Mecinus pyraster

(Herbst, 1795)

Stem Miner Weevil

Mecinus pyraster is a small weevil in the Curculionidae, native to the Palaearctic region and introduced to North America. The species has undergone taxonomic revision, with three junior synonyms synonymized under it. As a member of the Mecinus, it likely exhibits the stem-mining larval habit characteristic of this group, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in accessible literature.

Mecinus pyraster (10.3897-zookeys.939.50612) Figure 15 by Gosik R, Skuhrovec J, Caldara R, Toševski I (2020) Immature stages of Palearctic Mecinus species (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Curculioninae): morphological characters diagnostic at genus and species levels. ZooKeys 939: 87-165. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.939.50612. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Mecinus pyraster 287880524 by Nick Bédard. Used under a CC0 license.

Mecinus pyraster, Bagillt, North Wales, July 2016 - Flickr - janetgraham84 by Janet Graham. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Mecinus pyraster: //mɛˈsiːnʊs paɪˈrastər//

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Identification

Distinguished from congeneric by combination of rostral and genitalic characters detailed in Caldara (2013). The species was historically confused with M. schneideri and M. hariolus, now synonymized. Accurate identification requires examination of male terminalia and rostral proportions; external alone is insufficient for reliable separation from closely related species in the M. pyraster .

Images

Distribution

Native to Europe; recorded as present in North America (introduced). Specific country-level distribution within Europe not detailed in available sources.

Similar Taxa

Mecinus schneideriJunior synonym of M. pyraster; previously treated as distinct based on minor morphological differences now considered intraspecific variation.
Mecinus hariolusJunior synonym of M. pyraster; synonymized based on examination of type material and phylogenetic analysis.
Mecinus pici var. favarcquiInfraspecific synonym of M. pyraster; varietal name no longer recognized.