Tag Archives: Leptopius etheridgei

Leptopius etheridgei (Olliff)

Etheridge’s Leptopius Weevil (Leptopius etheridgei)

 

Etheridge’s Leptopius Weevil was described in 1889; it was restricted to Lord Howe Island, Australia.

the species reached a length of about 1,2 cm; it was “Elongate ovate, piceous, densely covered with griseous scales; rostrum long, depressed in the middle; prothorax rugulose, narrowed in front; elytra ample, seriate-punctate, obtusely bi-tuberculate posteriorly.
Head thickly covered with scales, those near the sides inclining to ochraceous; rostrum about as long as the prothorax. Eyes narrow, vertical. Antennae rather long, the scape closely scaled, funiculus finely pubescent. Prothorax decidedly broader than long, moderately strongly rugulose, the scales inclining to ochraceous at the sides, an obscure median carina which is effaced anteriorly. Scutellum distinct, pointed behind. Elytra about two and a half times as long as the prothorax, somewhat flattened above, moderately strongly seriate-punctate, the punctures widely separated and somewhat irregular, the interstices broad and slightly raised, the third interstice slightly and the sixth rather strongly elevated posteriorly, giving the elytra a bi-tuberculate appearance. Underside and legs moderately closely scaled and finely pubescent.
” [1]

The species has not been collected since the 1910s and is now considered extinct. [2]

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References:

[1] Sidney Olliff: The insect fauna of Lord Howe Island. The Australian Museum memoir 2: 75-98. 1889
[2] Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW), Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan Appendices, Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW), Sydney 2007

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Depiction from: ‘Sidney Olliff: The insect fauna of Lord Howe Island. The Australian Museum memoir 2: 75-98. 1889’

(public domain)

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edited: 26.04.2022