The Biology of Long-necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

the biology of long-necked weevil (cycnotrachelus sp.) by ahmad mustaffa babjee

observations of a naturalist april 2008 to 2013

THE BIOLOGY OF A LONG-NECKED WEEVIL (CYCNOTRACHELUS SP.) by Ahmad Mustaffa Babjee

Observations of a Naturalist April 2008 to April 2013

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

Observations of a Naturalist - April 2008 to April 2013 © Academy of Sciences Malaysia 2019 All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission in writing from the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

Academy of Sciences Malaysia Level 20, West Wing, MATRADE Tower Jalan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah off Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim 50480 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia

Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

ISBN 978-983-2915-44-7 1. Beatles 2.Insects 3. Government publications 595.76

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER 4

RESULTS

CHAPTER 5

GENERAL MORPHOLOGY OF ADULTS

CHAPTER 6

CAUSES OF MORTALITY

CHAPTER 7

DISCUSSION

CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 9

SPECIAL RECOMMENDATION FOR RESEARCH

REFERENCES APPENDICES

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The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

FOREWORD Mustaffa loves reading since the age of 12 years until now. He said that in spite of advances in media which makes access to information relatively easy to urbanites, the whole of those residing in the rural areas is still short of guidance to appropriate knowledge.

What are the roles of thousands of species in their environment? Can some of them be Mustaffa is not engaged in formal research, but his passion for nature prod him to search the roles of any species and the technology that can be mimic to produce sustainable products and services.

This book is about the life-cycle of a species of long neck weevil and its anatomy, which the author thinks can show high-tech technologist sensors for sound, vibration, odour, and even mechanical leverage.

PROFESSOR DATUK DR ASMA ISMAIL FASc President Academy of Sciences Malaysia

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

PREFACE Mustafa Babjee (Academician Tan Sri Dato Dr Mustaffa Babjee) is well known for his contributions to science and education. As early as 1967, he started research by converting on science and social issues in the local and foreign media.

He played a major role in the initial development of the University of Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan. He was appointed by the Ministry of Education from 1987 to 1994 to serve on the Committee on the Recognition of Degrees and as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Science.

Mus never held a research post but his passion for knowledge drives him to utilise whatever free time he has, to uncover the secrets of organisms. He called this type of research “Passion Driven Research” – with no funds, no boundaries. On his own initiative, he has made videos of the breeding behaviour of the Lesser Tree Duck, (Dendrocyna javanica), the Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinus jagularis), the Hill Myna (Gracula religosa), the Little Grebe ( ) and also a video entitled “Wild Kuala Lumpur”.

Mus retired from Government Service (as Director-General of the Veterinary Services) in 1994 but not from his passion for research of Nature. Even Parkinson’s disease has not stopped him from his attempts to understand nature better. This book, which consumed three years of his free time is testament of his love for planet Earth which he regards as Aquaterra (water and land). His mission is to contribute new knowledge that may be used to sustain man in harmony with the great diversity of living things with which we share our Aquaterra. was Secretary of the Malayan Nature Society

and he was a staunch member. Much later, Mus was a great pillar of strength in the Working Group that I chaired, on the establishment of a Natural History Museum for Malaysia.

Together with several other distinguished scientists including Robert F. Inger from the US, Peter K. L. Ng from Singapore, and local stalwarts Mohinder Singh and Saw Leng Guan, we prepared, in 2008, a comprehensive report to the Ministry responsible for the natural environment. Alas, the Ministry lacked the drive to follow through. However, we had taken the step of publishing our report, and hundreds of copies have been distributed to the natural history community. In this way, the dream is kept alive.

Our knowledge of tropical plants and animals extrapolated over everything else. In this way, science gives the impression of having the answer to everything, but in fact, science, especially the science of life, is stretched very thin. New discoveries can be made everywhere, even in our own homes and backyards. The only thing holding back progress in biodiversity-rich needs massive funding, intensive training and abnormal inborn genius. By his own example, Mus showed that to make original discoveries, what is most important is personal passion to discover, which money cannot buy and training alone cannot instil. It needs the inspiration that this book may help to ignite.

DR FRANCIS S.P. NG FASc Fellow Academy of Sciences Malaysia

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The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the guidance of this study by Professor Dr Rosli bin Hashim, the encouragement of Professor Dato’ Dr Dr Francis Ng FASc. Many thanks are due to Emeritus Professor Academician Dr Yong Hoi Sen FASc of the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya who has always supported my curiosity in matters related to the wonders of the world of nature and in particular for initial editing of this booklet.

My gratitude to Dr Alex Ng Yong Foo of the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for some input on the morphology.

