Rhinusa verbasci ( Rosenschoeld, 1838 )

Caldara, Roberto, Casalini, Roberto & Baviera, Cosimo, 2012, Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on the Rhinusa tetra (Fabricius) species complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Zootaxa 3329, pp. 31-40 : 36-37

Rhinusa verbasci ( Rosenschoeld, 1838)

Gymnetron crassirostre Lucas, 1849

Remarks. This species differs from R. tetra by the shape and usually the length of the rostrum, especially in the female (see key to the species; measurements taken from 30 male and 30 female specimens for each species from the whole area of their distribution), although it is well known that the rostra are somewhat variable in length ( Figs. 12- 13 ). It is noteworthy that the two taxa are sympatric in the entire area of distribution but were never collected on the same plant. This circumstance supports our current decision to consider R. tetra and R. verbasci as different species.

Biological notes. The lectotype of this species was collected on Verbascum formosum Schrank. , a species distributed in southern Russia and Anatolia. In Sicily R. verbasci was collected on V. blattaria , V. thapsus and V. m a c - rurum sometimes together with R. comosa but never together with R. tetra (C. Baviera, pers. obs.) Distribution. Southern Spain, Italy (Sicily), Greece, Caucasian States, Turkey, Morocco (R. Caldara, pers. data).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 15. Rostrum in dorsal and lateral view of 1, Rhinusa tetra male, Rocca di Cave, Italy; 2, R. tetra female, Rocca di Cave, Italy; 3, R. comosa male, Pisoniano, Italy; 4, R. comosa female, Sandanski, Bulgaria; 5, R. moroderi female, Salamis, Cyprus; 6, R tetra male; 7, R tetra female; 8, R. comosa male; 9, R. comosa female; 10, R. moroderi female; 11 and 12, R. verbasci female, Golluk-Nallihan, Turkey; 13, R. verbasci female, Tessaglia, Greece. Aedeagus in dorsal view of 14, R. tetra; 15, R. comosa.