Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Rhynchaeninae
In older literature all the NA members of this group used to be treated in Rynchaenus Clairville 1798 (=Rhynchaenus), now considered to be an Old World genus
Explanation of Names
Rhamphini Rafinesque 1815
Numbers
15 spp. in 3 genera in our area
(1), 15 genera total
(2)
Genus Orchestes
alni (Linnaeus)
andersoni Alonzo-Zarazaga (=
betuleti Horn nec Panzer)
fagi (Linnaeus)
griseus (Sleeper)
mixtus Blatchley
pallicornis Say (=canus auct. nec Horn, puberulus Boheman, uniformis Brown)
testaceus (Mueller) (=
scutellaris Fabricius,
canus Horn)
Genus Tachyerges
ephippiatus (Say)
salicis (Linnaeus) (=
subhirtus Horn)
Genus Isochnus
arcticus (Korotyaev)
flagellum (Ericson)
goniophallus Anderson
rufipes (LeConte) [1 ssp.
minutus Horn]
sequensi (Stierlin) (=populicola Silverberg) -- Canada, ne.US (adventive)
Identification
Most members feature enlarged hind femora, somewhat flattened body, and rather small head with large eyes and the snout pointing back.
Characteristics of genera adapted from Kojima (1997):
Antennal club ovate, each segment transverse; procoxae contiguous; femora not toothed. On Salicaeae .................................. Tachyerges
Head normal, rostrum perpendicular to the axis of body. Eyes more or less separated. Antennae inserted in rostrum, geniculate, scape much longer than 1st segment of funicle. Scutellum and lateral parts of meso- and metathorax densely covered with white plumose scales. Metafemora slightly swollen, with J-shaped apodeme. Procoxae contiguous. Ventrites 2-4 with posterior margins not straight at sides. .................... Isochnus
Pro- and mesotibiae each with a large sickle-shaped uncus near apex of dorsal edge, pro- and mesofemora often with denticle bearing a spine. Metafemora often with denticles bearing long setae or spine. Abdominal terga 5 and 6 with spicule patches, tergite 7 basally bilobed, each lobe with a plectral tubercle. Color variable. Rostrum received on breast in repose ............. Orchestes
Range
much of the world except the Neotropics
(2), incl. most of NA
(1)Food
Associated usually with willow, elm, alder, apple, cherry, and birch trees; larvae mine leaves and adults feed on leaves and buds
(3)Print References
Anderson, R.S. 1989. Revision of the subfamily Rhynchaeninae in North America (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 115(3): 207-312.
