Pupal Chambers Research Articles

A New Ichnospecies of Cubiculum from Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Bones in Western Argentina

The new ichnospecies Cubiculum levis is described as a bowl-shaped bioerosion trace fossil in dinosaur bone from the Upper Cretaceous of western Argentina. The systematic description is based on specific ichnotaxobases for bioerosion trace fossils in bones. The main characteristics of the new ichnospecies are its general bowl-shaped morphology with marked concavity of the flanks and bottom, marked constriction of walls in the upper area, and the absence of bioglyphs in the interior surface. To establish a hierarchical approach to the taxonomy of Cubiculum, we propose an emended diagnosis for this ichnogenus. Based on comparative analysis with structures of fossil pupal chambers and results of actualistic experiments with carrion insects, the ethology of C. levis is interpreted as Pupichnia. Paleoenvironmental conditions at the paleontological site, taphonomic data and the morphology of C. levis indicate a continental arthropod producer with the biological and anatomical ability to bore bone. The producer was probably a Cretaceous coleopteran with a heavily sclerotized body and well-developed biting mouthparts. We emphasize the importance of establishing paleoethologic and paleobiologic inferences based on testable data provided by multiple sources, such as biology, physiology, sedimentology, and forensic sciences. Finally, we cite some relevant reports of traces fossils in bones interpreted as pupal chambers and we discuss the conflicting interpretations of their producers and ecological significance.

The ecology of yeasts in the bark beetle holobiont: a century of research revisited.

Yeasts are extremely common associates of scolytine bark beetles, yet the basic ecology of yeasts in the bark beetle holobiont remains poorly understood. Yeasts are present in all beetle life stages and consistently isolated from adult, larval, and pupal integuments and mycangial structures, but yeasts are also found in oviposition galleries, pupal chambers, larval and adult digestive tracts, as well as phloem and xylem tissues. Yeasts in the Saccharomycetaceae family are the most prevalent associates, and most individual beetles are associated with only one or several yeast species. Kuraishia capsulata and Ogataea pini are the most commonly encountered yeast species in surveys of Dendroctonus and Ips beetles; most beetles that have been surveyed are vectors for one or both yeasts. Yeasts have significant but often overlooked functional roles in bark beetle ecology. Infochemicals resulting from volatile production by yeast have wide-ranging bioactivity for arthropods: Yeast emissions attract beetles at low concentrations but repel beetles at high concentrations, and yeast emissions can also serve as cues to predators and parasites of bark beetles. In some cases, yeasts can modify tree chemistry over time or metabolize toxic terpenoids, though potential consequences for beetle performance or the growth of nutritional fungi remain to be demonstrated. Also, the presence of yeast species can restrict or promote the establishment and growth of filamentous fungi, including mutualists, entomopathogens, and opportunistic saprophytes. The role of yeasts as nutritional symbionts has received mixed support, though a nutritional hypothesis has not been extensively tested. Continued research on the functional ecology of bark beetle-yeast associations is needed to better understand the emergent properties of these complex symbiont assemblages.

Observations on the biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 6. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: palm feeders.

Partial life histories for 12 Hesperiinae incertae sedis that feed on palms (Arecaceae) are described and illustrated. The genera dealt with are: Perrotia (part), Ploetzia, Zophopetes, Gretna (part), Pteroteinon, Leona, and Caenides (part) (all from Evans' Ploetzia genera group). Although Gamia spp. have been reported to feed on palms, these records are considered to be in error, as caterpillars of this genus feed on Dracaena spp. (Asparagaceae). The life histories of the species documented are fairly uniform, in that caterpillars of most species have rounded brown heads, wider basally, with or without limited black markings, smooth bodies and make simple shelters by rolling leaves. Variation in caterpillar markings and male genitalia of Zophopetes dysmephila (Trimen) and caterpillar and adult markings of Gretna carmen Evans merit further study. In G. carmen, G. waga (Plötz) and G. balenge (Holland), the caterpillars' head and body are covered with hair-like setae, and develop an extensive covering of white waxy powder, which in G. balenge also covers the long setae. Furthermore, the pupa of G. balenge is unusual in having a pair of large, elaborate processes frontally on the head; when disturbed, the pupa vibrates violently and rattles noisily against the sides of the shelter. Ploetzia amygdalis (Mabille) and Pteroteinon laufella (Hewitson) have gregarious caterpillars, whereas the remaining species are solitary. After eclosion, the first instar caterpillars of Gretna spp. moult to the second instar without feeding. The implications of a palm-feeding life-style are discussed, and economic damage and plant quarantine risks to coconut, oil palm and ornamental palms pointed out. The known life histories suggest that all Afrotropical palm-feeding Hesperiidae will belong in the same tribe when the incertae sedis section is further elucidated, although the affinities of Gretna deserve further consideration.

