Kauaʻi record · KCA-IA-00766
Oligotoma saundersii
Open this record in the interactive Atlas
About Oligotoma saundersii
Saunders' Webspinner (Oligotoma saundersii) is a member of Oligotomidae in the order Embioptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is introduced / adventive.
Saunders' webspinner is an introduced silk-spinning insect documented across the main Hawaiian Islands, including Kauaʻi.
Kauaʻi occurrence evidence: The 2004–2005 Hawaii Biological Survey report states that Oligotoma saundersii was already known from all main Hawaiian Islands except Kahoʻolawe, which includes Kauaʻi; ITIS treats it as introduced in Hawaiʻi.
The cited occurrence evidence does not by itself establish current abundance or population trend on Kauaʻi.
Life cycle
Egg; nymph; adult; incomplete metamorphosis within silk galleries.
Habitat
Lowland vegetation, bark, rocks and protected surfaces where silk galleries can be built; Kauaʻi microhabitat detail requires local observation.
Food and ecological role
Plant debris, lichens and surface organic material typical of webspinners.
Reproduction
Females live in silk galleries; males disperse; species-specific reproductive details require sourcing.
Movement
Winged adult males can disperse by flight; females/nymphs move within or between galleries.
Ecosystem role
Introduced decomposer/grazer in surface microhabitats.
Monitoring
Lock modern Kauaʻi locality/voucher detail where available, accepted-name authority, host or microhabitat associations, and exact-taxon public reference media/license.
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Oligotoma saundersii
- Common names
- Saunders' Webspinner
- Family
- Oligotomidae
- Order
- Embioptera
- Record type
- species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Present / documented
- Origin
- Introduced / adventive
- Conservation status
- Not assessed
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal description
- Saunders' Webspinner (Oligotoma saundersii) is a member of Oligotomidae in the order Embioptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is introduced / adventive.