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Publications (179)
Dr. Tokuichi Shiraki laid a solid foundation for entomological studies in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period (1895-1945). He not only investigated Taiwan's entomofauna and advanced its agricultural entomology but also made significant contributions to the establishment of relevant policies and institutions. However, the insect specimens he...
Australia is a main centre of diversity for extant cycads (Cycadophyta), harbouring 4 genera and 85 named species and subspecies. Three cycad genera, Bowenia, Lepidozamia and Macrozamia, serve as hosts for four weevil genera of the Tranes group, Tranes Schoenherr, Miltotranes Zimmerman, Demyrsus Pascoe and Siraton Hustache. Several morphologically...
Fungus weevils (family Anthribidae) are morphologically and ecologically diverse, with highly varied feeding habits, mainly mycetophagy but also phytophagy, palynophagy and entomophagy. The phylogeny of the family is virtually unexplored, its evolutionary history obscure; thus, the existing classification is controversial and likely artificial. We...
eLife assessment Through anchored phylogenomic analyses, this important study offers fresh insights into the evolutionary history of the plant diet and geographic distribution of Belidae weevil beetles. Employing robust methodological approaches, the authors propose that certain belid lineages have maintained a continuous association with Araucaria...
The rise of angiosperms to ecological dominance and the breakup of Gondwana during the Mesozoic marked major transitions in the evolutionary history of insect-plant interactions. To elucidate how contemporary trophic interactions were influenced by host plant shifts and palaeogeographical events, we integrated molecular data with information from t...
The rise of angiosperms to ecological dominance and the breakup of Gondwana during the Mesozoic marked major transitions in the evolutionary history of insect-plant interactions. To elucidate how contemporary trophic interactions were influenced by host plant shifts and palaeogeographical events, we integrated molecular data with information from t...
Cycads are subtropical and tropical palm-like gymnosperms, commonly known as “living fossils” due to their Late Paleozoic origin and long-term morphological stasis. Australia is one of the main centres of cycad diversity, comprising four genera and approximately 90 named species. While it is now established that Australian cycads are largely weevil...
The rise of angiosperms to ecological dominance and the breakup of Gondwana during the Mesozoic marked major transitions in the evolutionary history of insect-plant interactions. To elucidate how contemporary trophic interactions were influenced by host plant shifts and palaeogeographical events, we integrated molecular data with information from t...
The rise of angiosperms to ecological dominance and the breakup of Gondwana during the Mesozoic marked major transitions in the evolutionary history of insect-plant interactions. To elucidate how contemporary trophic interactions were influenced by host plant shifts and palaeogeographical events, we integrated molecular data with information from t...
The rise of angiosperms to ecological dominance and the breakup of Gondwana during the Mesozoic marked major transitions in the evolutionary history of insect-plant interactions. To elucidate how contemporary trophic interactions were influenced by host plant shifts and palaeogeographical events, we integrated molecular data with information from t...
Cycas is the second-largest genus of cycads in Australia and the sole cycad genus in Papua New Guinea. In contrast to the other Australian cycads, which are mainly pollinated by weevils of the Tranes group of Molytinae, the Australian Cycas species are pollinated by tiny weevils belonging to the subfamily Cossoninae but representing an unnamed genu...
In preparation for a future taxonomic revision, we explore provenance, collectors, original owners and current repositories of the type material for three available genus-group names, Lyterius Schönherr, 1844, Barisoma Motschulsky, 1863 and Plaxes Pascoe, 1885, which have been applied to a group of small, relatively flat weevils associated with Pan...
Weevils are an unusually species-rich group of phytophagous insects for which there is increasing evidence of frequent involvement in brood-site pollination. This study examines phylogenetic patterns in the emergence of brood-site pollination mutualism among one of the most speciose beetle groups, the flower weevils (subfamily Curculioninae). We an...
Weevils have been shown to play significant roles in the obligate pollination of Australian cycads. In this study, we apply museomics to produce a first molecular phylogeny estimate of the Australian cycad weevils, allowing an assessment of their monophyly, placement and relationships. Divergence dating suggests that the Australian cycad weevils or...
The weevil genus Cryptolarynx Van Schalkwyk, 1966 is endemic to the Northern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The two previously known species of the genus, C. vitis (Marshall, 1957) and C. estriatus (Marshall, 1957), have an aberrant globular body and head shape, which has made it difficult to place the genus into the classification sys...