Apriona cinerea

<i>Apriona cinerea</i>

Occurrence, bionomics and harmfulness of Crepidodera aurata (Marsh.) (Coleoptera, Alticidae)

Flea-beetle Crepidodera aurata (Marsh.) is a forestry-important species of the family Alticidae. Its occurrence, bionomics and harmfulness were studied at Forest District Bílovice nad Svitavou (Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny near Brno) in the period 2007 to 2010. Salix caprea L. was the main host and Populus tremula L. an additional host. Last year’s beetles occurred on woody species from the beginning of May to mid-October (most abundantly in June). In the laboratory, they lived 2 to 2.5 months and damaged on average 19.1 cm2 leaves S. caprea. Females laid on average 246.5 eggs, namely in 15.4 clutches at 16 eggs. Beetles of the new generation mostly overwintered (70%) in pupal chambers. About 30% this year’s beetles left pupal chambers. These occurred on trees from the second decade of July to the beginning of November (most abundantly in September). The smaller part of them ran over from S. caprea to newly grown young P. tremula in September and October. Males damaged on average 6.1 (females 7.0) cm2 leaves of P. tremula during 3 to 4-week feeding. Beetles do not mate before hibernation and eggs develop in ovaries of females only after wintering. The development is obligatorily univoltine. With respect to the low consumption of food it is not usually necessary to control the pest.

Occurrence, bionomics and harmfulness of Crepidodera aurea (Geoffr.) (Coleoptera, Alticidae)

The paper deals with the occurrence, bionomics and harmfulness of a flea-beetle Crepidodera aurea (Geoffr.) (Alticidae). The pest was studied at the Bílovice nad Svitavou Forest District (Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest in Křtiny) in the period 2007 to 2010 and in a laboratory. The main host species Populus tremula was about five times more damaged there than Salix caprea. Last year’s beetles occurred on the trees from the beginning of May to the beginning of November (most abundantly at the beginning of June). This year’s (young) beetles occurred from the end of July to the 10th of November (most abundantly in September). Before hibernation, about 1/6 beetles abandoned their earth pupal chambers. The beetles damaged 6.7 cm2 leaves of P. tremula before hibernation (and 14.3 cm2 after hibernation). Females lay on average 194 eggs, namely on the average in 11 clutches at 18 eggs. In the period of the most intensive reproduction (in the second half of May and at the beginning of June), females laid one clutch on average for two days. With the increasing size of females the average number of eggs in ovaries increased as well as their average size. The development was obligatorily univoltine. With respect to the relatively low consumption of food it is not necessary to control the pest. In case of mass outbreak it is possible to control the beetles from the 5th to the 10th of May.

Effects of location of Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) pupal chambers and individual trees from which the beetles emerged on the number of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) carried by the beetles

Effects of location of Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) pupal chambers and individual trees from which the beetles emerged on the number of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) carried by the beetles

Involvement of larder beetles (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) on human cadavers: a review of 81 forensic cases

From 1994 to 2013, French forensic entomology laboratories investigated 1,093 cases. Larder beetles (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) were observed in 81 (7.5%) of these cases. To describe and analyze these 81 cases, eight parameters were used: city, location (indoor or outdoor), decay stage (fresh, decay, or dry), dermestid species and instar (adults and/or larvae), presence of living calliphorid larvae, presence of calliphorid pupae or adults, and presence of other necrophagous species. Eight Dermestidae species were observed: Dermestes frischii (42% of cases), Dermestes undulatus (35.8%), Dermestes peruvianus (12.3%), Dermestes lardarius (9.9%), Dermestes haemorrhoidalis (8.6%), Dermestes maculatus (7.4%), Dermestes bicolor (3.7%), and Dermestes ater (1.2%). Larder beetles primarily developed on human cadavers in outdoor locations in areas with a dry climate and were never reported in oceanic areas (which are characterized by frequent rainfall and high ambient humidity). The number of dermestid species on a single corpse never exceeded three. Typically, one species was found per corpse. Species differed between indoor and outdoor cases, with D. frischii and D. undulatus dominant in outdoor cases, while D. peruvianus dominant in indoor cases. Calliphoridae was found in 88% of the cases, while Hydrotaea and Piophilidae were observed 40% of the time. Regarding Coleoptera, Necrobia spp. (Coleoptera: Cleridae) was observed in 46% of the cases. Lastly, we observed a typical decomposition pattern, with preferential feeding areas on the face, hands, and feet (i.e., the extremities). Pupation chambers on or inside the bones were not observed.

Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 5. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: Dicotyledon Feeders

Partial life histories of 24 Hesperiinae incertae sedis that feed on Dicotyledons are described and illustrated. The genera dealt with are: Acada, Acleros, Andronymus, Fresna, Gorgyra, Melphinyet, Meza, Paronymus, Parosmodes, Platylesches, and Teniorhinus. The food plants of Gorgyra (mainly Connaraceae), Melphinyet (Euphorbiaceae) and Platylesches (Chrysobalanaceae) stand out as clearly distinct from those of the other six genera, which share one or two food plant families with each other. Thus four genera include Fabaceae in their food plants, two include Sapindaceae, two include Combretaceae, and Andronymus includes all three. Ova are only reported for five genera, but they do point to some significant differences: Gorgyra, Parosmodes and Platylesches are different from each other, and different from Acleros and Andronymus. The features of the caterpillars do not indicate clear patterns. The pupal shelters point to Parosmodes and Melphinyet showing some affinity and certainly differ from all others. Acleros and Andronymus have similar pupal shelters, and in common with Meza (dicotyledon-feeding species) and Fresna, the pupal chamber is not closed and the pupa rests on the leaf upper surface. The pupae of Gorgyra differ from all others. The pupae of Acleros and Andronymus have their colouring in common, probably reflecting their very similar pupal shelters. Similarly the pupae and shelters of Meza (dicotyledon-feeding species) and Fresna seem analogous. The other pupae, hidden in their shelters are less differentiated, although the completely wax-free shelter of Acada is superficially different. We conclude that the likeliest scenario is that in the Afrotropical Region members of the Hesperiinae incertae sedis have made the switch from monocotyledons to dicotyledons several times, and then radiated.

Biology of Byctiscus populi (L.) (Coleoptera, Attelabidae). Part II. Leafrolls, larvae and this year's imagoes

In 2007 to 2009, the biology of Byctiscus populi (L.) was studied on Populus tremula in Forest District Bílovice nad Svitavou (former district of Brno-venkov). Females of B. populi often stick ends of shoots in addition to petioles in May and in the first half of June. At 38% damaged shoots, they make rolls of more (at the most 4) leaves. From mid-June to the end of July, they bite only into petioles and make rolls of one leaf. The leafrolls are on average 30 mm long and 3 mm wide. With the increase of the number of rolled up leaves their mean size decreases. With the size of leafrolls the number of eggs increases. The development of eggs and larvae in leafrolls takes 26 to 38 days (in the laboratory 17 to 23 days). Larvae of the 1st instar damage on average 0.06 cm2, larvae of the 2nd instar 0.4 cm2 and larvae of the 3rd instar 2.1 cm2. Under favourable conditions, young beetles appear on trees from 15 August to 10 October. Under cold weather (2009), only part of the beetles leaves pupal chambers, namely from 10 September to 8 October. Before the beginning of a winter diapause, beetles damaged about 11 cm2 leaves of P. tremula.1

Leaf-Litter Brood Chambers inDichotomius(Luederwaldtinia)Carbonarius(Mannerheim, 1829) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): A Novel Behavior for Dung Beetles

Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) carbonarius (Mannerheim, 1829) provisions its brood chambers entirely with comminuted leaf litter, mostly of fumo bravo (Solanum granuloso-leprosum Dunal), and covers them with a thin layer of entire or large fragments of leaves. This is the first recorded case of brood chambers provisioned exclusively with leaf litter. The brood chamber is composed of a main spherical chamber and a cylindrical protuberance in the proximal pole. The egg chamber is located at the distal pole. These brood chambers show, to some extent, intermediate features between brood masses and brood balls. The pupation chamber is constructed without any pellet arrangement and differs from others described from South America and also from those preserved inside Patagonian fossil brood balls, suggesting that this branch of Dichotomius Hope including Luederwaldtinia Martinez could be a separate lineage.

