Species Phytobius leucogaster - European Water Milfoil Weevil

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Works Cited

Tiny Snout Beetle - Phytobius leucogaster

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)

Superfamily Curculionoidea

Family Curculionidae (Snout and Bark Beetles)

Subfamily Ceutorhynchinae (Minute Seed Weevils)

Tribe Phytobiini

Genus Phytobius

Species leucogaster (European Water Milfoil Weevil)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Litodactylus leucogaster

Explanation of Names

Phytobius leucogaster (Marsham 1802)

Size

2.4‒3 mm(1)

Identification

Legs reddish, very slender, Rostrum relatively short. Whole body covered with scale layer, holding an air film beneath it, enabling submerged existence. Scales on midline and sides of pronotum, on underside, and a scutellar spot (which may cover a large part of elytral base) pale, otherwise dark grey to brown. Surface of elytra mottled with small pale spots in variable extent.

Range

holarctic; in NA, YT‒BC‒QC & n US(2)(3)(4)

Habitat

Standing, persistent freshwaters

Food

host: Myriophyllum spp. (Haloragaceae)(4)

Works Cited

1.	Lompe A. (2002‒) Die Käfer Europas: Ein Bestimmungswerk im Internet

2.	New records of Curculionoidea from Newfoundland and Labrador, with the first records of Orthochaetes setiger (Beck)... Langor D.W., Anderson R.S., Bouchard P., Langor S.D. 2022. Zookeys 1136: 125–162.

3.	Annotated checklist of the weevils (Curculionidae sensu lato) of North America, Central America, and the West Indies... O'Brien C.W., Wibmer G.J. 1982. Mem. Am. Ent. Inst. 34: x+382 pp.

4.	Catalogue of Ceutorhynchinae of the world, with a key to genera (Insecta Coleoptera Curculionidae) Colonnelli E. 2004. Argania Editio, Barcelona. 124 pp.

Contributed by Boris Büche on 9 June, 2007 - 6:03am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 2 January, 2024 - 1:11pm

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