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The following taxonomic description of R. ferrugineus was provided by Booth et al. (1990).
"Ferrugineous to black, legs paler, elytra shining or dull, slightly pubescent, black spots on pronotum extremely variable. Antennal insertions subbasal, scrobes deep, broad and widely opened ventrally, scape longer than funicle and club combined, equal to half length of rostrum, with funicular segments thick, conical, club large, broadly triangular, usually ferrugineous with 8 to 15 setae on inner side of spongy area. Rostrum in males almost four fifths length of pronotum. In females longer, slender, more cyclindrical;straight in profile, broad at base, apex not grooved, with dense, erect setae, at least subapically in males only, but not reaching scrobes, dorsal surface variously sculptured, ventrally very finely punctured, ventral space between antennal scrobes strongly narrowing posteriorly, gular suture with elongate-oval shape before narrowing to base. Submentum truncately concave with narrowly elongate, median depression, extending throughout its length. Mandibles tridentate distally, all teeth sharply pointed, apical and subapical teeth widely separated. Frons narrower than rostrum at base. Pronotum abruptly constricted anterolateraly, posterior margin broadly rounded. Scutellum one-quarter to one fifth elytral length, somewhat pointed posteriorly. Elytra smooth or with slight velvety pubescence, punctures along outer edges, with five deep striae and traces of four laterally. Procoxae strongly globose, widely separated, mesocoxae covered with soft, reddish-brown setae, pro- and mesofemora not strongly curved ventrally, with setae on ventral side of profemora in males only, tarsi pseudotetramerous, first segment twice as long as second, third with broad, median patch and lateral row of reddish-brown setae, fifth segment as long as first four combined, with nine to twelve setae ventrally. First abdominal sternite as long as third and fourth combined, but much shorter than second, sparsely punctures medially, strongly punctures laterally, fifth segment strongly punctured dorsolaterally, pygidium sparsely and minutely punctured posteriorly and dorsolaterally."
Eggs are creamy white, oblong and shiny. The average size of an egg is 2.62 mm long and 1.12 mm wide (Menon and Pandalai, 1960). Eggs hatch in 3 days and increase in size before hatching (Reginald, 1973). The brown mouth parts of the larvae can be seen through the shell before eclosion.
The larvae can grow up to 35 mm long and can be recognised by the brown head and white body. The body is composed of 13 segments. Mouthparts are well developed and strongly chitinized. The average length of fully grown larvae is 50 mm and the mean width is 20 mm in the middle.
When about to pupate, larvae construct an oval-shaped cocoon of fibre (Menon and Pandalai, 1960). The pupal case can range in length from 50-95 mm and in width from 25-40 mm. The prepupal stage lasts for about 3 days and the pupal period varies from 12-20 days. Pupae are first cream coloured but later turn brown. The surface is shiny, but greatly furrowed and reticulated. The average length of pupae is 35 mm and the average width is 15 mm.
Adult weevils are reddish brown, about 35 mm long and 10 mm wide and are characterized by a long curved rostrum (snout). Dark spots are visible on the upper side of the middle part of the body. The head and rostrum comprise about one-third of the total length. In the male, the dorsal apical half of the snout is covered by a patch of short brownish hairs, the snout is bare in the female, more slender, curved and a little longer than the male (Menon and Pandalai, 1960).

Related invasive species

  • Rhynchophorus ferrugineus

Related Farm Practice

  • Canning
  • Construction
  • Development
  • Furrows
Has Cabi datasheet ID
47472
Oss tagged
x

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