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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Curculionoidea » Snout and Bark Beetles (Curculionidae) » Gonipterinae » Oxyops » Melaleuca Leaf Weevil (Oxyops vitiosus)

Species Oxyops vitiosus - Melaleuca Leaf Weevil

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Oxyops vitiosa (Pascoe) - Oxyops vitiosus Oxyops vitiosa - Oxyops vitiosus Oxyops vitiosa - Oxyops vitiosus Larval Oxyops vitiosa - Oxyops vitiosus Oxyops vitiosa in situ - Oxyops vitiosus Florida Beetle for ID - Oxyops vitiosus Florida Beetle for ID - Oxyops vitiosus Florida Beetle for ID - Oxyops vitiosus
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 Gonipterinae
Genus Oxyops
Species vitiosus (Melaleuca Leaf Weevil)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Syn: vitiosa - spelling
Explanation of Names
Oxyops vitiosus Pascoe, 1870
Size
Adult 6-9 mm (1). Larva can reach 14 mm.
Range
introduced to s. FL (1997) - Map (1)(2), native to e. coast of Australia
Habitat
in FL established in dry or seasonally wet habitats but failed to establish in fully aquatic habitats due to a lack of suitable pupation sites(1)
Food
Host: broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia)(1). It also feeds on other members of the Myrtaceae family, including native ones, but doesn't seem to cause serious damage.
Life Cycle
see(1)
Female lays about 470 eggs in her lifetime. Larval development takes about 28 days. Drop to the ground to pupate. Total time from egg to adult about 48 days.
Remarks
introduced to control its host, Melaleuca quinquenervia, an invasive weedy tree from Australia(1)
Print References
Balciunas, J.K., D.W. Burrows, and M.F. Purcell. 1994. Field and laboratory host ranges of the Australian weevil, Oxyops vitiosa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) a potential biological control agent for the paperbark tree, Melaleuca quinquenervia. Biol. Control. 4: 351-360.
Center, T.D. et al. 2000. Field colonization of the melaleuca snout beetle (Oxyops vitiosa) in south Florida. Biological Control 19: 112-123.
Pascoe, F.P. (1870) Contributions towards knowledge of the Curculionidae. Journal of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology, 10: 434–493. (Full Text)
Purcell, M.F. and J.K. Balciunas. 1994. Life-history and distribution of the Australian weevil Oxyops vitiosa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a potential biological control agent for Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 87: 867-873.
Internet References
Cornell U.
Featured Creatures - U. Florida
Wikipedia
Works Cited
1.Insects and other arthropods that feed on aquatic and wetland plants
Center T.D., Dray F.A., Jubinsky G.P., Grodowitz M.J. 2002. USDA ARS, Technical Bulletin 1870. 200 pp.
2.Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Contributed by v belov on 19 April, 2011 - 6:38pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn
Last updated 5 April, 2024 - 3:42pm

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