Lord Howe Ground Weevil (Hybomorphus melanosomus)
The Lord Howe Ground Weevil was described in 1855, it was a large, flightless species endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia.
The species appears to have disappeared very quickly after its discovery and description, as can be taken from an account by A. S. Olliff from 1889.:
“A remarkable endemic form. A large number of fragments and dead remains of this species were found by Mr. Masters under logs and in rotten wood during his visit to the island in June, 1869. As far as I am aware, this is the last occasion on which the insect has been found, none of the collectors who have recently visited the island having obtained it.” [1]
The species was apparently eradicated by introduced house mice.
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References:
[1] A. S. Olliff: The insect fauna of Lord Howe Island. The Australian Museum Memoir 2: 75-98. 1889
[2] Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW), Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan Appendices, Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW), Sydney 2007
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(public domain)
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edited: 26.04.2022