(Figs. 5–8, 20)
Baris scolopacea Germar 1819: 132. Holotype from Hungary without specified collecting site (repository unknown). Transferred to Baridius by Schönherr (1836), to Aulobaris by Heyden et al. (1883), to Cosmobaris by Casey (1920), to Melaleucus by Legalov et al. (2010), to Baris by Ramesha & Ramamurthy (2012).
Baridius coloratus Boheman [in Schönherr] 1836: 700. Holotype from E shore of Caspean Sea, Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan (NHRS); examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Germar (1842).
Baridius pallidicornis Boheman [in Schönherr] 1836: 702. Holotype from Tauria [Crimea], Ukraine (NHRS); examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Heyden et al. (1906).
Baridius parvulus Boheman [in Schönherr] 1836: 701. Holotype from Kislar [Kizlyar in Dagestan], Russia (NHRS); examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Germar (1842).
Baridius vestitus Perris 1858: 143 [not Bohemann 1836: 718]. Syntypes from Arcachon and Cape Ferret, France (EAGM?); not examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Stein (1868). New homonymy.
Baris orientalis Roelofs 1875: 184. Syntypes from Japan and Hong Kong (BMNH, RBINS); not examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Prena (2011).
Cosmobaris americana Casey 1920: 344: Syntypes from Rhode Island and Pennsylvania (USNM); examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Gilbert (1964) [overlooked or not accepted by subsequent authors] and by Prena (2011).
Baridius carnerii Pic 1922: 30. Syntypes from Mex [Al Maks], Egypt (MNHN, NHMB, USNM); two examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Hustache (1932).
Baris lebedevi Roubal 1929: 56. Two syntypes from Čardžui [Türkmenabat], Turkmenistan (SNMC); not examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Prena (2011).
Cosmobaris sionilli Hayes 1936: 28. Holotype male, Starved Rock, Illinois, U.S.A. (INHS); not examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Gilbert (1964).
Cosmobaris squamiger Hayes 1936: 27. Holotype male, Hardin, Illinois, U.S.A. (INHS); not examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Gilbert (1964).
Baris borkhsenii Zaslavskij 1956: 357. Holotype male, near “Tepsju”, Bukcheong County, North Korea (ZIN); not examined. Synonymized with B. scolopacea by Prena (2011) and with B. orientalis by Hong et al. (2011).
Diagnosis. Cosmobaris scolopacea is understood here as a phenotypically plastic taxon (see notes below). Conspicuous vestiture and slender gestalt (Fig. 5–8) are helpful for recognition, but attention should be paid to an undescribed allopatric species in Yunnan and the somewhat stouter C. discolor (Boheman) from Africa, Asia minor, Australia (introduced) and Cyprus. Very small specimens can be disproportionately more slender and usually have uniform vestiture. Some Smicronyx have a similar scale pattern but smaller mesepimera, basally connate claws and ventrites with straight sutures.
Distribution. The species complex occurs from the Iberian Peninsula to Japan and has a continuous range throughout N China (Fig. 20). In North America, it was introduced to Pennsylvania in the 1880 s (Casey 1892) and to California in the late 1930 s (Van Dyke 1950). The two introduced populations dispersed rapidly, merged in the 1960 s or 70 s at the latest and reached Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario and Québec in Canada (McNamara 1991; Webster et al. 2012).
Notes. We retain this species in Cosmobaris and ignore the unexplained placements in Melaleucus Chevrolat by Legalov et al. (2010) and Baris Germar by Ramesha & Ramamurthy (2012). An amalgamation with Melaleucus is partially justified and, in fact, was implicitly made in the original description of Cosmobaris, but Melaleucus in the sense of Legalov et al. (2010) is polyphyletic.
Cristofaro et al. (2013) found evidence for genetically distinct subpopulations in the C. scolopacea complex, in particular that specimens from the American E and W coasts (known as C. americana) are genetically identical to each other but different from S European and Central Asian specimens. Their material did not include specimens from E Asia, which usually are recognized as C. orientalis (Roelofs), so the relationship of the latter to the nominotypical European form and the enigmatic American invader remained unknown. Authors have justified the validity of C. orientalis with allopatry and differences in vestiture (e.g., Hong et al. 2011), but vestiture is affected by temperature and humidity during metamorphosis and allopatry is not confirmed by our data (Fig. 20). Our preliminary analysis of specimens from Beijing and Jiangsu showed that their cox 1 barcode region agrees with that of American specimens (M.-C. Bon, in litt.), thus providing evidence for an Asian origin of the 1880 s and 1930 s incursions to the United States. However, a comprehensive comparison of representative material from the entire range is needed to determine the names, ranks, distributions as well as morphological, biological and genetic differences of the various subpopulations.
