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Acanthoscelides

Genus of beetles From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Acanthoscelides
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Acanthoscelides is a genus of bean weevils of the subfamily Bruchinae. They are native to the New World. About one third of them can be found in Mexico.[1]

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In 1946 this genus was populated with at least 322 species transferred from other genera, mainly Bruchus. Some of these were later placed into other genera.[2] Estimates of the current number of named species range from about 300[3] to 340,[1] and there are over 200 undescribed species.[1]

These beetles are generally 1.1 to 3.5 millimeters long. They have large, protruding eyes, and males often have larger eyes than females. They sometimes also have longer antennae.[2] The elytra are about twice as long as they are wide.[1] The beetles of this genus are diverse and the characters used to classify them are not well defined;[2] historically, Acanthoscelides is a wastebasket taxon, "used as a genus into which species are placed that do not fit within the limits of other genera".[1]

Most of these beetles feed on legumes. The majority specialize on Faboideae, many on Mimosoideae, and fewer on Caesalpinioideae. Some are known from non-legume host plants, such as mallows.[3]

Familiar species include Acanthoscelides obtectus, a worldwide pest of beans,[4] and Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus, which is employed as an agent of biological pest control against the invasive tree Leucaena leucocephala.[5]

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Species

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Species include:[2][6]

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References

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