Morphology and identification of the mature larvae of several species of the genus Otiorhynchus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae) from Central Europe with an update of the life history traits

Abstract

The mature larvae of 14 Otiorhynchus taxa are described: O. (Otiorhynchus) armadillo (Rossi, 1792), O. (Nehrodistus) armatus Boheman, 1846, O. (Otiorhynchus) aurifer Boheman, 1843, O. (Pocodalemes) crataegi Germar, 1824, Otiorhynchus (Arammichnus) indefinitus Reitter, 1912 (syn. O. dieckmanni Magnano, 1979), O. (Choilisanus) raucus (Fa-bricius, 1777) and 3 taxa of the O. (Otiorhynchus) tenebricosus complex (Herbst, 1784), O. (Otiorhynchus) clavipes (Bonsdorff, 1785), O. (Otiorhynchus) fuscipes (Olivier, 1807) and O. (Otiorhynchus) lugdunensis Boheman, 1843, are described and illustrated for the first time. The larvae of (Otiorhynchus) meridionalis Gyllenhal, 1834, O. (Pendragon) ovatus (Linnaeus, 1758), O. (Zustalestus) rugosostriatus (Goeze, 1777), O. (Metopiorrhynchus) singularis (Linnaeus, 1767), and O. (Dorymerus) sulcatus (Fabricius, 1775) are redescribed and illustrated, and new characters are added. Important characters of the mature larvae (e.g. chaetotaxy, shape of head and body) are explained in detail and illustrated. A key to the identification of the mature larvae of 19 Otiorhynchus taxa is provided. Breeding and collecting data of the larvae are given, and the study is completed by a current overview on the life histories of all treated species.

Velcro-Like System Used to Fix a Protective Faecal Shield on Weevil Larvae

“…Members of the genus Phelypera from this tribe also benefit from the defensive strategy known as cycloalexy (a form of gregariousness that involves group reactions, see [ 46 ]). (2) Living in relatively unusual habitats is also a strategy to avoid predators and parasitoids because the pressure of parasitoids is partially decreased (e.g., Bagoini and Phytobiini live in aquatic habitats, and some Entiminae, e.g., Otiorhynchus , live in soil) [ 47 ]. The weevil tribe Cionini uses a different strategy (3) in which viscid mucus covers and protects larval bodies [ 48 ], but this mucus is primarily protection from desiccation [ 50 ].…”

Descriptions of immature stages of four species of the genera Graptus, Peritelus, Philopedon, and Tanymecus and larval instar determination in Tanymecus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae)

“…In this continued contribution on larvae of the subfamily Entiminae Schönherr, 1823 we describe or redescribe the mature larvae of four further species (e.g., Sprick and Gosik 2014; Gosik et al 2016, 2017) and the pupa of one species. They represent four different tribes: Byrsopagini Lacordaire, 1863 (= Alophini LeConte, 1874), Cneorhinini Lacordaire, 1863, Peritelini Lacordaire, 1863, and Tanymecini Lacordaire, 1863 (Alonso-Zarazaga et al 2017).…”

The morphology of the immature stages of Metadonus vuillefroyanus (Capiomont, 1868) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Hyperini) and notes on its biology

“…The detailed description of larvae and pupae and their comparisons with known descriptions as reported here demonstrates that it is possible to identify this species in its immature stages, as has been accomplished for other groups (i.e., Entiminae: Gosik and Sprick (2012a, b, 2013); Gosik et al (in press); Curculioninae, Tychiini: Skuhrovec et al (2014, 2015b); Lixinae: Gosik and Skuhrovec 2011; Gosik and Wanat 2014; Stejskal et al 2014; Skuhrovec and Volovnik 2015; Trnka et al 2015). This process is particularly valuable for rare and endangered species because finding larvae is typically much simpler than finding adults.…”