Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) associated with oak (Quercus) in the south of the Central Russian forest-steppe

   The species composition and ecological features of the weevil complex associated with oak species (Quercus) in the southern part of the Central Russian forest-steppe within the boundaries of the Belgorod, Voronezh, Lipetsk and Tambov regions were studied. 63 species from three families were identified: Curculionidae excluding Scolytinae (47 species, or 74 % of the total number of species), Attelabidae (8; 13 %) and Anthribidae (8; 13 %). The isolation of the fauna of the Tambov region is explained by the relatively small area of oak stands in the region (15.7 % of all forested areas in the region) and insufficient study of the species composition of Curculionoidea. The faunas of Lipetsk and Belgorod regions have the greatest similarity (Jaccard coefficient 73 %) and high species diversity (46 and 51 species respectively). The fauna of Voronezh region is distinguished by the greatest species diversity (52 species) and relatively high similarity with the fauna of Lipetsk (Jaccard coefficient 66.0 %) and Belgorod (63 %) regions. The dominant species complex refers to the phyllobiont ecological group with mixed feeding groups (41 species; 65.0 %). The second place is occupied by kormobionts (14 species; 22.0 %); the third place – by carpobionts (4; 6.0 %). The species of these three groups make up 94.0 % of the oak weevil fauna. The role of blastobionts (2; 3.0 %) and teratobionts (2; 3.0 %) in the fauna structure is insignificant. Weevils are represented mainly by polyphages (51 species; 81.0 %); number of highly specialized species are significantly smaller – 9 for narrow oligophages 9 (14.0 %) and 1 for broad oligophage (2.0 %). Highly specialized monophages are represented by only two species (3.0 %). The far from complete study of the weevils’ fauna of the Central Russian forest-steppe and the complex trophic structure of the entire complex, including five main trophic groups and four groups with a mixed feeding pattern, indicate the need and prospects for further, more indepth development of these issues.

1. Alonso-Zarazaga M.A., Barrios H., Borovec R., Caldara R., Colonnelli E., Gültekin L., Hlaváč P., Korotyaev B., Lyal C.H.C., Machado A., Meregalli M., Pierotti H., Ren L., Sánchez-Ruiz M., Sforzi A., Silfverberg H., Skuhrovec J., Trýzna M., Velázquez de Castro A.J., Yunakov N.N. Cooperative Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera Curculionoidea. Part 1: Introduction and Catalogue. Work Version 3.2. URL: http://weevil.info/content/palaearctic-catalogue (accessed March 20, 2024).

2. Beskokotov Yu.A., Samokhin D.M. Towards understanding the entomofauna of the Voroninsky Nature Reserve. Proceedings of the Voroninsky State Nature Reserve. Tambov, 2009, vol. 1, pp. 118–141. (In Russ.)

3. Davidyan G.E. Faunistic List of Beetles of the Families Anthribidae, Rhinomaceridae, Attelabidae, Curculionidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) in the Belogorye Nature Reserve. Transactions of the Association of Specially Protected Natural Territories of the Central Black Earth Region of Russia. Tula, 2001, iss. 2, pp. 144–151. (In Russ.)

4. Dieckmann L. Beiträge zur Insektenfauna der DDR: Coleoptera – Curculionidae (Brachycerinae, Otiorhynchinae, Brachyderinae). Beiträge zur Entomologie, 1980, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 145–310.

5. Egorov L.V., Ruchin A.B. New data on beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the Tambov region. Scientific works of the Prisursky State Nature Reserve, 2023, vol. 38, pp. 118–130. (In Russ.)

6. Golub V.B., Tsurikov M.N., Prokin A.A. Insect Collections : Collection, Processing, and Storage of Materials. 2^d ed. Moscow: KMK Scientific Publications Partnership, 2021. 358 p. (In Russ.)

7. Kataev O.A. Features of reproduction of stem insects in spruce forests. Forest entomology. Transactions of the All-Union Entomological Society. Leningrad, 1983, vol. 65, pp. 54–108. (In Russ.)

8. Kovalenko Ya.N. Towards the knowledge of xylobiont and xylomycetobiont beetles of the "Forest on Vorskla" – a section of the Belogorye State Nature Reserve. Caucasian Entomological Bulletin, 2010a, vol. 9, iss. 2, pp. 149–152. (In Russ.)

