Cyphocleonus

Motschulsky, V. de, 1860

Species Guides

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Cyphocleonus is a of true weevils (Curculionidae) containing at least nine described . Several species have been investigated for of plants, with C. achates established in North America for knapweed management and C. trisulcatus evaluated for oxeye daisy control. The genus is native to Eurasia, with some species now introduced to North America.

Cyphocleonus by (c) Carey Minteer, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Cyphocleonus achates by Sean McCann from Vancouver, Canada. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.Knapweed root weevil by Kenny Chabba. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cyphocleonus: //ˌsaɪfoʊˈkliːənəs//

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Distribution

Native to Europe and western Asia; introduced to North America for some . GBIF records indicate presence in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Host Associations

  • Centaurea maculosa (spotted knapweed) - For C. achates; feed on foliage, larvae mine roots
  • Centaurea diffusa (diffuse knapweed) - For C. achates
  • Leucanthemum vulgare (oxeye daisy) - For C. trisulcatus

Ecological Role

Some function as agents for plants; C. achates has been established in North America to reduce knapweed .

Human Relevance

C. achates was approved for release in North America in 1987 and is considered an important agent for spotted and diffuse knapweed. C. trisulcatus was rejected for North American release due to attack on ornamental Shasta daisies.

More Details

Biological control species

At least two have been evaluated for : C. achates for knapweeds (Centaurea spp.) and C. trisulcatus for oxeye daisy. C. achates has a narrow range restricted to Centaurea subgenus Acrolophus.

Morphological note

C. achates are relatively large weevils (approximately 14 mm long) and are flightless.

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Sources and further reading