Weevils on Cyclanthaceae

[Anderson, Robert]

September 26, 1995

Dear Colleagues:

Last year, Luis Gomez of Costa Rica sent me some weevil specimens he had
collected on the freshly opened flowers of Carludovica species
(Cyclanthaceae) in southern Costa Rica.  Nearly all of the species present
were undescribed
and appeared representative of a variety of genera, also undescribed.
Whereas adults of
most of the species present were small in size (3-6mm long), of special note
were
specimens of a large YELLOW and BLACK weevil (about 9- 12mm long).  Luis
Gomez and I are describing this large weevil as a new genus and new
species and since the first collections were made, two additional new
species of the genus (also on Carludovica species) have been collected in
Costa Rica and
Panama.  Published reports on pollinators of various Cyclanthaceae (excluding
Cyclanthus bipartitus which appears to be attended only by Cyclocephala
scarab beetles) include a variety of related weevils (of the tribe
Derelomini).

Apparently, these flowers are attractive to the weevils for only a short
period of time, IMMEDIATELY after opening and for about 12-24 hours
thereafter.  This is the only way to collect these weevils!

I would like to ask anyone, specifically any botanists who might encounter
specimens of Cyclanthaceae (in flower), if they could collect some of the
weevils associated with these flowers (the weevils are usually present by
the thousands on ONE flower!!).  The weevils can be collected
into alcohol (preferred) or any other preservative available and forwarded to
me.

Also, if anyone has any specimens of weevils from flowers of any
Cyclanthaceae, I would be pleased to borrow them for examination.

Thanks in advance for your consideration.

Robert S. Anderson,
Entomology,
Canadian Museum of Nature,
PO Box 3443, Station D,
Ottawa, ON. K1P 6P4
CANADA

613-954-2649 Tel.
randerson @mus-nature.ca