Citation: Escalona, H.E., Jennings, D., Oberprieler, R. 2023. A dung-beetle impostor: revision of the Australian weevil Tentegia Pascoe and the dung-rolling behaviour of Tentegia stupida (Fabricius) (Curculionidae: Molytinae: Cryptorhynchini). Annales Zoologici, 73: 111-151. Abstract.-The Australian cryptorhynchine weevil genus Tentegia Pascoe, 187...
The Australian weevils of the genera Tranes Schoenherr and Miltotranes Zimmerman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae) are mutualistic pollinators of cycad genera endemic to Australia, including Bowenia, Lepidozamia and Macrozamia. However, the diversity and taxonomy of these Australian cycad-pollinating weevils remain unclear. In the present stud...
Cycads are palm-like gymnosperms, commonly known as “living fossils” due to their Permian origin, Mesozoic diversity and prolonged morphological stasis. Long thought to be wind-pollinated, it has been recently shown that insects, especially beetles, play major roles in cycad pollination. Given the old age of cycads, the obligate insect pollination...
Anchonocranus oleae Marshall (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a seed-feeding weevil native to southern Africa; its larvae are known to develop in the fruits of the African Wild Olive and, more rarely, cultivated olives. The species has been mainly found in the Western Cape province of South Africa, but it has remained in relative obscurity because it...
The Australian endemic weevils of the genus Miltotranes Zimmerman, 1994 (Curculionidae: Molytinae: Tranes group), comprising two species, M. prosternalis (Lea, 1929) and M. subopacus (Lea, 1929), are highly host-specific and the only known pollinators of Bowenia cycads, which comprise two CITES-protected species restricted to Tropical Queensland in...
African Saturniidae (Lepidoptera) include numerous species consumed at the caterpillar stage throughout the continent, and their importance to local communities as a source of nutrition and seasonal income cannot be overestimated. However, baseline genetic data with utility for the characterization of their diversity, phylogeography and phylogeneti...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
EXPLANATION OF THE MASTER LISTSThere are 28 master lists, grouped as convenient taxon groups and split in such a way as to make each list individually downloadable but form an integral part of the main article. Citations to these master lists should be as indicated for the main article. Each master list contains a table that is made up of eight col...
The complete life history of Vegetia grimmia (Geyer, 1832), an uncommon species of Saturniidae restricted to the southwestern parts of the Western Cape province of South Africa, is described and illustrated for the first time. All immature stages of the species are described and illustrated, the larval host plants are recorded and a distribution ma...
Cycads (Cycadales: Zamiaceae) are subtropical and tropical palm‐like gymnosperms, which were diverse and widely distributed during the Mesozoic. Although some species are often utilized as landscape plants in gardens and parks and thus are of economic significance, most species are rare and endangered and protected by the IUCN. Bowenia is one of th...
Grasstrees (Xanthorrhoea) are a group of monocotyledonous plants endemic to Australia, with a characteristic crown of long and narrow leaves. In the present study, the grasstree-associated weevils of the genus Paratranes Zimmerman, 1994 are reviewed and two species are recognised: P. monopticus (Pascoe, 1870) and P. zimmermani sp. nov. A lectotype...
The Tranes group (Curculionidae: Molytinae) are Australian endemic weevils comprising six genera. Amongst these genera, four genera are closely associated with Australian cycads. Tranes Schoenherr and Miltotranes Zimmerman are mutualistic pollinators, and Demyrsus Pascoe and Siraton Hustache are cycad trunk-borers. In this study, we reconstruct a p...
Undarobius gen. n., a new genus of cavernicolous weevils with two new species, U. howarthi sp. n. and U. irvini sp. n., is described from the Undara Lava Cave system in north-eastern Queensland, Australia. These are the first cavernicolous weevils to be described from Australia, and U. howarthi is a new addition to the rich arthropod fauna of Bayli...
Significance
The Antarctic environment is famously inhospitable to most terrestrial biodiversity, traditionally viewed as a driver of species extinction. Combining population- and species-level molecular data, we show that beetles on islands along the Antarctic Polar Front diversified in response to major climatic events over the last 50 Ma in surp...
The Australian trunk‐boring cycad weevils of the genera Demyrsus Pascoe, 1872 and Siraton Hustache, 1934 (Molytinae) are sometimes considered as cycad pests when they infest planted cycads and can be transported to other countries. In the present study, the taxonomy of Demyrsus and Siraton is reviewed, and four species are recognised: D. meleoides...
