Immature stages of Palearctic Mecinus species (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae): morphological characters diagnostic at genus and species levels.

ABSTRACT: The immature stages of ten Mecinus species are described for the first time and those of two other species are redescribed, adding important chaetotaxy characters that were missing from previous descriptions. These species belong to six of the nine assemblages of Mecinus species previously established according to a phylogenetic analysis. All these groupings are confirmed on the basis of several characters of mature larvae and pupae. Moreover, all the species show several characters that are useful for distinguishing them from each other, including cryptic species that previously had few differential characters. Some characters that may be useful for separating Mecinus from other genera in the tribe are suggested. To confirm the taxonomic identification of some larvae,

SUBMITTER: Gosik R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7297811 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature