New Record of The Billbug Genus Sphenophorus Schoenherr, 1838 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Dryophthorinae) From Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant protection Dept., Desert Research Center, Egypt.

2 Zoology & Entomology Dept., Faculty of Science, Al -Azhar University (Girl’s branch)

3 Zoology & Entomology Dept., Faculty of Science, Al -Azhar University (Girl’s branch),

Abstract

Sphenophorus weevils live on the ground, beneath the grass, and are known as primary pests because they lay eggs within the tissue of the stems of plants causing extinct damage to the stem, crown, and roots, leading to plant death. The adult is typically weevil-like in appearance with a short, broad, recurved snout. In the field of sugarcane crop located in Qena, Southern Egypt Individuals of billbugs appeared to look different morphologically from the most relative coexisted specimens. Specimens have been collected and sent to some world experts, they commonly suggested that the specimen is billbug species of the genus Sphenophorus but they cannot confirm the species. During the present work, the specimens were described, photographed, and identified using the available taxonomic keys and previous descriptions. The taxonomic work confirmed that the specimens belong to Sphenophorus venatus Chittenden (hunting billbug) and were reported for the first time from Egypt. This finding with data about damage, distribution, and host plants contributes to enriching lists of Egypt’s insect fauna and conservation of biodiversity.

Keywords

Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. A, Entomology
Volume 15, Issue 3
September 2022
Pages 9-14

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