9. Kovalenko Ya.N. Materials on the fauna of false elephant beetles (Coleoptera, Anthribidae) of the subfamilies Choraginae and Anthribinae in the south of the Central Russian forest-steppe. Eversmannia. Entomological studies in Russia and adjacent regions, 2010b, iss. 21–22, pp. 38–41. (In Russ.)

10. Kuznetsova N.F., Sautkina M.Yu. The state of forests and the dynamics of their species composition in the Central Federal District. Lesokhozyaystvennaya informatsia, 2019, vol. 2, pp. 25–45. DOI: 10.24419/LHI.2304–3083.2019.2.03. (In Russ.)

11. Legalov A.A. New classification of ecological groups of rhynchitis and tube-rollers (Coleoptera: Rhynchitidae, Attelabidae). Eurasian Entomological Journal, 2004, vol. 3, iss. 1, pp. 43–45. (In Russ.)

12. Luk'yanovich F.K., Arnoldi L.V. Key to rot weevils of the subfamily Cossoninae of the fauna of the USSR and adjacent countries of Europe and Western Asia. Entomological Review, 1951, vol. 31, iss. 3–4, pp. 549–567. (In Russ.)

13. Mazurov S.G. Insects of the Krasninsky District of the Lipetsk Region. Vol. 2. Coleoptera. Yelets: Tipografiya, 2017. 319 p. (In Russ.)

14. Mazurov S.G., Urbanus Ya.A., Ishin R.N., Ryaskin D.I., Semionenkov O.I. On the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Lipetsk region. Supplement 1. Eversmannia. Entomological studies in Russia and neighboring regions, 2018, iss. 54, pp. 13–17. (In Russ.)

15. Mazurov S.G., Urbanus Ya.A., Ishin R.N., Ryaskin D.I., Semionenkov O.I. On the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Lipetsk region. Supplement 2. Eversmannia. Entomological studies in Russia and neighboring regions, 2019, iss. 58, pp. 21–25. (In Russ.)

16. Mazurov S.G., Urbanus Ya.A., Ryaskin D.I., Prokin A.A., Ishin R.N. On the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Lipetsk region. Supplement 3. Eversmannia. Entomological studies in Russia and neighboring regions, 2020, iss. 62, pp. 68–71. (In Russ.)

17. Mazurov S.G., Urbanus Ya.A., Semionenkov O.I., Ryaskin D.I., Prokin A.A. On the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Lipetsk region. Supplement 4. Eversmannia. Entomological studies in Russia and neighboring regions, 2021, iss. 65–66, pp. 29–33. (In Russ.)

18. Mazurov S.G., Urbanus Ya.A., Prokin A.A., Ishin R.N., Sazhnev A.S. On the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Lipetsk region. Supplement 5. Eversmannia. Entomological studies in Russia and neighboring regions, 2022, iss. 70, pp. 26–31. (In Russ.)

19. Mazurov S.G., Urbanus Ya.A., Sazhnev A.S., Ishin R.N. On the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Lipetsk region. Supplement 6. Eversmannia. Entomological studies in Russia and neighboring regions, 2024, iss. 78, pp. 52–54. (In Russ.)

20. Negrobov S.O. Order Coleoptera. Cadastre of invertebrate animals of the Voronezh region. Voronezh, 2005, pp. 534–672. (In Russ.)

21. Pereverzev D.I. On the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Voroninsky Nature Reserve. Plants and animals of the Tambov region: cadastre and monitoring : coll. of sci. papers. Michurinsk, 2003, pp. 134–137. (In Russ.)

22. Prisny A.V., Miroshnikov A.N., Prisny Yu.A. Fauna of weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) of the Belgorod region. Field journal of a biologist, 2024, vol. 6, iss. 2, pp. 133–179. DOI: 10.52575/2712-9047-2024-6-2-133-179. (In Russ.)

23. Przhitulskaya E.B. Harmful forest insects of the Khopersky State Nature Reserve. Proceedings of the Khopersky Nature Reserve, 1940, iss. 1, pp. 245–283. (In Russ.)

