ABOUT
About Tokara Pill Scarab
A small beetle about 5.0–5.8mm long, found in the Tokara Islands (the type locality is Nakanoshima) and on Amami Oshima. It is distinguished by range from the closely related Sakishima Pill Scarab (*M. kazumai hisamatsui* Ochi, 1990), found in the Yaeyama Islands. It is considered a myrmecophilous species — found in environments close to ant nests, such as inside rotten wood or in the leaf litter layer around it — and the original description's paper title itself uses the word "myrmecophilous." When disturbed, it withdraws its antennae and legs into its body and rolls up into a perfect ball, like a pill bug, to protect itself.
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.
