Copturus floridanus

Definition

A species of true weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae, native to North America. Originally described as Pizazurus floridanus Fall, 1906, it was transferred to the genus Copturus by Sleeper in 1963. Like other curculionids, adults possess an elongated rostrum with mandibles at the tip, a characteristic adaptation for boring into plant tissues to feed and oviposit.

Etymology

From the genus Copturus (Greek koptos, 'cut' or 'strike', likely referring to the cutting/boring habit) + floridanus (Latin, 'of Florida', indicating the type locality).

Example

Specimens of Copturus floridanus are distinguished from congeneric species by subtle characters of the elytral sculpture and rostral proportions, requiring careful comparison with type material when identifying museum collections.

Synonyms

• Pizazurus floridanus Fall, 1906

Related Terms

• Curculionidae
• Copturus
• true weevil
• rostrum
• elytron
• nomenclatural recombination

Usage Notes

The 1963 transfer from Pizazurus to Copturus represents a nomenclatural recombination, not a synonymy of genera; the genus Pizazurus remains valid for other species. Identification to species in Copturus typically requires examination of male genitalia and fine details of the pronotal and elytral punctuation.