Giraffe weevil
| Giraffe weevil | |
|---|---|
| |
| Trachelophorus giraffa | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Attelabidae |
| Genus: | Trachelophorus |
| Species: | T. giraffa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Trachelophorus giraffa Jekel, 1860
| |
The giraffe weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) is a weevil endemic to Madagascar.[1]
Description and Ecology[]
It derives its name from an extended neck, much like that of a giraffe. The giraffe weevil is sexually dimorphic, with the neck of the male typically being 2 to 3 times the length of that of the female. Most of the body is black with distinctive red elytra covering the flying wings. The total body length of the males is just under an inch (2.5 cm), among the longest for any attelabid species. The extended neck is an adaptation that assists in nest building and fighting.[2] To breed, females roll and secure a leaf of the host plant, or (a small tree in the family Melastomataceae), then lay one egg within the tube, before snipping it from the plant.[3] The species ranges in size thirty times from smallest to biggest male Giraffe weevil.[4]
References[]
- ^ Flannery, T. (2004). "Diversity with a difference". Nature. 428 (6983): 605. Bibcode:2004Natur.428..605F. doi:10.1038/428605a.
- ^ BBC (2011-02-04). "Bizarre Giraffe-Necked Weevils Fight for a Mate - Madagascar, Preview - BBC Two". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2016-09-17.
- ^ Wills, Christopher (2010). The Darwinian Tourist: Viewing the World Through Evolutionary Eyes. OUP Oxford. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-19-958438-3.
Trachelophorus .
- ^ Imbler, Sabrina (August 13, 2021). "Meet the Giraffe Weevil. It's Got a Secret Up Its Long Snout". New York Times. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- IUCN Red List near threatened species
- Endemic fauna of Madagascar
- Beetles described in 1860
- Attelabidae
- Weevil stubs