Sitona californius

(Fahraeus, 1840)

Sitona californius is a of broad-nosed weevil in the Curculionidae, native to western North America. The species has been documented as prey for the Cerceris sextoides. Its name has frequently been misspelled as 'californicus' in scientific literature.

Sitona californius by (c) Victor Engel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Victor Engel. Used under a CC-BY license.

Sitona californius by (c) Justin Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Justin Williams. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sitona californius: /sɪˈtoʊnə kælɪˈfɔːrniəs/

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Images

Distribution

Found in the western United States, including California, and extreme south-central British Columbia. Range extends inland through Idaho, northwest Utah, and northern Nevada.

Seasonality

Active from May to October.

Ecological Role

Recorded as prey for the weevil wasp Cerceris sextoides, a solitary that paralyzes weevils to provision its nests.

Misconceptions

The name has often been misspelled as 'Sitona californicus' in scientific and popular sources.

More Details

Taxonomic Note

GBIF lists Sitona californius as a synonym of Sitones californius, though most sources use the Sitona.

Prey Record

Documented as one of two weevil (along with Trigonoscuta pilosa) recorded as prey for Cerceris sextoides.