Araecerus

Identification to species level requires examination of morphological characters including body length, scutellum color and size, hair-scale patterns, fore tarsus segment lengths, mandible and maxillary palpi teeth size, declivity of the dorsal abdomen, eye markings, and pygidium shape. At least five undescribed species from Papua New Guinea have been distinguished using these characters.

Associated with seeds and fruits of various plants; includes both field habitats on living plants and stored product environments. Documented from seeds of Mastixiodendron pachyclados in Papua New Guinea, coffee berries, and various stored commodities.

Documented from Papua New Guinea, tropical and subtropical regions globally, and extending into temperate regions including Russia (Yaroslavl Region, southern Russia) and Iran.

Seed-feeding; larvae develop within seeds. Documented hosts include coffee (Coffea), cocoa, maize, cassava, peanuts, various dried and fresh fruits, and medicinal plants. Some species show polyphagy on stored products.

• Mastixiodendron pachyclados - seed hostPapua New Guinea; five undescribed Araecerus species reared from seeds
• Coffea canephora - seed hostfield-collected coffee berries
• Melia azedarach - seed hostfirst record in Iran; 25% seed infection rate
• Zea mays - stored product hostsignificant damage in stored maize
• Theobroma cacao - food sourcemaize and cacao are primary foods for A. fasciculatus
• Manihot esculenta - stored product hostdried cassava
• Arachis hypogaea - stored product hostpeanuts
• various Chinese medicinal plants - attractant sourceCodonopsis pilosula, Ophiopogon japonicus, Astragalus membranaceus, Dendrobium nobile, Angelica dahurica

Complete metamorphosis with egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Under laboratory conditions at 27°C, males mature 3 days and females 6 days after emergence. Fertilization occurs at 6 days after emergence and lasts 6.5–8 minutes. Incubation period is 5–8 days at 27°C. Total life cycle on maize at 27°C ranges from 29 days at 100% relative humidity to 57 days at 60% relative humidity; on cacao, minimum 80% relative humidity required for development. Multiple overlapping generations can occur within seeds.

Adults emerge from seeds by chewing exit holes. Females normally fertilized more than once, though single fertilization renders all eggs fertile. Females with delayed fertilization lay more rapidly once fertilized, with effect increasing for delays up to 3 weeks. Adults attracted to specific volatile compounds including β-elemene, α-selinene, and β-selinene. Oviposition takes approximately 8 minutes at 18°C in light or darkness.

Significant economic pest of stored agricultural products and cash crops. Associated with yield reductions in coffee beans and dried cassava. Frugivorous weevil developing within seeds, with abundance directly related to crop damage.

Major pest of coffee, cocoa, maize, cassava, and other stored products. Causes perforation and hollowing damage in stored commodities. Susceptibility varies by crop variety; for example, Pertiwi 3 maize variety showed highest preference for adult presence and oviposition. Volatile compounds such as β-elemene show potential for development as monitoring attractants.

• other Anthribidae generaAraecerus can be distinguished by the combination of morphological characters used for species-level identification within the genus, including scutellum features, tarsal segment proportions, and pygidium shape
• Bruchidae (seed beetles)Both groups are seed-feeding beetles, but Anthribidae lack the elongated rostrum typical of weevils and have different antennal insertion; Araecerus specifically has characteristic eye markings and abdominal declivity patterns

• Anthribidae
• fungus weevil
• seed pest
• stored product pest
• coffee pest
• polyphagous
• Papua New Guinea
• economic entomology
• coleoptera
• weevil

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Host preference of Araecerus fasciculatus (DeGeer) (Coleoptera: Anthribidae): Adult presence and oviposition on twelve maize varieties
• Possible New Species of Araecerus (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) Associated with Mastixiodendron pachyclados (Garo garo), Rubiaceae
• First record and biology of coffee bean weevil (Araecerus fasciculatus De Geer) on pesticide plant (Melia azedarach L.) from Iran
• First record and biology of coffee bean weevil, Araecerus fasciculatus De Geer, on pesticide plant, Melia azedarach L. from Iran
• Micro-CT to Document the Coffee Bean Weevil, Araecerus fasciculatus (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), Inside Field-Collected Coffee Berries (Coffea canephora)
• Comparative Ecology of Two Beetles Established in Hawaii: An Anthribid, Araecerus Levipennis, and a Bruchid, Mimosestes Sallaei
• On a Finding of the Coffee Bean Weevil Araecerus fasciculatus (De Geer, 1775) (Coleoptera, Anthribidae) in Yaroslavl Region, Russia
• Behavioral responses of Araecerus fasciculatus (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) to volatiles of selected stored Chinese medicinal plant products
• Possible New Species of Araecerus (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) associated with Mastixiodendronpachyclados (Rubiaceae) of Papua New Guinea
• On a Finding of the Polyphagous Pest, Coffee Bean Weevil Araecerus fasciculatus (DeG.) (Coleoptera, Anthribidae), in Natural Habitats of Different Regions of Southern Russia
• ON THE BIOLOGY OF ARAECERUS FASCICULATUS DE GEER (COL., ANTHRIBIDAE), WITH SPECIAL REFFERENCE TO THE EFFECTS OF VARIATIONS IN THE NATURE AND WATER CONTENT OF THE FOOD
• Life Table Parameters and Digestive Enzyme Activity of Araecerus fasciculatus (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) Feeding on Different Stored Products.
• Susceptibility of processed and stored cassava, plantain, yam, and cocoyam to coffee bean weevil (Araecerus fasciculatus De Geer).