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Four new Tapinomorphus species are described and illustrated: Tapinomorphus angolanus sp. nov. from Angola, T. kudrnai sp. nov. from Zambia, T. latipennis sp. nov. and T. verunkae sp. nov. from Zimbabwe. This brings the total number of species in the genus to 20. Habitus images and illustrations of important characters are provided.

Type material of the described species of Ascopus Marshall, 1951, Oreosecus Marshall, 1950, Perarogula Hoffmann, 1963 and Rhadinocopes Hustache, 1931 was examined and their taxonomic status is discussed. Oreosecus Marshall, 1950 and Rhadinocopes Hustache, 1931 are proposed as junior synonyms of Tapinomorphus Hartmann, 1904, Perarogula Hoffmann, 1963 is proposed as a junior synonym of Ascopus Marshall, 1951. Rhadinocopes curvipes Hustache, 1931, R. echinatus Marshall, 1951 and Perarogula lamottei Hoffmann, 1963 are transferred as valid species to the genus Ascopus, Rhadinocopes alticola Hustache, 1939, R. orientalis Hustache, 1931 and Oreosecus porculus Marshall, 1950 are transferred as valid species to the genus Tapinomorphus. Lectotypes of Rhadinocopes orientalis Hustache, 1931 and Rhadinocopes alticola Hustache, 1939 are designated. Ascopus girardi sp. nov. from Guinea, Mt. Nimba, is described and compared with all other species of the genus. Male and female genitalia of Ascopus are described and illustrated for the first time. A key to Ascopus species is presented.

The distributional characteristics of Pimelia cursor Menetries, 1832 (Tenebrionidae), Araxia mucronata Khnzorian, 1957, A. cristofaroi Gultekin et Borovec, 2008, and Ptochomorphus latiscrobs (Hochhuth, 1847) (Curculionidae: Entiminae: Sciaphilini) are considered. It is shown that the ranges of P. cursor, A. mucronata, and P. latiscrobs have similar disjunction in the Kura-Aras Lowland. A presumable scenario of the origin of this disjunction is discussed.

The Afrotropical species described as Trachyphloeini Lacordaire, 1863 were examined and their taxonomic status is revised. Atrachyphloeus Voss, 1962 is proposed as a junior synonym of Phaylomerinthus Schoenherr, 1842, Cathormiocerus africanus Hoffmann, 1965 as a junior synonym of Tapinomorphus sylvicola Voss, 1962 and Trachyphloeus pustulifer Voss, 1959 as a junior synonym of Platycopes tuberculatus Marshall, 1906. Atrachyphloeus convergens Voss, 1962 is transferred to the genus Phaylomerinthus Schoenherr, 1842, Trachyphloeus hardenbergi Marshall, 1923 and T. notulatus Boheman, 1842 to Glyptosomus Schoenherr, 1847, Trachyphloeus nanus Fåhraeus, 1871 to Pentatrachyphloeus Voss, 1974, Trachyphloeus pustulifer Voss, 1959 to Platycopes Schoenherr, 1823 and Trachyphloeus setiger Fåhraeus, 1871 to Phaylomerinthus Schoenherr, 1842. “Trachyphloeosoma” brevicolle Voss, 1974, “Trachyphloeus” brevis Boheman, 1842, “T”. nodifrons Hoffmann, 1968 and “T”. squalidus Boheman, 1842 are provisionally left in their current genera, but new genera for them will be described in future papers. The genus Phaylomerinthus Schoenherr, 1842 has been redefined and redescribed. Lectotypes for the following species are designated (current names added in brackets where different): Cathormiocerus africanus Hoffmann, 1965 (Tapinomorphus sylvicola Voss, 1962), Trachyphloeus hardenbergi Marshall, 1923 (Glyptosomus hardenbergi (Marshall, 1923)), Trachyphloeus nanus Fåhraeus, 1871 (Pentatrachyphloeus nanus (Fåhraeus, 1871)), Trachyphloeus notulatus Boheman, 1842 (Glyptosomus notulatus (Boheman, 1842)), Trachyphloeus pustulifer Voss, 1959 (Platycopes tuberculatus (Marshall, 1906)), Trachyphloeus setiger Fåhraeus, 1871 (Phaylomerinthus setiger (Fåhraeus, 1871)), “Trachyphloeus” brevis Boheman in Schoenherr, 1842 and “Trachyphloeus” squalidus Boheman in Schoenherr, 1842. Two paralectotypes of Cathormiocerus africanus Hoffmann, 1965 from Tanzania are described as a new species, Tapinomorphus franzi sp. n. All type specimens are illustrated.