Professor Dato Dr Tengku Azmi Tengku Ibrahim Microscopy and Microanalysis Unit, Institute Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, the Head and staff of the Parasitology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia.

I am grateful to my colleagues, Dr Yusuf Nor and Dr Zainal Abidin Ismail, and my driver cum helped a great deal to locate the small beetles in the thick foliage of plants around the country.

Special thanks to my family; my son, A. Shamyl Mustaffa for his help in the preparation of the Figure plates for this thesis, my daughter, Musmina Mustaffa, and my ex-son-in-law, Johan Rosli for solving some of the formatting problems, and my late wife, Aminah, for keeping me well.

Terima Kasih to friends at the Academy of Sciences Malaysia especially the Chairman of the Publication Committee, Academician Tan Sri Dato Ir Ts Ahmad Zaidee Laiden FASc, who also inspired me by their lifelong dedication to science. I salute their successes.

A. MUSTAFFA BABJEE

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

LIST OF TABLES Table 1

Taxonomic Hierarchy of Curculoinid Weevils

Table 2 Table 3 Table 4

Plants in polybags placed in insect-proof greenhouse

Table 5

Sighting of beetles on nine plants at SM5 (August to December, 2007)

Table 6

Inspection of plants for cradles and beetle at other locations (2007)

Table 7

Inspection of plants for cradles and beetles at other locations (2008 – 2009)

Table 8

Sightings of cradles and beetles on plants at primary locations (August*, 2008)

Table 9

Inspection of plants for cradles and beetles at primary locations (August, 2009)

Table 10 Table 11

Dimension of cradles from three plants (mm)

Table 12 Table 13 observations Table 14

Number of days at different phases of metamorphosis (n) from laboratory observations

Table 15

Percentage of contents and rate of survival in laboratory rearing

Table 16 Table 17 Table 18

Measurements and weights of laboratory-reared beetles (Early June, 2009)

Table 19

Measurements and weights of laboratory-reared beetles (Late June, 2009)

Table 20 Measurements of Male Antennae (micro-m) Table 21

Measurements of Female Antennae (micro-m)

Table 22 Breadth at the widest part of male antennae Table 23 Breadth at the widest part of female antennae

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The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1

Cladogram of the Weevil Family in Curculionidae

Figure 2

Jalan Setia Murni 5 (SM5)

Figure 3

Jalan Tun Ismail (ASM)

Figure 4

Persiaran Sultan Salahuddin (PSS)

Figure 5

Jalan Carrutthers (JC)

Figure 6

Bridelia tomentosa (End of November, 2008) Bridelia tomentosa (November, 2008)

Figure 7 Figure 8

Flowering and fruiting stages of the Bridelia tomentosa at SM5 (November and December, 2008)

Figure 9

Bridelia tomentosa during active cradle building stage in at SM5 (August, 2008)

Figure 10 The large greenhouse Figure 11

The small greenhouse

Figure 12 Male and female Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 13 Female Cycnotrachelus feeding Figure 14 Male, female and juvenile Cycnotrachelus feeding Figure 15 Two Cycnotrachelus adult males wrestling (PSS) Figure 16 Two Cycnotrachelus adults males in confrontation, with a female in the background (PSS) Figure 17

Cycnotrachelus mating on cradle being completed – Field (PSS)

Figure 18 F1 Cycnotrachelus beetle mating in greenhouse (JDB) Figure 19 Cycnotrachelus beetle mating on cradle on plant E at SM5 (July, 2010) Figure 20 Cycnotrachelus female cutting an upper portion of a leaf across main vein Figure 21 Edge folding of upper leaf surface by Cycnotrachelus female Figure 22 Edge folding towards the lower part of leaf by female Cycnotrachelus beetle

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

Figure 23 Cycnotrachelus female pinching the spine of the leaf to the two halves of blade Figure 24 Cycnotrachelus female folding one-half of leaf-blade (upper) and rolling of the tip of leaf Figure 25 Cycnotrachelus male took advantage to mate while female was busy constructing the cradle Figure 26 Final crimping of the base of the cradle by Cycnotrachelus female Figure 27 Completed well-built cradle with Cycnotrachelus female resting on top of it Figure 28 Cradles from plant G at SM5 (June, 2009) Figure 29 Cradles from three plants at RBA (December, 2009) Figure 30 Number of Cradles at SM5 (2007, 2008 & 2009) Figure 31 Number of Cradles at ASM (2008 & 2009) Figure 32 Number of Cradles at PSS (2008 & 2009) Figure 33 Cradles built in greenhouse by Puteri 1 (13/12/08 - 9/1/09) Figure 34 Freshly laid egg of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 35 Newly hatched larva of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 36 Alcohol-preserved specimens - Eggs and larvae of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 37 Fresh live specimens from egg, larva to pupa stages of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 38 Ventral and lateral views of the early pupa stage of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 39 Late pupa stage of Cycnotrachelus beetle – note darkening of the mandibles and appendages Figure 40 Pupa of Cycnotrachelus beetle turning into Juvenile – shedding of skin Figure 41

