Otiorynchus lederi Stierlin (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): A new record and a new pest in Turkey

Otiorhynchus lederi Stierlin, 1876 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was detected in northeastern Anatolia. This species has been known as a parthenogenetic form so far. We found in Transcaucasus and Turkey several bisexual populations of this species for the first time and we redescribed them. O. lederi is alli ed to Otiorhynchus erivanensis Reitter, which was described from Armenia. Diagnostic features separating these 2 species were indicated. Both of these species are new records for the Turkish fauna. Although O. lederi is a polyphagous it is a pest of currant (Ribes spp.), rose (Rosa spp.), and strawberry (Fragaria spp.) species in Erzurum province, especially in the land around Atatürk University. The weevils feed in a typical way, whereby they chew irregular-shaped areas from the margins of the leaves, and sometimes defoliate small plants. It is univoltine and hibernates as an adult among the roots of grasses under currant and rose species or other host plants. O. erivanensis is a rare species: only 2 females have been found. © Tübitak.