{{Short description|Genus of beetles}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say, 1831).jpg | image_caption = ''Acanthoscelides obtectus'' | taxon = Acanthoscelides | display_parents = 2 | authority = Schilsky, 1905 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 300+, see text }}
'''''Acanthoscelides''''' is a genus of bean weevils of the subfamily Bruchinae. They are native to the New World. About one third of them can be found in Mexico.<ref name=napne>Nápoles, J. R. and J. M. Kingsolver. (2009). [http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1519-566X2009000400009&script=sci_arttext A new species of ''Acanthoscelides'' Schilsky (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) from Mexico with some biological notes.] ''Neotropical Entomology'' 38(4), 497-500.</ref>
In 1946 this genus was populated with at least 322 species transferred from other genera, mainly ''Bruchus''. Some of these were later placed into other genera.<ref name=king>Kingsolver, J. M. [https://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/Bruchidae/BruchidaeVol1.pdf ''Handbook of the Bruchidae of the United States and Canada (Insecta, Coleoptera)'', Volume I.] Technical Bulletin 1912. USDA ARS. 2004. pg. 89.</ref> Estimates of the current number of named species range from about 300<ref name=alv>Alvarez, N., et al. (2006). [http://coleoptera-neotropical.org/BIBLIOTECAJEBT/pdf/bruchidae/Alvarez%20N.,%20Romero,%20et.%20al.%202006.pdf Phylogenetic relationships in the Neotropical bruchid genus ''Acanthoscelides'' (Bruchinae, Bruchidae, Coleoptera).] ''Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research'' 44(1) 63-74.</ref> to 340,<ref name=napne/> and there are over 200 undescribed species.<ref name=napne/>
These beetles are generally 1.1 to 3.5 millimeters long. They have large, protruding eyes, and males often have larger eyes than females. They sometimes also have longer antennae.<ref name=king/> The elytra are about twice as long as they are wide.<ref name=napne/> The beetles of this genus are diverse and the characters used to classify them are not well defined;<ref name=king/> historically, ''Acanthoscelides'' is a wastebasket taxon, "used as a genus into which species are placed that do not fit within the limits of other genera".<ref name=napne/>
Most of these beetles feed on legumes. The majority specialize on Faboideae, many on Mimosoideae, and fewer on Caesalpinioideae. Some are known from non-legume host plants, such as mallows.<ref name=alv/>
Familiar species include ''Acanthoscelides obtectus'', a worldwide pest of beans,<ref>[http://www.grainscanada.gc.ca/storage-entrepose/pip-irp/bw-bh-eng.htm ''Acanthoscelides obtectus'' (Say).] Canadian Grain Commission.</ref> and ''Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus'', which is employed as an agent of biological pest control against the invasive tree ''Leucaena leucocephala''.<ref>Egli, D. and T. Olckers. (2012). [http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.4001/003.020.0114?journalCode=afen#.Ug2raffn_rc Oviposition patterns and egg mortality in ''Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus'' (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), a biological control agent of ''Leucaena leucocephala'' (Fabaceae) in South Africa.] ''African Entomology'' 20(1), 111-18.</ref>
==Species== Species include:<ref name=king/><ref>[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=114505 ''Acanthoscelides''.] Integrated Taxonomic Information System.</ref> *''Acanthoscelides aequalis'' *''Acanthoscelides alboscutellatus'' <small>(Horn, 1873)</small> *''Acanthoscelides atomus'' *''Acanthoscelides aureolus'' <small>(Horn, 1873)</small> *''Acanthoscelides baboquivari'' *''Acanthoscelides bisignatus'' *''Acanthoscelides biustulus'' <small>(Fall, 1910)</small> *''Acanthoscelides calvus'' <small>(Horn, 1873)</small> *''Acanthoscelides chiricahuae'' <small>(Fall, 1910)</small> *''Acanthoscelides compressicornis'' <small>(Schaeffer, 1907)</small> *''Acanthoscelides comstocki'' *''Acanthoscelides daleae'' *''Acanthoscelides desmanthi'' *''Acanthoscelides distinguendus''[[File:Acanthoscelides longescutus.jpg|thumb|right|''Acanthoscelides longescutus'']] *''Acanthoscelides flavescens'' *''Acanthoscelides floridae'' *''Acanthoscelides fraterculus'' *''Acanthoscelides fumatus'' *''Acanthoscelides griseolus'' *''Acanthoscelides helianthemum'' *''Acanthoscelides herissantitus'' *''Acanthoscelides inquisitus'' *''Acanthoscelides kingsolveri'' *''Acanthoscelides lobatus'' *''Acanthoscelides longistilus'' *''Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus'' *''Acanthoscelides margaretae'' *''Acanthoscelides mixtus'' *''Acanthoscelides modestus'' *''Acanthoscelides mundulus'' *''Acanthoscelides napensis'' *''Acanthoscelides oblongoguttatus'' *''Acanthoscelides obrienorum'' *''Acanthoscelides obsoletus'' *''Acanthoscelides obtectus'' *''Acanthoscelides obvelatus'' *''Acanthoscelides oregonensis'' *''Acanthoscelides pallidipennis'' *''Acanthoscelides pauperculus'' *''Acanthoscelides pectoralis'' *''Acanthoscelides pedicularius'' *''Acanthoscelides perforatus'' *''Acanthoscelides prosopoides'' *''Acanthoscelides pullus'' *''Acanthoscelides pusillimus'' *''Acanthoscelides quadridentatus'' *''Acanthoscelides rufovittatus'' *''Acanthoscelides sauli''<ref>Nápoles, J. R., et al. (2009). [http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1616&context=insectamundi Seed beetles (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) associated with ''Acacia cornigera'' (L.) Willd., with description of a new species of ''Acanthoscelides'' Schilsky.] ''Insecta Mundi'' 93 1-11.</ref> *''Acanthoscelides schaefferi'' *''Acanthoscelides schrankiae'' *''Acanthoscelides seminulum'' *''Acanthoscelides sousai'' *''Acanthoscelides speciosus'' *''Acanthoscelides stylifer'' *''Acanthoscelides subaequalis'' *''Acanthoscelides submuticus'' *''Acanthoscelides tenuis'' *''Acanthoscelides tridenticulatus''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Wikispecies|position=left}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1645100}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Chrysomelidae genera Category:Bruchinae Category:Acanthoscelides Category:Taxa named by Friedrich Julius Schilsky