Biology. Adults weevils have been found on numerous Amaranthaceae, such as Achyranthes japonica, Amaranthus cannabinus, A. hybridus, A. retroflexus (all Amaranthoideae), Beta vulgaris, B. cicla (Betoideae), Atriplex halimus, A. thunbergiifolia, Chenopodium album, Halimione portulacoides (all Chenopodioideae), Kali collina, K. tragus and K. turgida (Salsoloideae). Several eggs are laid in the stem around July/August. The conspicuously yellow larva overwinters in the root and pupates therein in late spring (Hustache 1932; Gilbert 1964; Scherf 1964; Nikulina 2000). The weedy nature of the rapidly spreading C. album might have contributed to the wide dispersal of the weevil.
Material examined. CHINA. Beijing: numerous sites, 13.vii. 1958, 5.vi. 1963 (2 x), 27.vi. 1963, 8.vii. 1963 (2 x), 1.viii. 1963, 23.v. 1964, 22.vii. 1964 (2 x), 20.– 22.viii. 1964 (2 x), 12.v. 1980 (75 x), 7.vii. 1980 (2 x), 2.viii. 1980, 15.vi. 2008, 23.v. 2010 (2 x), 8.vii. 2013 (5 x), 21.viii. 2013 (numerous larvae) (IZCAS 98). Fujian: Huangkeng, Jianyang, 21.vi. 1960 (IZCAS 1); Kuiqi, Fuzhou, 8.iii. 1960 (IZCAS 1). Gansu: Baitashan, Lanzhou, 17.vi. 1962 (IZCAS 1); Gaolan, 4.vii. 1951 (IZCAS 1); Jiuquan, 25.vii. 1962 (IZCAS 1). Heilongjiang: Haerbin, 2.vii. 1950 (IZCAS 1). Inner Mongolia: Huerhaote, 17.vii. 1961 (IZCAS 1), 13.v. 1995 (USNM 9); Pishan oil factory, 8.vi. 1959 (IZCAS 1); Zhongtan, 11.vi. 1960 (IZCAS 1). Jiangsu: Yinjiang bridge, Jiangdu Distr., Yangzhou, 6.viii. 2013 (KEIU 2). Jilin: Xinlitun, Liuhe, 8.viii. 2013 (KEIU 1); Shaanxi: Changmaotan, Yulin Dingbian, 10.vi. 1987 (IZCAS 1); Laoxiancheng, Zhouzhi, Qinling, 2.vi. 2008, 27.vi. 2008 (IZCAS 2). Sichuan: Ganjiachao, 5.vii. 191984 (IZCAS 1). Xinjiang: Anningqu, Urumchi, 19.vii. 2005 (IZCAS 4); Dasixiang, Shache, 20.vii. 1987 (IZCAS 1); Front Desert, Shihui Yao, 25.vii. 2006 (IZCAS 2); Fukanglin, Hui Pref., 22.vii. 2005 (IZCAS 1); Jingtian, Talimu, 20.vii. 2005 (IZCAS 2); Kuitun, Ili Kazakh Pref., 3.vii. 1998 (IZCAS 2); Lingyuanxi, Wulumuqi, 18.viii. 2005 (IZCAS 1); Qixiaxi, Asuke, 22.vii. 1959 (IZCAS 1); Shihezi, 20.vii. 2005 (IZCAS 3); Tacheng, 10.ix. 1960 (IZCAS 1); Xinhe, Asuke, 4.vii. 2001 (IZCAS 1); Uygur, Changji, 21.– 27.viii. 1958 (IZCAS 10); Uygur, Wujiaqu, 20.vii. 2005 (IZCAS 10). Zhejiang: Fengyang Mountain, Lanju Luao Village, 30.vii. 2008 (IZCAS 1); Jincheng town, Gongchen Mtn., Lin'an City, 6.viii. 2012 (IZCAS 1). KAZAKHSTAN. Almaty, Sugatinski Valley, VII/ 1965 (USNM 9). RUSSIA. Novosibirskaya Oblast: Karasuk, 28.vi. 1998 (USNM 1). TAJIKISTAN. Tigrovaja Balka Reserve, lower Vakhsh (USNM 3). UZBEKISTAN. Karakalpak, Kakta Kupir, 30.vi. 1965 (USNM 2); Karakalpak, Nukus-Chimbai, 19.vi. 1965 (USNM 4); N Bukhara, 14.vi. 1965 (USNM 2).