We present an overview of the known host associations of larval Lepidoptera for southern Africa, based on a database of 11 628 rearings, including all Caterpillar Rearing Group (CRG) records and other published records. Rearings per Lepidoptera family show some bias in the rearing effort towards the more conspicuous families, ectophagous groups and...
We present an overview of the known host associations of larval Lepidoptera for southern Africa, based on a database of 11 628 rearings, including all Caterpillar Rearing Group (CRG) records and other published records. Rearings per Lepidoptera family show some bias in the rearing effort towards the more conspicuous families, ectophagous groups and...
Bowenia spectabilis is a CITES-protected cycad species endemic to the Wet Tropics Bioregion of Queensland, Australia. It is pollinated by a host-specific weevil species, Miltotranes prosternalis (Lea, 1929) (Curculionidae: Molytinae), which breeds in its male cones but also visits female cones and pollinates them. Previous studies indicate that M....
Pollination is the crucial stage for reproduction and survival of plants, therefore knowledge about the bionomics of pollinators is often critical for plant conservation. Bowenia spectabilis (Cycadales: Stangeriaceae) is a CITES‐protected cycad species endemic to the Wet Tropics Bioregion of Queensland, Australia. It is pollinated by a host‐specifi...
Cycads (Cycadales: Zamiaceae) a relict group of tropical and subtropical palm-like gymnosperms. While several species are of economic value and frequently used in horticulture, most species are severely threatened by habitat destruction and illegal poaching, and nearly all species are included on the IUCN Red List and trade in them is prohibited. W...
Australian Weevils: Volume IV covers the 11 smaller tribes of the weevil subfamily Entiminae (broad-nosed weevils), which comprises more than 100 genera and 700 described species in Australia. Around half of this fauna is covered in Volume IV, featuring keys to all the tribes, genera and described species as well as updated concepts and diagnoses o...
Demyrsus Pascoe, 1872 is a monotypic weevil genus endemic to Australia. The larvae of Demyrsus develop in trunks and caudices of Macrozamia and Lepidozamia cycads, generally proliferating rapidly in populations of dead or dying plants in the wild. They have been
considered as cycad pests since they were found infesting planted cycads of exotic genu...
The study was initiated by the relative failure of the parasitoid Anaphes nitens in controlling the eucalypt weevil Gonipterus platensis on the Iberian Peninsula. Our aim was to gain insight into the community of Gonipterus egg parasitoids occurring in Tasmania. During surveys in 2016 and 2017, adult weevils and egg pods were collected from Eucalyp...
A variety of photonic mechanisms give rise to iridescence and other structural colors in insects. In weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea), iridescence is created by the most complex of these mechanisms, the three-dimensional photonic crystal. These self-assembling crystals take the form of triply periodic networks with single diamond or single gyro...
In a recent paper we published on the weevil fauna preserved in Burmese amber, two newly proposed generic names were subsequently identified as preoccupied names (Elwoodius Clarke & Oberprieler and Platychirus Clarke & Oberprieler). We propose the name Zimmiorhinus as a replacement name for Elwoodius Clarke & Oberprieler and Burmophyletis as a repl...
Only a few weevils have been described from Burmese amber, and although most have been misclassified, they show unusual and specialised characters unknown in extant weevils. In this paper, we present the results of a study of a much larger and more diverse selection of Burmese amber weevils. We prepared all amber blocks to maximise visibility of st...
This tribute commemorates the life and work of Guillermo (Willy) Kuschel, who made substantial contributions to the understanding of weevil systematics, evolution and biology. Willy was born in Chile in 1918 and studied philosophy, theology and biology. He became fascinated by weevils early on and completed his Ph.D. degree on South American Erirhi...
The paper records the rediscovery of the rare Urodontidius enigmaticus Louw, 1993 in South Africa, based on specimens reared from galls in the succulent leaves of Ruschia versicolor. The original account of some of the morphological characters of the species is corrected, and its habitus, antennae, pygidium and genitalia are illustrated. Its life h...
Three new species of the small entimine genus Philetaerobius Marshall, 1923 from southern Africa are described, P. endroedyi sp. n., P. garibebi sp. n. and P. louwi sp. n., with bibliographic reference to fuller descriptions and illustrations in the recent paper by Borovec et al. (2018) published in the journal Diversity 10 (2), 30, in which the na...
