Rhinastus sternicornis

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Coleopterida
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Polyphaga
Superfamilia: Curculionoidea

Familia: Curculionidae
Subfamilia: Molytinae
Tribus: Cholini
Subtribus: Rhinastina
Genus: Rhinastus
Species: Rhinastus sternicornis

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