Comparisons of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) reproduction within a novel and traditional host: effects of insect natal history, colonized host species and competitors

Abstract During host‐breadth expansion, phytophagous insects incur risk from potentially deleterious novel host environments at the same time as potentially securing a potential escape in space or time from competing species. Bark beetles reproduce under the bark of stems and branches of mature, stressed or moribund trees, and may suffer high mortality from plant defences and inter‐ and intraspecific competition. An epidemic of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) in western Canada has extended to over 18.1 million hectares of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex. Loudon) forests. In some areas, mountain pine beetles have been found to reproduce within interior hybrid spruces [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss × engelmannii Parry ex. Engelmann], a normally rare occurrence. Using mountain pine beetles reared from naturally‐infested interior hybrid spruce and lodgepole pine hosts, we examined the effect of female natal species and colonized host species on the ability to attract mates and reproduce within spruce and pine logs deployed as a choice assay in a field setting. Additionally, we examined whether the arrival and reproduction of competitors such as pine engravers (Ips spp.) was associated with reduced brood production. Females reared from pine and spruce exhibited similar reproductive potentials. Recruitment and establishment of ovipositional galleries, larval galleries and pupal chambers were similar in the typical and novel hosts. Reproduction by mountain pine beetles in spruce, although successful, was significantly lower than in pine. This reduction occurred despite spruce logs being almost entirely free of competing secondary beetles.

Effect of soil moisture on overwintering pupae in Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Spodoptera exigua Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), can overwinter as pupae at depths of 0- to 5-cm beneath the ground. In order to understand the effect of soil moisture on the overwintering success of this species, we tested the supercooling point and survival of pupae, and the growth rate of prepupae that were exposed to different temperature and soil moisture in the laboratory. Results showed that supercooling points, body water contents, and survivals after the different pre-treatments were not significantly affected by the soil moisture. The developmental progress of prepupae, survival of prepupae and pupae were negatively correlated with soil moisture as well as the delay of exposure time, which supports the hypothesis that soil moisture acts as a developmental modulator. We presumed that the delay of pupation and lower prepupae survival under higher soil moisture was due to lack of a complete pupal chamber for protection at low temperatures. Low pupal survival was likely attributed to lack of oxygen in the soil, especially under the condition of higher soil moisture. We suggest that using strategies of irrigation and soil tillage during winter may decrease the overwintering population of S. exigua from the perspective of integrated pest management.

Identification of dermestid pupal chambers on Southern Levant human bones: inference for reconstruction of Middle Bronze Age mortuary practices

Unique bone damage identified on Middle Bronze Age human skeletal material from the Southern Levant provided important information about the processes of modification and the possible funerary practices resulting in such damage. By comparing archaeological remains with recent skeletal material and by using computed tomography (CT) scans and 3D imaging techniques, the damage is interpreted as pupal chambers created by dermestid beetles. Using skeletal remains from two Middle Bronze Age sites, Jericho Tomb E1 and Munhata Tomb 641, we then discuss how the bores and tunnels left by dermestid beetles on human bones might constitute an interpretative key to the funerary practices of Middle Bronze Age collective burials.

Larval growth rates and sexual differences of resource allocation in the cetoniine scarab Mecynorhina polyphemus Fabricius 1781 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Goliathini)

Larval ontogeny of the scarab Mecynorhina polyphemus was monitored throughout all instars, and larvae were weighed at 7-day intervals. Durations of the prepupal, pupal and postpupal stages were recorded. Larvae increase their body masses over 300 times during ontogeny. Male imagines are larger than females, and this is primarily a function of faster growth rates during instar III, resulting in significantly heavier larvae at the end of this instar. The durations of the three instars are not significantly different in males and females, but the duration of the prepupal and postpupal phases is significantly longer in males. There is a strong correlation in both sexes between maximal larval mass and the mass of the imago, but larval mass–imago mass scales with significantly different slopes in males and females. Male larvae must allocate increasingly more resources into production of cephalic horns with increments in larval mass, requiring differently proportioned pupal chambers.

