Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2012-12-06
Page range: 55–58
Abstract views: 42
PDF downloaded: 4

Siraton devillei Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the mysterious weevil from the Isle of Elba: exiled no longer

CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia
via Lorenteggio 37, 20146 Milano, Italy
Coleoptera Molytinae Siraton Melanotranes new synonymy new combination cycad weevils

Abstract

Siraton devillei Hustache, 1934, described from a single specimen collected on the island of Elba in Italy, is determined to be conspecific with the Australian cycad weevil Melanotranes internatus (Pascoe, 1870). Consequently, Melanotranes Zimmerman, 1994 is a new junior synonym of Siraton Hustache, 1934 and Siraton devillei Hustache, 1934 a new junior subjective synonym of Tranes internatus Pascoe, 1870, and Siraton internatus (Pascoe, 1870) and Siraton roei (Boheman, 1843) are new combinations. A summary of the composition and biology of the Tranes group of weevils is given, and the recorded instances of S. devillei appearing in Europe and the U.S.A. are listed, as well as those of the related cycad-boring Demyrsus meleoides Pascoe in Europe and Africa.

References

  1. Alonso-Zarazaga, M.A. & Lyal, C.H.C. (1999) A World Catalogue of Families and Genera of Curculionoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) (excepting Scolytidae and Platypodidae). Entomopraxis, S.C.P., Spain, 315 pp.

    Anderson, R.S. (2008) The identity of Chaleponotus elusus Casey 1892 (Curculionidae: Molytinae: Conotrachelini). The Coleopterists Bulletin, 62(1), 42–44.

    Caldara, R. (2011) Erirhinidae. In Löbl, I., & Smetana, A. (Eds.), Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Vol. 7. Apollo Books, Stenstrup, pp. 192–198.

    Caldara, R. & Diotti, L. (2005) Note su Lissorhoptrus, genere del Nuovo Mondo introdotto in Italia, e su due altri generi “endemici” per l’Italia, Lostianus e Siraton. Bolletino della Società Entomologica Italiana, 137(2), 119–126.

    Covassi. M. (1974) Il Demyrsus meleoides Pascoe: un potenziale nemico delle cicadee ornamentali introdotto in Italia (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). Redia, 55, 211–217.

    Glass, C. (1980) Tranes beetle now a pest in the U.S. The Cycad Newsletter, 3(2), 7.

    Hustache, A. (1934) Un Curculionide [Col.] nouveau de l’Ile de Elbe. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 39, 250–253.

    Kennedy. P. (1992) Cycad-insect relationships. Destruction. Melanotranes internatus in New South Wales. Encephalartos, 29, 20–22.

    Kennedy, P. (2011) Trunk-boring weevils – Melanotranes internatus in New South Wales. Encephalartos, 105, 14–20.

    Klima, A. (1934) Curculionidae: Erirhininae. In: Schenkling, S. (Ed.), Coleopterorum Catalogus, Pars 140. W. Junk, s’Gravenhage, pp. 1–167.

    Mapondera, T., Burgess, T., Matsuki, M., & Oberprieler, R.G. (2012) Molecular phylogenetics and identification of the cryptic species of the Gonipterus scutellatus complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Gonipterini). Australian Journal of Entomology, 51(3), 175–188.

    Marelli, C.A. (1926) La plaga de gorgojos de los eucaliptos, debida a “Dacnirotatus bruchi” Mar. y experiencias sobre la desinsectación de los árboles atacados. In: Informaciones sobre el Jardín Zoológico de La Plata. Memoria de la Ministerio de Obras Públicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, años 1924–25, pp. 597–656.

    May, B.M. (1994) An introduction to the immature stages of Australian Curculionoidea. In: Zimmerman, E. C., Australian Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea). Volume II – Brentidae, Eurhynchidae, Apionidae and a chapter on Immature Stages by Brenda May. CSIRO, Australia, pp. 365–728.

    Oberprieler, R.G. (1995) The weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) associated with cycads. 1. Classification, relationships, and biology. In: Vorster, P. (Ed.), Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Cycad Biology. The Cycad Society of South Africa, Stellenbosch, pp. 295–334.

    Oberprieler, R.G. (2004) “Evil weevils” – the key to cycad survival and diversification? In: Lindstrom, A. J. (Ed.), The Biology, Structure and Systematics of the Cycadales. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Cycad Biology. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, Thailand, pp. 170–194.

    Oberprieler, R.G., Marvaldi, A. E. & Anderson, R. S. (2007) Weevils, weevils, weevils everywhere. Zootaxa, 1668, 491–520.

    Oberprieler, R.G., Thompson, R.T. & Peterson, M. (2010) Darwin’s forgotten weevil. Zootaxa, 2675, 33–46.

    Pascoe, F.P. (1870) Descriptions of some genera and species of Australian Curculionidae. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, (1870) (2), 181–209, 445–484.

    Perrin, H. (1998) Les types des espèces afrotropicales du genre Curculio Linné, 1758 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). Revue française d’Entomologie, 20, 135–141.

    Pesarini, C. (1978) Tabelle per la determinazione dei generi di curculionidi italiani (Coleoptera). L’Informatore del Giovane Entomologo. Bolletino della Società Entomologica Italiana, Supplemento, 19(86), 1–8.

    Westwood, J.O. (1886) Observations upon species of Curculionidae injurious to Cycadeae, especially to plants of the genus Zamia. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique, 30, 125–130.

    Zimmerman, E.C. (1994) Australian Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea). Volume I – Orthoceri, Anthribidae to Attelabidae. The Primitive Weevils. CSIRO, Australia, 741 pp.