Rhinocyllus is a small genus of true weevil, with 4 species described.[2] The host plants of this genus are thistles in the subtribe Carduinae.[3] Its sister group is Bangasternus.[3]

Rhinocyllus
Rhinocyllus conicus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Curculionidae
Subfamily: Lixinae
Tribe: Rhinocyllini
Genus: Rhinocyllus
Germar, 1817 [1]

The most well-known species is R. conicus which is a controversial agent of biological pest control which has been used against noxious thistles in the genera Carduus, Cirsium, Onopordum, and Silybum.

Species

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References

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  1. ^ "Rhinocyllus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. ^ Ter-Minasyan ME. 1967. Weevils of the sub-family Cleoninae in the fauna of the USSR; tribe Lixini. New Delhi: Amerind Publishing Co
  3. ^ a b Martin Brandle; Steffi Knoll; Sabine Eber; Jutta Stadler & Roland Brandl. "Flies on thistles: support for synchronous speciation?" (PDF). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 84, 775–783.