Juvenile at 4-6 hours old

Figure 42 Juvenile at 24 hours old Figure 43 Juvenile at 48 hours old Figure 44 Adult male Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 45 Adult female Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 46 Ventral view of head and neck (young female) of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 47 Ventral view of head and neck (young male) of Cycnotrachelus beetle

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The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

Figure 48 Ventral view of male rostrum of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 49 Ventral view of female rostrum of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 50 Lateral-dorsal view of male antenna of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 51 Lateral-dorsal view of female antenna of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 52 Claval segments of male Figure 53 Male sensilla on terminal segment Figure 54 Claval segments of female Figure 55 Female sensilla on terminal segment Figure 56 Ventral view of adult Cycnotrachelus female pronoton, thorax, and abdomen Figure 57 Ventral view of adult Cycnotrachelus female abdomen and thorax with the pronoton detached Figure 58 Male latero-dorsal parts of the elytra and abdomen of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 59 Elytra and membranous wings of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 60 Front legs of adult male Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 61 Femur, tibia, tarsus and biforcate claw of female Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 62 Leg with part of femora, femur, tibia, tarsus and claw of male Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 63 Uncinate and mucronate tibial spurs in female Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 64 Tarsus of adult male Cycnotrachelus beetle – note single spur at end of tibia Figure 65 Tarsus of adult female Cycnotrachelus beetle – note pair of spurs at end of tibia Figure 66 Sensillae of tarsal pads of adult male Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 67 Close up of a claw of Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 68 Female specimen Cycnotrachelus beetle found on Bridelia from Sg. Bil Slim River Figure 69 SM5 md 2009 male Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 70 SM5 md 2009 female Cycnotrachelus beetle Figure 71

A specimen Cycnotrachelus beetle found on a Bridelia plant on the river bank at Sg. Slim

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

I have no formal background in entomological domestic animals and man of Peninsula Malaysia and published a thoroughly illustrated monograph in 1973. Specimens of the lice F.G.A.M. Smit of the Natural History Museum, of the species.

I took an interest in the natural environment beginning of the Second World War and my in the rural area of Kampong Raja, not far from Sungai Petani, Kedah. The house was located near a small river and a secondary forest that were behind a nearby rubber estate. The environment provided my brothers and me with great opportunities to be close to the wild, been fascinated by the multitude of living creatures, especially birds, insects, spiders, This childhood fascination and curiosity is what drives me to continue to look at what is left of nature, perhaps in a more formal and

Government service and moved to Bukit Damansara, I have been able to devote more time enjoying the gifts of nature and sharing my joys and concerns with others by writing on nature and her conservation in the popular dailies.

It was in August of 2007 that I chanced upon a long-necked beetle, which invoked my curiosity. I searched for the information on the biology of this particular insect in Malaysian literature and found none. My interest was heightened when I contacted a few local on its biology have yet been made on this beetle in Malaysia. Thus began my unplanned observations on the habits and behaviour of this leaf-rolling weevil/beetle.

Even internationally, there was little information on the biology of tropical leaf-rolling long-necked or Giraffe-necked weevils/beetles. In 2007, I published a brief report in The Malaysian Naturalist (Mustaffa-Babjee 2007) and more detailed information on the biology of the species in 2008 (Mustaffa-Babjee 2008). There was, however, taxonomic information of some 34 members of the Attelabidae family recorded in Malaysia by early naturalists or entomologists

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The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

as listed in Appendix II. In this list, only one from the genus Cycnotrachelus (C. satelles, Voss 1929) was recorded. Undescribed preserved collections of members of this family could be found in the natural history collections in Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and possibly in other biological institutes in the country.

Weevils or snout beetles belong to the superfamily Curculionoidea from the Order Coleoptera, which includes all the beetles.

There are over 62,000 known species in several families under the Superfamily Curculionoidea (the true weevils).

Records of the members of this leaf-rolling weevil belonging to the Family Attelabidae in Malaysia were mostly between the year 1801 to 1929, and some 22 species were assigned to the genus Cycnotrachelus (Appendix II).

According to the ZipcodeZoo website, there were 18 species in the genus Cycnotrachelus namely: C. anser, C. birranica, C. camphoricola, C. coloratus, C cynoptherus C. divasonatatus, C.

