Description of immature stages of Rhinusa species (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Mecinini) with a focus on diagnostic morphological characters at the species and genus levels

The mature larvae of the following fourteen Rhinusa species are described and illustrated: Rhinusa antirrhini (Paykull, 1800), R. asellus (Gravenhorst, 1807), R. collina (Gyllenhal, 1813), R. eversmanni (Rosenschoeld, 1838), R. florum (Rubsaamen, 1895), R. herbarum (H. Brisout de Barneville, 1862), R. incana (Kirsch, 1881), R. linariae (Panzer, 1796), R. melas (Boheman, 1838), R. neta (Germar, 1821), R. pilosa (Gyllenhal, 1838), R. rara Toševski & Caldara, 2015, R. tetra (Fabricius, 1792), and R. vestita (Germar, 1821). The pupae of thirteen of them (except R. incana) were also described. The comparison of larval morphological characters and plant preferences provides evidence supporting the existence of different species groups previously established according to a phylogenetic analysis based on adult morphological characters. The following diagnostic attributes distinguishing the genus Rhinusa are highlighted. For the larvae: (1) pronotal shield indistinct; (2) thoracic prodorsal fold small or even vestigial; (3) abdominal postdorsal folds (especially of segments III–VII) high or even in the form of conical protuberances; (4) cuticle of abdominal segments densely covered with asperities; (5) cuticle without dark spots or dark pigmentation; (6) head suboval, rarely round; (7) labrum usually with 2 als; (8) des1 short or absent, rarely elongated; and (9) fs1-3 usually absent or minute. For the pupae: (1) body stout; (2) head protuberances always present; (3) pronotal protuberances (if present), separated at bases of the pronotum, always wider than higher; (4) abdominal protuberance usually present, wide or round; (5) femora usually with a single fes; and (6) urogomphi short or vestigial. Keys to the larvae and pupae described here are provided. All the characters used for identification are illustrated by photographs or drawings. Biological and distribution data, including new information, are provided for all the species studied

Morphological characters of immature stages of Palaearctic species of Cleopomiarus and Miarus and their systematic value in Mecinini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae)

The relationship between the genera Cleopomiarus and Miarus of Mecinini (Curculionidae, Curculioninac) was tested on the basis of morphological characters from the immature stages. The mature larvae of five Cleopomiarus species (C. distinctus (Boheman, 1845), C. graminis (Gyllenhal, 1813), C. longirostris (Gyllenhal, 1838), C. medius (Desbrochers des Loges, 1893), and C. meridionalis (H. Brisout de Barneville, 1863)), three Miarus species (M. abnormis Solari, 1947, M. ajugae (Herbst, 1795), and M. campanulae (Linnaeus, 1767)), and the pupae of four Cleopomiarus species (C. distinct us, C. graminis, C. longirostris, and C. medius) and two Miarus species (M. abnormis and M. ajugae) are described in detail for the first time. To confirm the taxonomic identification of some larvae, DNA COI barcode was obtained and compared with those of adults. The immature stages of the species herein studied were compared with those known from other genera in tribe Mecinini. It is suggested that Miarus and Cleopomiarus may be monophyletic based on several shared distinctive characters. Larvae of Miarus have a characteristic maxil-lary mala with six finger-like dms of two sizes (one or two elms very long and the rest of medium length), this feature being apparently unique among weevils. Other genus-specific character states are observed in the pupae, such as the length of setae on the head, rostrum and pronotum, including the number of rs on the rostrum, ds on pronotum, and finally the shape of the urogomphi. A key to the described larvae and pupae were respectively presented. New biological and distributional data on some species are reported

Descriptions of the mature larva and pupa of the Scaly strawberry weevil, Sciaphilus asperatus (Bonsdorff, 1785) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae) and observations of its biology

The mature larva of Sciaphilus asperatus is redescribed and illustrated, and the pupa is described for the first time. Supplements to the identification keys for larvae and pupae of selected Palaearctic Entiminae genera and species are given. Data on the life history, especially oviposition capacity and voltinism, of S. asperatus are provided and discussed, and the number of the six larval instars was confirmed. The economic importance of S. asperatus is briefly highlighted

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

The mature larva and pupa of Graptus triguttatus triguttatus and the mature larva of Peritelus sphaeroides are described for the first time. The larvae of Philopedon plagiatum and Tanymecus palliatus are re-described. Five larval instars were determined in Tanymecus, thereby correcting doubtful data in the literature. The relationship between larval growth, number of larval instars, head width of the mature larva, and the adult weevil is explained using the example of Tanymecus. The nearly constant ratio of subsequent larval instars in head width ratio, termed “growth factor” and derived from Dyar’s ratio, is used for the determination of larval instars. Larval collecting and breeding data are discussed in relation to their significance for the clarification of life-cycles

Morphological evidence from immature stages further suggests Lignyodina being close to Tychiina (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae, Tychiini)

The relationship between the subtribes Lignyodina and Tychiina of the Tychiini were tested on the basis of morphological characters from the immature stages. The mature larvae of Lignyodes bischoffi (Blatchley, 1916) and L. enucleator (Panzer, 1798) (Curculionidae, Curculioninae, Tychiini, Lignyodina) and the pupae of L. bischoffi are described in detail for the first time. To be sure about the correct taxonomic identification of the larvae, DNA sequences were obtained and compared for both the larvae and adults of these two species. Molecular data show that the two studied species of Lignyodes Dejean, 1835 strongly differ in mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA. The immature stages (larva and pupa) of Lignyodes bischoffi and L. enucleator were compared with each other and with those known for other taxa representative of the tribe Tychiini and other tribes of Curculioninae. The larvae of Lignyodes bischoffi and L. enucleator differ in a few but important characters. The larvae and pupae of these two species belonging to Lignyodes s. str. are morphologically very similar to those of species in the other two subgenera of Lignyodes, Neotylopterus Clark, Whitehead & Warner, 1977 and Chionanthobius Pierce, 1912. On the basis of the detailed morphology of larvae and pupae, we agree that Lignyodes belong to Tychiini, sharing more features with species of this tribe than with those of other tribes of Curculioninae. New bionomic data concerning larval and pupal development and adult emergence are reported for both described species and confirm close relationships between the subtribes Lignyodina and Tychiina. On the other hand, strong molecular differences, corroborated by some relevant larval differences, between L. enucleator and L. bischoffi open up the issue whether Palaearctic and Nearctic species presently included in Lignyodes s. str. actually belong to the same subgenus