What question did this study set out to answer?

To document the occurrence of Oligotoma humbertiana in Iriomote Island, Japan, and explore its distribution.

July 12, 2026Open Access

Specimen-based record of Oligotoma humbertiana (Saussure, 1896) (Embioptera, Oligotomidae) from Iriomote Island, Japan, with notes on the species distribution and occurrence data

Key Points

To document the occurrence of Oligotoma humbertiana in Iriomote Island, Japan, and explore its distribution.
Collected two winged male specimens from a residential building on Iriomote Island.
Provided a record of the species' occurrence and distribution in Japan.
Oligotoma humbertiana was recorded for the first time from Iriomote Island.
This finding indicates possible human-mediated dispersal of the species in the Yaeyama Islands.

Abstract

Webspinners (Embioptera) are cosmopolitan but have limited dispersal abilities, and their occurrence data remain poorly documented in Japan. Oligotoma humbertiana (Saussure, 1896), a widely distributed tropical species, has previously been recorded in Japan only from Kyushu and Minamidaito Island, and its occurrence in the Yaeyama Islands has remained uncertain. Here, I report a verifiable specimen-based record from Iriomote Island, based on two winged males collected from a residential building. This finding suggests potential human-mediated dispersal, although local establishment cannot be excluded, and highlights the value of specimen-based data.

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