New faunal data on eight species of the tribes Trachyphloeini and Sciaphilini are presented. A total of 471 specimens of these tribes were reviewed. Bibliographical information on these groups in Latvia is summarised for the first time. The first records of Trachyphloeus heymesi Hubenthal, 1934 and Barypeithes mollicomus (Ahrens, 1812), in the Latvian fauna are reported. One species, Trachyphloeus spinimanus Germar, 1824, is excluded from the list of Latvian Coleoptera. The annotated list including 12 species and the illustrated key of Latvian Trachyphloeini and Sciaphilini are given.

Karyotypes of three weevil species, viz. Brachysomus dispar (2n=22, n males = 10 + X(y(p))), Brachysomus hirtus (3n=33, n females = 10 + X) and Strophosoma faber (2n=22, n males = 10 + X(y(p))) belonging to the tribes Sciaphilini and Brachyderini, were studied using the C-banding technique. The karyotype structures of the two bisexual and one parthenogenetic species are described for the first time. Most chromosomes are meta- or submetacentric. In the two species of the genus Brachysomus, the chromosomes resemble one another in having a rather small amount of heterochromatin restricted to the pericentromeric region, visible as dark stained blocks mainly during the early stages of nuclear division. Larger bands at mitotic metaphase and diakinesis occur only in Strophosomafaber. Geographic parthenogenesis in Brachysomus hirtus is briefly discussed.

The purpose of this paper is a comparative morphological study of the little known monotypic weevil genus Araxia Khnzorian, 1957 and its close allies; redescriptions and figures are provided. A new systematic position for Araxia is proposed and discussed, its affinity with Chiloneus Schoenherr, 1842 and a new genus Holcolydoprus gen. n. is demonstrated. A new genus Holcolydoprus gen. n. is described with two new species H. bimaculatus sp. n. (type species) from Turkmenistan and H. griseus sp. n. from Transcaucasia and Eastern Turkey. The genus Aomus Schoenherr, 1834 is transferred from the tribe Laparocerini to Sciaphilini, its affinity with Eusomomorphus K. Daniel, 1905 is demonstrated. A new combination Eusomomorphus ilerii (Fremuth & Lodos, 1987), comb. n. is established for Aomus ilerii. A key to genera centering around Araxia is given.

During exploration for new biological control agents of yellow starthistle, Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae: Cardueae), in eastern Turkey, we observed four species of broad-nosed weevils (subfamily Entiminae) that are newly associated with this plant: Epiphanops persicus (Chevrolat), Eusomomorphus oligops Daniel, Altonomus modestus (Khnzorian), and Araxia cristofaroi sp. n. Host plants of these species are recorded for the first time. Adults of E. persicus feed on young spines of C. solstitialis capitula (flower heads), whereas A. modestus and A. cristofaroi feed on leaves of C. solstitialis rosettes. Large numbers of E. oligops adults were observed feeding on leaves of both C. solstitialis and Russian knapweed, Acroptilon repens (L.). The genus Araxia Khnzorian is transferred from tribe Brachyderini Schoenherr to the tribe Sciaphilini Sharp, and it is redescribed. Female genitalia of this genus were studied and described for the first time. The new species, Araxia cristofaroi sp. n., is described, illustrated, and compared with the only other known Araxia species: A. mucronata Khnzorian. A taxonomic key discriminating the two Araxia species was developed. The new species differs by having claws that are almost equal in length, thinner and longer protibiae, wider antennal scape, more slender rostrum, and shorter body length. A. mucronata is newly recorded for Turkish fauna.