Diet

• Adults: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves, stems, buds, flowers and developing seeds, depending on the species.

• Larvae: Usually develop inside seeds, fruits, pods or other reproductive structures of their host plants.

• Many species are closely associated with particular plant genera, making host-plant identification especially useful when trying to identify Rhyssomatus in the field.

Range

• Rhyssomatus is a large genus of weevils in the family Curculionidae, with most species occurring in the New World.

• The genus is particularly diverse in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, with numerous species adapted to tropical and subtropical vegetation.

• Around Zihuatanejo, Rhyssomatus is occasional, although individual species can be locally common when their host plants are flowering or producing seeds.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, woodland, scrub, forest edges, agricultural areas, gardens and secondary vegetation.

• Adults may be found on foliage, flowers, stems and developing fruits or seed pods.

• Around Zihuatanejo, examining flowering and fruiting plants, particularly legumes and other plants producing conspicuous seeds, can be productive.

• Larvae are usually concealed within their host plant and are much less frequently observed.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 3–12 mm (0.12–0.47 in), depending on species.

• Body generally compact and cylindrical or oval, with a distinct rostrum.

• Colouration ranges from brown and reddish-brown to black, often with scales or hairs producing mottled patterns.

• Some species have noticeably elongated bodies and relatively long antennae.