City:C/Town:T/
Village:V |
Wetland type
|
Biota
|
Habitat
|
Reason for selection
|
Katsuren T,
Kitanakagusuku V,
Nakagusuku V,
Gushikawa C,
Okinawa C,
Yonabaru T,
Sashiki T |
Seaside wetland,
Tidal flats,
Seagrass beds,
Seaweed beds |
Seagrasses,
Marine algae |
Northern
Nakagusuku-
wan (including
Awase and
offshore of Kuba)
|
Extensive seagrass beds on the east coast (Pacific)
of Okinawa Island, made up of 8 seagrass species, including Thalassia
hemprichii, Cymodocea serrulata and Cymodocea rotundata.
The site supports Halycoryne wringhtii. It is one of the
few habitats of tropical Halophila decipiens in Japan. Awase
tidal flat is the habitat of Pseudodichotomosiphon constricta,
which is classified as Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered
(CR). |
| Shorebirds |
Awase-
higata |
Relatively many bird species are obsreved in relatively
large population sizes during the spring and autumn migrating seasons
and the wintering season. Visitation of more than 1% of the minimum
estimated population of Pluvialis fulva, and more than 0.25%
of that of Heteroscelus brevipes has been recorded. The number
of Pluvialis fulva wintering here is the largest in Japan.
Visitation of Tringa totanus and Numenius madagascariensis
(both RDB species) has been recorded. |
| Insects |
Northern
Nakagusuku-
wan |
Habitat of Armatocillenus yokohamae and
Halovelia septentrionalis. |
| Benthos |
Nearshore
waters of
Awase, Haebaru
in Katsuren-cho,
Kitagusuku-son,
and Nakgagusuku-
son (northern
Nakagusuku-wan) |
Nakagusuku-wan (bay) is the sole habitat of Scartelaos
histophorus, Acentrogobius viridipunctatus and Macrophthalmus
quadratus A., in Japan, and the southernmost distribution site
of Periophthalmus modestus and Pseudogobius masago.
Awase is especially noted for its rich variety of rare shellfish. |
| Marine algae |
Southern
Nakagusuku-
wan |
Hizikia fusiformis(southernmost habitat;
leaves are flat, not spindle-shaped); Sargassum ilicifolium
var. conduplicatum; Ulva conglobata (forming communities);
Gelidium pusillum (forming communities); one species of the
genera Cladophora (undescribed species relative of freshwater
Cladophora glomerata; occurs upper part of intertidal zone
where freshwater seeps out; distribution is not identified in any
other place in Japan). |
| Shorebirds |
Sashiki-
higata |
Relatively many bird species are observed in relatively large
population sizes during the spring and autumn migrating seasons.
Visitation of Tringa totanus, an RDB species, has been recorded. |
| Crustaceans |
Nakagusuku-
wan
and tidal flats |
Nakagusuku-wan (bay) is a good fishing ground,
where useful fish and shellfish are stocked. In the sandy/mud tidal
flat from Sashiki-cho at the south of the bay to Yonabaru-cho, Scartelaos
histophorus (a threatened species) and local population of Uca
arcuata are observed. However, with increasing reclamation of
tidal flats in recent years, the survival of these valuable species
is at danger, requiring close monitoring of these species. |
| Benthos |
Nearshore waters from Yonahara-
kaigan to Sashiki (southern Nakagusuku-wan) |
Nakagusuku-wan (bay) is the sole habitat of Scartelaos
histophorus and Acentrogobius viridipunctatus in Japan,
and the southernmost distribution site of Periophthalmus modestus
and Pseudogobius masago. It abounds in valuable crabs such
as Macrophthalmus brevis and Uca triangularis triangularis,
and valuable shellfish such as Auriculodes opportunatum and
Arcopagia diaphana. |
