Xystus sanguinicollis - Flower Weevil (Germar, 1824)

Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Cucujiformia: Curculionoidea: Curculionidae: Baridinae: Madopterini

Length: ~5mm, might be wrong.

Date: 2017, I don't remember the exact date or time.
Location: Won't be provided. Found in Brazil in the state of Santa Catarina, but not in the place most who know me will think it is.

It is known that Baridinae are poorly studied and more information available would be necessary to properly make an article on them. Their biology also varies. Xystus sanguinicollis is such a case. Being a member of the order Coleoptera, suborder Polyphaga, infraorder Cucujiformia, superfamily Curculionoidea, family Curculionidae, subfamily Baridinae and tribe Madopterini, these beetles are very confusing. Some Baridinae feed on plants; others on fungi; decaying wood; larvae of insects. Some are also able to thrive in semi-aquatic habitats. The following articles on Insetologia and Biodiversidade de Teresópolis also suggest that they may feed on pollen! This is further suggested after seeing that many tribes of Baridinae are given the popular name of "flower weevils", such as Apostasimerini (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasimerini).

http://www.biodiversidadeteresopolis.com.br/2013/10/28/xystus-sanguinicollis/

https://www.insetologia.com.br/2013/10/gorgulho-xystus-em-minas-gerais-e-rio.html

Dimesus (http://coleoptera-neotropical.org/paginas/3_familias/Cur-fotos/6Barid/Madopterini/C2173x-Dimesus-rubricatus,.jpg)#!#, Orissus (#!#http://coleoptera-neotropical.org/paginas/3_familias/Cur-fotos/6Barid/Madopterini/Orissus-christophori-LP4668.jpg)#!# and Ovanius (#!#http://coleoptera-neotropical.org/paginas/3_familias/Cur-fotos/6Barid/Madopterini/Ovanius-rubricus-LP4673.jpg) are all reminiscent of Xystus sanguinicollis and are easily mistaken.

Xystus sanguinicollis display black elytra with striae, dark legs that might have distinctive lighter spots and a black head. The elytra are divided by a suture. They have a very short, yet robust body with a long rostrum; midway through it there are two antagonic antennae made of a scape, funicles and a club connected, these being, more or less, dark-colored. The eyes are large, compound and do not stand out. Xystus sanguinicollis seem to present variations in coloring (this needs confirmation) and display a very strong reddish-orange / red pronotum. It measured approximately 5mm, but since my encounter with one was a long time ago, this might not be accurate. The rest of the body, including mesosternum, metasternum, metepimeron, metepisternum, mesepimeron, mesepisternum, postocular lobe, scrobe and the underside of the abdomen are all dark with occasional reddish-orange or brown parts that are slightly distinctive from the darker parts.


"Xystus (Schoenherr, 1826) (type-species Ceutorhynchus sanguinicollis (Germar, 1824-224), by original designation), has been overlooked by researchers. There is a complete description, and an available name is designated as type. It is a senior subjective synonym of Stegotes (Casey, 1922)." - http://academic.uprm.edu/~franz/WeevilCourseResources/OBrienWibmer1982-WeevilsNCAWI.pdf

According to informations available, they are mainly found in Mexico and South America. This needs heavy confirmation.

There are no further informations available to me at the moment. If you know more, please tell me and I will credit you.

http://coleoptera-neotropical.org/paginas/3ac_familias/CURCULIONOIDEA/2sp/Baridinae/Apostasimerini/Zygobaridina/Xystus-sanguinicollis.html

http://www.eol.org/pages/23268930/overview

https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.3896.1.1

http://coleoptera-neotropical.org/paginas/2_PAISES/Neotropical/cur/curGBar-neo.html - Look at Madopterini