Rhinastus sternicornis

Rhinastus sternicornis is a species of beetles belonging to the family Curculionidae.

Rhinastus sternicornis
Rhinastus sternicornis from Brazil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Curculionidae
Subfamily:	Molytinae
Tribe:	Cholini
Subtribe:	Rhinastina
Genus:	Rhinastus
Species:	R. sternicornis
Binomial name
Rhinastus sternicornis Germar, 1824
Synonyms
Rhinastus pertusus Dalman, 1836 Cholus sternicornis Germar, 1824

Description

Rhinastus sternicornis can reach a length of 18–37 millimetres (0.71–1.46 in). This large species has very long legs and a strongly arcuate long beak. The pronotum and elytra are quite variable in granulation. The colour varies from pale to deeper tan or yellowish.

The adults of these beetles can be found from January up to March. They have been reported breeding in bamboos. The females puncture the young shoots and lay one egg in each perforation. The larvae develop in the internodes of bamboos and are considered a pest of these plants.

This species shows a striking sexual dimorphism. In fact the male and the female of this beetle were once believed belonging to different species (respectively to Rhinastus pertusus and Rhinastus sternicornis, actually considered synonyms).

Distribution

This species can be found in Brazil, Peru and Argentina.

References

• Catalogue of Life
• Universal Biological Indexer
• Global species
• Patricia Vaurie Revision of Rhinastus and Description of a New Species of Cholus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Cholinae