Amphionotus, Faust, 1897

Kuschel, Guillermo, 2008, Curculionoidea (weevils) of New Caledonia and Vanuatu: Basal families and some Curculionidae, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 197, pp. 99-250 : 138-139

Genus AMPHIONOTUS Faust

Amphionotus Faust, 1897: 231 , 237.

Type species: Geonemus douei Montrouzier.

DESCRIPTION. — Adelognathous; head parallel-sided at first, then widening caudad, showing a weak constriction at end of parallel sector. Eyes rounded, weakly convex. Rostrum dorsally parallel-sided, a little longer than wide, in lateral view curved, not impressed across base, transversely convex, with blunt median carina extended to epistome, without sulci on dorsal surface or in front of eyes; epistome a little raised on sides, vibrissae confined to anterior 1/3; pterygia well-exposed; scrobes in dorsal view distinct throughout, glabrous on anterior half. Scape distinctly passing hind margin of eyes, slender, directed roughly towards middle of eyes; club fusiform, more than twice as long as wide, first segment 1/3 of club. Prothorax transverse, rounded on sides, truncate and without a rim at base, partly sulcate on middle, with a transverse sulciform impression across basal 1/3; ocular lobes and cilia absent. Scutellum concealed. Elytra lacking humeral callus, each ending in a conspicuous knob or blunt tooth; striae fine, Fore and middle tibiae mucronate; corbel plate distinct, moderately wide, glabrous. Claws free, divergent. Flightless.

DISTRIBUTION. — New Caledonia.

REMARKS. — Related to the Leptopius group of genera.

ETYMOLOGY. — ‘Amphionótus’ derived from the Greek ‘amphi’ = either side, about, concerning to, and ‘noton’ = the back. By the way, a connecting -o after the prefix amphi, because it ends in a vowl, was not required.