Styloniscus manuvaka
Styloniscus manuvaka is a small land-dwelling woodlouse found only on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Rapa Iti. Its name means “Canoe Bug” in the Rapa Nui language, a nod to the Canoe Bug Hypothesis that ancient Polynesians may have brought it to the islands with canoe plants like banana, taro, and breadfruit. Today the species is mainly known from cave populations on Easter Island, and its status on Rapa Iti is unknown. The only other native canoe bug on Easter Island is Hawaiioscia rapui. Styloniscus manuvaka faces threats from habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change, so conservation action is needed. The Darwin200 project planned to survey this species and other potential canoe bugs on Easter Island, Pitcairn, and Mangareva in June 2024.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 09:19 (CET).