24. Ryaskin D.I. New indications of weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) for the Voronezh region. Eurasian entomological journal, 2018, vol. 17, iss. 6, pp. 433–439. DOI: 10.15298/euroasentj.17.6.08. (In Russ.)

25. Ryaskin D.I. New indications of weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea: Anthribidae, Rhynchitidae, Brentidae, Curculionidae) for the Voronezh region. Eurasian Entomological Journal, 2019a, vol. 18, iss. 2, pp. 106–112. DOI: 10.15298/euroasentj.18.2.05. (In Russ.)

26. Ryaskin D.I. Ecological and faunistic studies of weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea) in various biotopes of the Khopersky State Nature Reserve. Global environmental problems: local solutions : mater. of the II Int. sci. conf. Moscow, 2019b, pp. 185–198. (In Russ.)

27. Ryaskin D.I., Golub V.B., Selyavkin S.N. Complex of weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) associated with English oak (Quercus robur) in the Voronezh region. Dendrobiont Invertebrates and Fungi and Their Role in Forest Ecosystems : XIII Readings in Memory of O.A. Kataev : mater. of the All-Russ. conf. with int. part. St. Petersburg, 2024, pp. 104–105. (In Russ.)

28. Smreczyński S. Ryjkowce – Curculionidae. Podrodzina – Otiorhynchinae, Brachyderinae. Klucze do oznaczania owadow Polski. Warszawa, 1966, cz. XIX (98b), 130 s.

29. Smreczyński St. Ryjkowce – Curculionidae. Podrodzina – Curculioninae. Klucze do oznaczania owadow Polski. Warszawa, 1972, cz.XIX(98d), 195 s.

30. Ter-Minasyan M.E. 79. Fam. Anthribidae False elephants. Key to insects of the European part of the USSR. Moscow; Leningrad, 1965a, vol. II: Coleoptera and fanwinged insects, pp. 479–480. (In Russ.)

31. Ter-Minasyan M.E. 81. Fam. Attelabidae Piperollers. Key to insects of the European part of the USSR, Moscow; Leningrad, 1965b, vol. II: Coleoptera and fanwinged insects, pp. 481–485. (In Russ.)

32. Tsurikov M.N. Beetles of the Lipetsk region. Voronezh: Publishing and Printing Center of Voronezh State University, 2009. 332 p. (In Russ.)

33. Volochenko A.N. New Finds of Xylophilous Coleoptera in the Voroninsky Nature Reserve. Eurasian Entomological Journal, 2019, vol. 18, iss. 3, pp. 177–181. DOI: 10.15298/euroasentj.18.3.05. (In Russ.)

34. Volodchenko A.N. Supplements to the fauna of xylophilous beetles (Coleoptera) of the Voroninsky Nature Reserve. Eurasian Entomological Journal, 2020, vol. 19, iss. 3, pp. 164–170. DOI: 10.15298/euroasentj.19.3.11. (In Russ.)

35. Volodchenko A.N. New Finds of Coleoptera (Insecta, Coleoptera) for the Voronezh Region of Russia. Eurasian Entomological Journal, 2023, vol. 22, iss. 2, pp. 117–118. (In Russ.)

36. Volochenko A.N., Sazhnev A.S., Udodenko Yu.G. Additions to the Coleoptera Fauna of the Voroninsky State Nature Reserve (Tambov Region). Eversmannia. Entomological Research in Russia and Neighboring Regions, 2018, iss. 53, pp. 10–15. (In Russ.)

37. Volodchenko A.N., Sazhnev A.S., Zabaluev I.A. Supplement to the fauna of beetles (Coleoptera) of the Voroninsky Nature Reserve, Tambov Region, Russia. Communication 3. Eurasian Entomological Journal, 2021, vol. 20, iss. 2, pp. 106–112. DOI: 10.15298/euroasentj.20.2.07 (In Russ.)

38. Volodchenko A.N., Zabaluev I.A., Sergeeva E.S., Sergadeeva O.A. New data on the fauna of Coleoptera (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the Voroninsky Nature Reserve. Amurian Zoological Journal, 2024, vol. XVI, iss. 3, pp. 813–820.

39. Zabaluev I.A. Identifier of weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) of Russia. URL: http://coleop123.narod.ru/key/opredslon/opred_slon.html (accessed November 10, 2024) (In Russ.)