Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Coleoptera (Beetles) ➔ Family Curculionidae (Weevils)

Anoplus plantaris (Naezen, 1794)

Synonyms:

Curculio plantaris Naezen, 1794 | Curculio armeniacae Fabricius, 1792 | Curculio brevis Marsham, 1802 | Anoplus atratus Stephens, 1831 | Anoplus nitidulus Stephens, 1831 |

  • Anoplus plantaris 7658
    Anoplus plantaris (Naezen, 1794)     
    Anoplus plantaris; conf. Klaas Reißmann
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2017-04-30 15:50:26
    Image number: 7658

    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2017-04-30 15:50:26
    conf. Klaas Reißmann

Classification:
Anoplus plantaris belongs to the subfamily Curculioninae, tribe Anoplini.
Distribution:
Europe, Siberia to Japan; common in Central Europe.
Description:
Black beetle with a body lenght of 1.7 - 1.9 mm; antennae with reddish base and 7-segmented flagellum; scutellum white scaly; pronotum with shagrination between the puncture; interspaces of elytra with an irregular row of thin, close-fitting, dark hairs.
Similar species:
Similar species are the larger Anoplus roboris (2 - 2.5 mm, pronotum without shagrination between the puncture) and the rarer Anoplus setulosis (interspaces of elytra with a row of upright light bristles).
Biology:
Adults of Anoplus plantaris can be found especially in May and June.
The larvae of the species belong to the leaf miners. They eat narrow mines into the leaves of birches (Betula), their host plants. The adult larvae leave the mine to pupate. The pupation takes place in the soil.

References, further reading, links:
  1. de Jong, Y.S.D.M. (ed.) (2013) Fauna Europaea version 2.6.2 Web Service available online at https://fauna-eu.org/
  2. Arved Lompe: Die Käfer Europas - Ein Bestimmungswerk im Internet