Overview

Both adult and larval nemonychids are pollen feeders, and Australian species have all been recorded from male cones of Araucariaceae ( Araucaria and Agathis ).

Description

Moderately elongate, slightly flattened beetles, clothed with decumbent hairs and usually scattered erect hairs. Rostrum elongate and flattened to subcylindrical; antennae straight with short scape and loose, weak club, inserted at middle or near apex of rostrum; labrum free and on same level as clypeus; mandibles acute and opposable; palps well developed and flexible; pronotum without lateral carinae; 1 or 2 stridulatory files on mesonotum; all tibiae with 1 or 2 spurs; tarsal claws toothed or bifid; ventrites freely articulated; pygidium more or less concealed by elytra.

Larvae elongate, slightly to moderately curved ventrally, slightly flattened and lightly sclerotised, except for head capsule and prothoracic tergal plate, and with a pair of well-developed transverse folds on thoracic and most abdominal terga. The head is moderately deflexed; the epicranial stem is short, and there is a long median endocarina extending well in front of it.

Distribution

Australian species all belong to undescribed genera of the subfamily Rhinorhynchinae, which also has representatives in Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, New Zealand and South America. [Kuschel 1983.]