Tag Archives: Pseudostenoscelis

Pseudostenoscelis sculpturata Wollaston

Sculpturated Pseudostenoscelis Weevil (Pseudostenoscelis sculpturata)  

This species was described in 1877, it was endemic to the island of Saint Helena, where it appears to have been restricted to the mountainous areas of the Central Ridge.

The species was obviously already rare when it was discovered.:

“Evidently one of the rarest of the St.-Helena Coleoptera, three examples only having been brought to light during our sojourn in the island, ….” [1]

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The Sculpturated Pseudostenoscelis Weevil apparently lives/lived within rotten stems of dead Saint Helena tree Ferns (Dicksonia arborescens L’Hér.). The species apparently also produces/produced borings in dead wood of Cabbage Trees and maybe of the Saint Helena White Wood (Petrobium arboreum (J.R . Forst. & G. Forst.) R. Br. ex Spreng.). [1][2]

The species was not found during the most recent searches in 2006 and may be extinct. [2]

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References:

[1] T. Vernon Wollaston: Coleoptera Sanctae-Helenae. London: John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row 1877 
[2] Howard Mendel; Philip Ashmole; Myrtle Ashmole: Invertebrates of the Central Peaks and Peak Dale, St. Helena. Report for the St Helena National Trust, Jamestown 2008

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edited: 02.12.2018

Pseudostenoscelis asteriperda Wollaston

Large Pseudostenoscelis Weevil (Pseudostenoscelis asteriperda)  

This species was described in 1877, it is/was endemic to the island of Saint Helena, where it was restricted to a single locality when it was discovered.:

“… indeed the only locality in which I have met with it (though there in tolerable profusion) is on the almost inaccessible and windy sides of the great Sandy-Bay crater just beyond West Lodge, near to the old Picquet House and overlooking Lufkins.” [1]

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The Large Pseudostenoscelis Weevil lived within the rotten wood of Burchell’s Gumwood (Commidendrum burchellii Benth. & Hook. f. ex Hemsl.) and Saint Helena Gumwood (Commidendrum robustum ssp. gummiferum (Roxb.) Q. C. B. Cronk), both endemic to the island and either very rare now, or even extinct respectively. [1]

The species was not found during the latest searches in 2006 and may in fact be extinct now. [2]

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References:  

[1] T. Vernon Wollaston: Coleoptera Sanctae-Helenae. London: John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row 1877 
[2] Howard Mendel; Philip Ashmole; Myrtle Ashmole: Invertebrates of the Central Peaks and Peak Dale, St. Helena. Report for the St Helena National Trust, Jamestown 2008

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edited: 02.12.2018