is in need of conservation measures, as its persistence is likely threatened by a combination of habitat loss, non-native species, and global climate change. The Darwin200 project will survey for this species and other potential canoe bug species on Rapa Nui,
Pitcairn The Pitcairn Islands (; Pitkern: '), officially the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, is a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean that form the sole British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean. The four is ...
, and
Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent p ...
islands in June of 2024.


References

Woodlice {{isopod-stub