Mecinus simus (Mulsant & Rey, 1859)

Caldara, Roberto & Fogato, Valter, 2013, Systematics of the weevil genus <i> Mecinus </ i> Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I. Taxonomic treatment of the species, Zootaxa 3654 (1), pp. 1-105 : 56

Mecinus simus group

Diagnosis. Rostrum very short, conical, straight in lateral view. Protibiae with apical third distinctly enlarged, sometimes with outer margin and apex bearing stout denticles.

Remarks and comparative notes. The shape of rostrum and protibiae are really notheworthy and unique in Mecinini . Both characters are paradoxically similar to those of a mole and the tibiae are similar to those of Scarabaeidae . Although nothing is known about their biology except for their host plants, it is possible that the species of this group deposit eggs in the roots of plants and this fact might explain the strong modification of these structures for digging/burrowing