One new genus and four new species of the Orthorhinini from Australia and Papua New Guinea are described, with bibliographic reference to complete descriptions and illustrations in the recent paper by Anderson et al. (2018) published in the journal Diversity 10 (3), 54, in which the names were not made available under the rules of the International...
Curculionidae are a large mainly herbivorous family of beetles, some of which have become crop pests. Classical biological control has been attempted for about 38 species in 19 genera, and at least moderate success has been achieved in 31 % of cases. Only two weevil species have been considered to be completely controlled by a biological control ag...
This paper presents the results of a study that was largely initiated to describe a genus and species of weevil damaging macadamia fruits in plantations in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. This taxon is described as Kuschelorhynchus macadamiae gen. et sp. n., the genus named in honour of the late Guillermo (Willy) Kuschel (1918–2017). The...
The Araucaria-associated weevils of the tribe Orthorhinini are reviewed, namely the genera Eurhamphus Shuckard, 1838; Ilacuris Pascoe, 1865; Imbilius Marshall, 1938; Notopissodes Zimmerman & Oberprieler, 2014 and Vanapa Pouillaude, 1915. The genus Ilacuris is revised with three species recognized: I. laticollis Pascoe, 1865 and I. suttoni Anderson...
The 2016 International Weevil Meeting was held immediately after the International Congress of Entomology (ICE). It built on the topics and content of the 2016 ICE weevil symposium Phylogeny and Evolution of Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea): A Symposium in Honor of Dr. Guillermo "Willy" Kuschel. Beyond catalyzing research and collaboration, the...
![Figure 5. Philetaerobius louwi sp. n., genitalia. ♂(SWA [Namibia]),...](profile/Massimo-Meregalli/publication/324917617/figure/fig4/AS:622219436756992@1525360082256/Philetaerobius-louwi-sp-n-genitalia-SWA-Namibia-aedeagus-and-sternite-IX_Q320.jpg)
The small entimine genus Philetaerobius Marshall, 1923 is revised, entailing a redescription of the genus and the only hitherto described species, P. nidicola Marshall, as well as the description of three new species, P. endroedyi sp. n., P. garibebi sp. n. and P. louwi sp. n. A lectotype is designated for P. nidicola Marshall. The habitus and taxo...
The phylogeny and evolution of weevils (the beetle superfamily Curculionoidea) has been extensively studied, but many relationships, especially in the large family Curculionidae (true weevils; > 50000 species), remain uncertain. We used phylogenomic methods to obtain DNA sequences from 522 protein coding genes for representatives of all families of...
This paper presents the results of a three-year collecting and research project on Melanterius weevils in Australia, aimed mainly at discovering new host associations and assessing their fit to the emerging reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships in the large genus Acacia. A revised and extended diagnosis of the genus Melanterius is provided,...
The Talbragar Fish Bed is one of Australia’s most important Jurassic deposits for freshwater fishes, land plants and aquatic and terrestrial insects. The site has yielded many well preserved fossils, which has led to the formal description of numerous new species and higher taxa. The excellent preservation of many fossils has allowed detailed anato...
Specimens analysed by XRD.
Specimens are identical to those shown in Figs 1, 3 and 5–8, and listed in Tables 1 and 2. (a) Rock with two Pentoxylon australicum leaves (AM F.142427), “Plant1” is the larger leaf to the right; (b) rock (AM F.142428) with Rintoulia pinnata leaflet (top, not analysed) and Agathis jurassica twig (“Plant2”) underneath (c)...
Microscope rig.
(a) Nikon Eclipse Ti-U inverted (“fluorescence”) microscope and Nikon Plan Fluor DSFi2 digital camera. The monitor shows fluorescence of central and lateral veins of a Pentoxylon leaf (“Plant1”). (b) Nikon 4X/0.13 objective and the blue excitation light used to generate the image shown in panel a.
(TIF)
Semrock filter/mirror combinations used in fluorescence microscopy.
Optical characteristics of filters and mirrors that were used to analyse fluorescence in fossils. (a) DAPI, (b) FITC and (c) mCherry filter combinations are normally used to detect the DNA stain 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and the Dis...
X-ray diffractometry.
Sample (“Plant1”) setup in the X-ray diffractometer, showing the multi-purpose sample stage with height set by a digital micrometer. This stage does not rotate the sample. Programmable slits were used to constrain the irradiated area to 5 mm long and 6 mm wide.
(TIF)