Insect trace fossils in aeolian deposits and calcretes from the Canary Islands: Their ichnotaxonomy, producers, and palaeoenvironmental significance

Insect trace fossils from Canary Islands have been known and discussed since the beginnings of the last century. The most common and widespread morphologies have been tentatively referred to the ichnogenera Celliforma, Palmiraichnus or Rebuffoichnus and attributed to bees, coleopterans, and locusts until now. Herein they are included in a new single ichnospecies: Rebuffoichnus guanche isp. nov., which can be distinguished from other ichnospecies by the presence of an antechamber. R. guanche are considered herein as coleopteran (Curculionidae or Scarabaeidae) pupation chambers. This is supported by the mostly horizontal orientation in soils, ellipsoid shape, dispersion of sizes, and particularly the internal surface of the wall chamber that is completely smoothed, even in both extremes. In addition, it is supported by the finding of one adult weevil in a similar trace fossil and palaeoenvironment of Australia. All these characters argue against their assignation neither, to egg pods of a locust species nor to bee cells, the latter also contradicted by the lack of spiral closure. The wall of R. guanche shows the same petrological features of those of the palaeosol in which specimens are found. In those specimens found in aeolian deposits, the wall is composed of sand grains similar to those found in the dunes or sand sheets. The diversity of microfabrics found in calcretes is higher and depends on the calcrete hostrock and the degree of development of the calcretes. In poorly developed calcretes the trace fossils reflect very well the calcrete hostrock, whereas in more developed ones they usually show peloidal/ooidal or laminar microfabrics. These similarities indicate that, in contrast to some previous reports, insects utilised as building material that of the surrounding soil, as expectable for a coleopteran pupation chamber. Lower numbers of R. guanche are recorded in calcretes from the western Canary Islands, where no aeolian deposits are present, in contrast to the high densities in the aeolian deposits of the eastern Islands. Coleopterans would first colonise thin soils with calcretes developed on basaltic or sedimentary rocks in young islands and later colonise dunes as they appear when the islands aged. The widespread presence of calcretes, aeolian deposits, and trace fossils in the easternmost and older Canary Islands is driven by both the geological evolution of the Islands and climatic conditions. Both the calcretes and pupation chambers formed during the relatively wetter periods within otherwise prevailing arid to semiarid conditions.

Development of the Teneral AdultAnoplophora glabripennis(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae): Time to Initiate and Completely Bore Out of Maple Wood

Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) is an introduced invasive pest with the potential to devastate hardwood forests in North America. Using artificial pupal chambers, we documented the time required by teneral adults at three temperatures (20, 25, and 30 °C), 60-80% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h to initiate boring after eclosion and subsequently bore completely through a 7-mm (range, 3-11 mm) layer of Norway maple wood (Acer platanoides L.). In total, 218 laboratory-reared pupae from the Chicago, IL, or Inner Mongolia, China, populations were used in the study. Females (1.54 ± 0.03 g) weighed significantly more than males (1.12 ± 0.03 g), but the average weights of the beetles emerging in each temperature did not differ. Adult weight was positively correlated with exit hole diameter (diameter [mm] = 2.2 * weight [g] + 7.9). The rate at which beetles bored through the wood (136, 178, and 168 mm(3)/d at 20, 25 and 30 °C, respectively) significantly differed between temperatures but did not differ with beetle weight. Temperature had a significant effect on the time it took adults to initiate boring (7, 5, and 4 d at 20, 25, and 30 °C, respectively) and subsequently to complete boring to emerge (5, 4, and 4 d at 20, 25, and 30 °C, respectively). This suggests that beetles require more than a week to progress from eclosion to emergence in wood, even at summer temperatures. This information on A. glabripennis basic biology is critical for developing phenology models that are used to time exclusion and eradication methodologies.

