page_title: Cycas micronesica
section_title: Conservation
hierarchical_section_title: Cycas micronesica / Conservation
caption_attribution_description: English: Infested male cone of c. microneisica
context_page_description: Cycas micronesica is a type of cycad found in the island of Yap in Micronesia, the Marianas islands of Guam and Rota, and The Republic of Palau. It is commonly known as Federico nut or Fadang in Chamorro. The species, previously lumped with Cycas rumphii or Cycas circinalis, was described in 1994 by Ken Hill. Paleoecological studies have determined that C. micronesica has been present on the island of Guam for about 9,000 years. It is linked with the human degenerative disease Lytico-Bodig disease, which is similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis through a neurotoxin in the seeds, which were a traditional food source on Guam until the 1960s.
context_section_description: Cycas micronesica is threatened by a combination of  introduced species throughout the islands of Guam and Rota. The most notably pest is the diaspidid scale Aulacaspis yasumatsui, which was first recognized in Guam in December 2003.  Other threats include Cycad Blue Butterfly, the longhorn beetle (Dihammus marianarum) which causes stem damage, the alien invasive snail Satsuma mercatorius which feeds on young leaflets, and habitat loss due to the growing human population.  Prior to the invasion of Aulacaspis yasumatsu, it was one of the most abundant plant on Guam's forest. Plant mortality was so rapid that the species was Red Listed as Endangered in 2006, only three years after the devastating invasions began . Population counts in northwest Guam has declined from 686 individuals in early 2004 (before Aulacaspis yasumatsui reached this habitat) to 87 individuals in January 2007. In 2004, Rhyzobius lophanthae was employed on Guam as a biological pest control and has lessened the population decline. However, they were ineffective on protecting cycad seedlings from Aulacaspis yasumatsui predation, as lack of seed vigor is one of the major factors contributing to C. micronesica decline.
caption: Infestation by the armored scale on the male cone. Image by Thomas Marler
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