| Abstract: |
Fossil insect remains were extracted for analysis from the moat deposits of Angkor Thom, Cambodia. A total of 84 insect fossils were found. The insect assemblage basically consisted of terrestrial phytophagous insects accompanied by omnivorous and coprophagous surface dwellers. Phytophagous and carnivorous aquatic insects also were present but in significantly smaller numbers. Among the insect fauna were phytophagous species such as <i>Anomala albopilosa</i> Hope and <i>Anomala</i> sp., both of which are known pests to man-made secondary forests and cultivated plants such as upland fields and fruit trees. There was an abundance of aquatic insect species inhabiting paddy environments, including <i>Coelostoma stultum</i> (Walker), <i>Dineutus orientalis</i> Modeer, and Hydrophilidae, regarded to be indicators for rice paddy development. In addition, a well-recognized rice pest, <i>Scotinophara lurida</i> Burmeister, also was among the insects identified. For this reason, it is extremely likely that rice cultivation had existed in the areas surrounding the Angkor Thom moat. Furthermore, coprophagous insects such as <i>Onthophagus</i> sp. and <i>Aphodius</i> sp. also were detected among the fossils, suggestive of pollution of the surrounding environment by human and animal wastes.
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