Rapid Diagnosis of the Infection of Pine Tree with Pine Wood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) by Use of Host-Tree Volatiles

Attraction of the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus nematode toward 18 volatiles of Pinus species was evaluated by a Petri-dish bioassay under laboratory conditions to develop a rapid diagnostic kit. Among these compounds, α-pinene, β-pinene, and camphor showed significantly higher attractiveness to B. xylophilus in both the reproductive and dispersal stages, whereas these compounds were not active against Bursaphelenchus mucronatus . A trap tube was developed as a diagnostic kit, which consisted of a tube filled with 0.8% agar and a matrix impregnated with an attractant: α-pinene, β-pinene, or camphor. All tested compounds attracted a significantly higher number of B. xylophilus than that in the control treatment. No significant difference was observed among attractants. The cotton-ball matrix was significantly more effective than the filter-paper matrix for attracting B. xylophilus in the artificial pupal chamber bioassay. In a bioassay with pine wood nematode (PWN)-infected pine tree logs, B. xylophilus was initially attracted after an 8 h trap period and the number of B. xylophilus increased with time. The trap tube using camphor and the cotton-ball matrix were most effective for attracting B. xylophilus . The semiochemical-based tube-trapping method is simple to use, requires minimal labor, and is economical and effective for detecting B. xylophilus living in host pine trees during field sampling.

Role of leaf mines in host location and pupation in Diglyphus isaea (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Diglyphus isaea Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an important ectoparasitic wasp of many leaf miners. Ability of D. isaea to find hosts placed in artificial mines and for its larvae to pupate when the larva is not in a mine was studied. Artificial mines consisted of slits cut in index card sandwiched between two cover slips. Almost 80% of the neonate larvae of D. isaea located host larvae in artificial mines compared to only 50% of those not in a mine. Mature larvae removed from mines did not construct normal pupal chambers. Nonetheless, they pupated and emerged successfully. Larvae of Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in mines are more likely to be attacked than those not in mines. Moreover, when close to a host larva this parasitoid can use vibrational cues to locate the larva in a mine. In addition, this parasitoid also did not always use volatile and gustatory cues for short range location of hosts. However, adult females of D. isaea more quickly located L. sativae larvae in the presence of the odour of juice extracted from an uninfested host plant. We conclude by proposing that the host mine is the medium by which the vibrations generated by the host larva are transmitted, which are probably the most important cue used by female D. isaea searching for hosts. That is this parasitoid first perceives mines not host larvae. These results will be helpful for developing techniques for the mass rearing of D. isaea in the future.

New Data onConorhynchus hololeucus(Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Trehala are unusual insect pupal chambers that are sweet and have been used as human food (Pierce 1915). Trehala are constructed on the outside of stems by larvae in the genus Larinus Dejean, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae). New data on 4 trehala constructing species of Larinus were recently presented by Gultekin (2008). Trehala-like capsule constructions have also been observed in several genera of Cleonini, including Conorhynchus Motschulsky, 1860, Trichocleonus Motschulsky, 1860, Scaphomorphus Motschulsky, 1860 and Pachycerus Schoenherr, 1823 (Volovnik 2010), and the Lixini genus Hypolixus Desbrochers, 1898 (Nikulina 1989). Larvae, pupae and new generation adults of Hypolixus tigrinus (Reitter 1890) were found in oval trehala-like capsules on the stem base of Suaeda arcuata Bunge (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) and S. paradoxa Bunge (Nikulina 1989). A recent ecological research project conducted in eastern Turkey revealed that larvae of Conorhynchus hololeucus (Pallas, 1781) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae) create structures similar to the trehala of Larinus. Their host plant in eastern Turkey is Atriplex sp. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) (Fig. 1), and according to TerMinassian (1988) host plants of C. hololoeucus are Atriplexta tarica L., Salsola sclerantha C. A. Meyer and S. carinata C. A. Meyer (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) in former USSR. Adults feed on the leaves by chewing out semicircular areas. Usually 2-3 pairs of adults are present on one plant and they mate on the leaves (Fig. 2). The females lay eggs in the neck of the root of the host plant. The young larvae open superficial galleries downwards under the bark of the root. As each larva develops it makes an external trehala-like capsule, which it enlarges as development proceeds. The legless larva has a creamy white color with a brown head capsule (Fig. 3). The capsule may be separate (Fig. 4), or 4-5 capsules may be connected to each other on a single root of a host plant (Fig. 6). Pupation occurs in the capsule (Fig. 5) in late summer. The new generation of adults remains for some d in their capsules, and emerge in late summer-early autumn of the same year. Upon emergence, the adults search out a secluded place on the ground for hibernation. This weevil species produces one generation per year.