ABOUT
About Amami Swimming Broad-shouldered Water Strider
A small broad-shouldered water strider found across the Nansei Islands, on Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, and Okinawa Island. The closely related species Xiphovelia japonica favors gravel and bedrock along the shorelines of forest-ringed valley ponds, and has been confirmed to overwinter as eggs on floating plant debris or shoreline gravel, but the specific ecology of this species itself is still poorly understood. It should also be noted that the closely related Xiphovelia japonica is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the Ministry of the Environment's Red List, whereas that designation concerns a different species and should not be confused with this one; this species itself is not listed on the Red List.
SAFETY
Observation Safety Notes
Please enjoy Amami's wildlife through photographs. Some species are protected by law or local ordinance, and capturing or removing them is prohibited. In special protection zones within the national park, collecting any wildlife is prohibited entirely. Please check the notes on this page, and confirm local rules before visiting any site.
