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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Curculionoidea » Snout and Bark Beetles (Curculionidae) » Lixinae » Lixini » Microlarinus » Puncturevine Stem Weevil (Microlarinus lypriformis)

Species Microlarinus lypriformis - Puncturevine Stem Weevil

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Internet References · Works Cited
Imported weevil with mission to fight - Microlarinus lypriformis Imported weevil with mission to fight - Microlarinus lypriformis Microlarinus lypriformis Microlarinus lypriformis Microlarinus lypriformis Sitona? - Microlarinus lypriformis Sitona? - Microlarinus lypriformis Sitona? - Microlarinus lypriformis
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 Lixinae
Tribe Lixini
Genus Microlarinus
Species lypriformis (Puncturevine Stem Weevil)
Explanation of Names
Microlarinus lypriformis (Wollaston 1861)
Size
4-5 mm(1)
Identification
slightly smaller and more parallel-sided than the closely related M. lareynii(1)(2)

Det. V. Belov, 2013
Range
adventive to sw US (CA to w. TX) / Mex. - Map (2)(3), native to India
Food
Larvae and adults both attack puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris, Zygophyllaceae)(1)
Life Cycle
Lays eggs in the undersides of stems, branches, and the root crown. Larvae tunnel and pupate in the pith. Adults emerge from holes chewed in the upper surfaces of the stems, branches, and crowns. Adults overwinter in plant debris.
Remarks
introduced into the US as biocontrol agent in 1961(2)
See Also
Microlarinus lareynii (Jacquelin du Val)

Det. Charles W. O'Brien, 2011
Internet References
Washington State University(1)
Works Cited
1.Integrated Weed Control Project: Biological control agents
2.Identification tool for weevil biological control agents of aquatic and terrestrial weeds in the United States and Canada
3.Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Contributed by v belov on 9 January, 2013 - 6:30pm
Additional contributions by Mike Quinn
Last updated 22 April, 2022 - 10:47am

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