Recently (2011), some excellent photographs of a Malaysian species of a long neck weevil were posted on the Figuremedia Malaysia website, which could be the same species as the one being described in this study.

Descriptions by Kobayashi & Kato, (2004, 2007) on the general behaviour of Cycnotrachelus roelofsi found on the plant Styrax japonica in the construction of cradles were quite similar to the species being described. As these weevils were host plant species whose host plant was Bridelia tomentosa could be assumed to be a different species.

Since no records or studies had been made on this weevil after about the 1930s, it was deemed worthwhile to study the biology of this weevil and record its morphological features in some detail. This study describes the biology and morphology of a Cycnotrachelus sp. not uncommonly found on wild B.tomentosa plants growing along the roads and in open spaces in urban and some rural areas of Malaysia as well as some observations in experimental houses.

C. olo, C. parvulus, C. roelofsi, C. satelles, C. sejuctus, C.subcoeruleus, and C. ussuriensis. A browse through the net showed similar members but not identical looking long-necked beetles in photographs without labels from Taiwan and Papua-Indonesia. An impressive member of the family groups is the large species found in Madagascar (Trachelophorus giraffes).

Appendix III from the Catalogue of Life listed 23 species of this genus.

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 DYNAMIC STATE OF CLASSIFICATION

Lavender (2008) noted that Oberprieller et

The taxonomy and nomenclature of the Superfamily Curculionoidea, which contains the largest number of species of weevils, are still being developed and debated. The number of described weevils species was estimated to be about 62,000 and the likely total number of extant species was estimated at about 220,000, indicating that some 75% of this important

the view of Oberpriellar et al. (2007), the phylogenetic analysis of the tribal relationships in the families or subfamilies by Legalov (2004, 2005) were based on various spurious characters of doubtful phylogenetic value and unproven cladistic algorithm and required critical assessment. Legalov (2007) too had expressed doubts on the competency of Dr A. Riedeli as an expert of the Euops taxon, besides stating that Dr Y. Sawada (1993) had made mistakes in the construction of the phylogenetic tree of Japanese Rhynchitidae.

It had been admitted by taxonomists that there

described (Oberprieller et al. 2007).

between families and subfamilies, a difference in viewpoints had emerged between those who (Lavender 2008). The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) report (2006) recorded 15 families (Table 1). The phylogenetic position of the families within the Curculionoidea based on 18S ribosomal DNA and morphological data suggested seven families (Marvaldi et al. 2002) (Figure 1).

Oberpriellar et al. (2007) too adopted this current concept of seven major weevil lineages (families, Table 2), while Alanso-Zarazaga & Lyal (1999) listed 18 families (Table 3) with Legalov (2007) recognising 16 families consisting of numerous tribes.

in each of the groups partly due to the diffculties in recognising monophyletic units among the higher taxa and different terms used for the same structure and characteristics.

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The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

Table 1 Taxonomic Hierarchy of Curculionid Weevils

Kingdom Phylum Subphylum Class Subclass Infraclass Order Suborder Infraorder Superfamily

Animalia Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Pterygota Neoptera Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758 Polyphaga Emery, 1886 Cucujiformia Larneera, 1938 Curculionoidea Latreille, 1802

Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family

Anthribidae Billberg, 1820 Attelabidae, Billberg, 1820 Belidae Schonherr, 1826 Brentidae Billberg, 1820 Caridae Thompson, 1992 Cryptolaryngidae Schalkwyk, 1966 Curculionidae Latreille, 1802 Eccoptarthridae Arnoldi, 1977 Eobelidae Arnoldi, 1977 Erirhinidae Schonherr, 1825 Ithyceridae Schonherr, 1826 Nemonychidae Bedel, 1882 Obrieniidae Zherikhin and Gratshev, 1994 Raymondioymidae Reitter, 1913 Ulyanidae Zherikhin, 1993 Source: ITIS Report, Taxonomy Serial No. 114654 (2006)

Anthribidae Attelabidae

1

Attelabidae

2

Caridae

3

Brentidae

4

Curculionoidea

5 6

Figure 1 Cladogram of the Weevil Family in Curculionoidea (After Marvaldi et al. 2002)

The Biology of a Long-Necked Weevil (Cycnotrachelus sp.)

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ISBN 978-983-2915-44-7

Academy of Sciences Malaysia Level 20, West Wing, MATRADE Tower Jalan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah off Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim 50480 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Phone : +6 (03) 6203 0633 Fax : +6 (03) 6203 0634

the biology of long-necked weevil (cycnotrachelus sp.) by ahmad mustaffa babjee

observations of a naturalist april 2008 to 2013