EUTRACHELUS TEMMINCKI
WEEVILS

Eutrachelus temmincki is a species of straight-snouted weevils belonging to the family Brentidae.

Species name honors Coenraad Jacob Temminck (31 March 1778. 30 January 1858), a Dutch zoologist.

Eutrachelus temmincki is the largest species in the family Brentidae and has one of the longest snouts among beetles. These giant weevils can reach a length of 55-75 millimetres in males (including snout), while females are smaller (about 65 mm.), with a narrower head and snout. Body is elongated, with a long snout and more or less developed jaws. The basic color is black with small orange to red spots on the elytra.

This species is present in Indonesia and Malaysia (Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Thailand).

Brentidae is a cosmopolitan family of primarily xylophagous beetles also known as straight-snouted weevils. The concept of this family has been recently expanded with the inclusion of three groups formerly placed in the Curculionidae; the subfamilies Apioninae, Cyladinae, and Nanophyinae, as well as the Ithycerinae, previously considered a separate family. They are most diverse in the tropics, but occur throughout the temperate regions of the world. They are among the families of weevils that have non-elbowed antennae, and tend to be elongate and flattened, though there are numerous exceptions.

The subfamilial classification of the family has been reorganized by several different authors within the last 20 years, and is not yet stable; the most recent, and conservative, classification (Oberprieler et al., 2007) accepts only 6 subfamilies, with many familiar subfamilial taxa (e.g., Antliarhininae, Cyladinae, Cyphagoginae, Myrmacicelinae and Trachelizinae) now relegated to the corresponding tribal groups, Antliarhinini, Cyladini, Cyphagogini, Myrmacicelini and Trachelizini, primarily within the subfamily Brentinae.

Description

Adult: Overall shape variable from elongate, narrow and parallel-sided to pear-shaped and greatly convex. Length ranging from 2-80mm, typically between 4-20mm. Head with prominent straight rostrum, elongate and typically narrow and cylindrical. Antenna 11-segmented, typically straight (geniculate in Nanophyinae taxa), funicle narrow and slender, terminal two or three antennomeres comprising a loose club or rarely a compact club (some Apioninae and Cyladinae). Elytra typically entire and covering all of abdomen. Hindwing with reduced anal venation. First two abdominal segments connate and longer than following segments. Sexual dimorphism evident in overall body length and shape, length of rostrum.

Larva: Body lightly to moderately sclerotized, white to yellowish in color, typically elongate and subcylindrical, averaging between 2-20mm in length. Vestiture typically short and fine. Legs absent or rudimentary (2 segmented and short). Head typically exserted and hypognathous. Hypopharyngeal bracon present, gular sutures absent, mandible without mola. Antennae reduced to a single segment. Stemmata absent. Pronotal plate on prothorax distinct. Meso- and metathorax subdivided by pro- and postdorsal folds. Abdominal segments subdivided by 3-4 dorsal folds. Urogomphi and terminal appendages absent.