Morphological description and observations on the biology of Polydrusus davatchii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae), a pest of pistachio trees in Iran

Morphological description of the pistachio weevil, Polydrusus davatchii Hoffmann, 1956, is supplemented and an additional distinctive character of the subgenus Orodrusus to which this species belongs, the strongly reduced hair brushes on the tarsal segments, is reported. Polydrusus davatchii was known as a minor pest for pistachio trees in Iran until the first decade of the XXI century, but is considered now as an important herbivore in pistachio orchards in early spring. The adults were not found on other plants in the pistachio growing areas. Only females of this species are known. Polydrusus davatchii produces one generation a year and is distributed now almost throughout the pistachio cultivation areas in central and southern parts of Iran.