Tribe Aterpini Lacordaire

Heliomeneidae Gistel, 1848: [2] (a nomen oblitum; Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 2002). Aterpides Lacordaire, 1863: 410.

Pélororhinides Lacordaire, 1863: 415.

Rhinarides Jekel, 1865: 546.

As indicated by Oberprieler et al. (2007), this tribe is a compound group including, in its current composition, several discordant elements. The uncinate tibiae and wood-boring larvae of most of the genera indicate a molytine affinity, and indeed several were originally classified in “Hylobiinae” and there are a number of undescribed Australian genera (one illustrated by Zimmerman 1992, plate 595, figs. 1–2) that may equally well be classified as aterpines than as molytines. Also the so-called Diabathrariini of Australia (see below), in particular Aromagis Pascoe, readily fit into Aterpini in the current concept of this group, both on morphology and larval biology. On the other hand, the rare Catocalephe Blackburn, again transferred to Aterpini by Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal (1999), where Blackburn (1895) had placed it originally, does not show an affinity with any of the other genera included in this tribe. Instead it agrees rather well with Therebus Pascoe in its vestiture, rostrum with flat, porrect mandibles, small ocular lobes and the hind tibiae having a false corbel, and it evidently likewise belongs in the tribe Psepholacini, classified in Cryptorhynchinae by Alonso- Zarazaga & Lyal (1999) but in Molytinae by Oberprieler et al. (2007). In fact, Lea (1913) had concluded its placement in Psepholacini near Therebus almost a century ago. The Rhadinosomini, classified as a subtribe of Aterpini in Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal (1999), are a similarly mixed group and mostly appear to belong somewhere in Curculioninae rather than in Cyclominae or Molytinae. Thus, pending a more thorough study of the aterpines, it seems that many of the genera may eventually have to be excluded from Cyclominae. Arguing for their inclusion in Cyclominae is apparently only the position of setae des 3 in the larva, which are situated in the frontal sutures or on the frons in the aterpine genera studied by May (1993, 1994) — Aesiotes Pascoe, Anagotus Sharp, Chrysolopus Germar, Pelororhinus Schoenherr and Rhadinosomus Schoenherr — and seemingly also in the Chilean Aegorhinus Erichson (van Emden 1951, Marvaldi 1997). This position of des3 typically occurs in the curculionid subfamilies Brachycerinae, Entiminae and Cyclominae but not in Molytinae as currently understood, although the New Zealand fern weevil genus Megacolabus Broun, generally classified in Molytinae (Kuschel 1964, 1987, May 1993, Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal 1999, Leschen et al. 2003), also has des3 situated in the frontal sutures (May 1973) and would therefore equally readily fit into Aterpini (May 1993). Also the Australian fern weevil Syagrius Pascoe, similarly placed in Molytinae (in the tribe Phrynixini), has des3 positioned on the frons (Anderson 1952; pers. obs.) and could thus be included in Aterpini, although the other New Zealand fern weevil, Rystheus Broun, and also Phrynixus Pascoe do not (May 1993). Further, the molytine tribe Anchonini (at least Anchonus Schoenherr) also has des3 placed on the frons (Anderson 1952), while in Paramecops Schoenherr, classified in Hylobiini in Alonso-Zarazaga & Lyal (1999), they are located on the epicranium right next to the frontal sutures (Oberprieler 1988b). In other characters the known aterpine larvae readily agree with those of Molytinae (van Emden 1951, May 1994), and it therefore appears that the aterpines conflict with the current limits between Cyclominae and Molytinae. Detailed studies are needed to resolve this problem, including also similarly controversial African genera (e.g., Brachyceropsis Aurivillius, Lithinus Klug and Rhytidophloeus Schoenherr). Like the Listroderini, the Aterpini generally have a simple ovipositor, with well developed, setose styli, and the gonocoxites are only slightly modified for piercing or pushing in a few genera (Nemestra Pascoe, some Pelolorhinus, Rhinoplethes Pascoe) but never to an extent as is common in the terricolous groups of Cyclominae.