Cryptolarynx variabilis is a species of beetle of the family Curculionidae. It is found in South Africa, where it seems to be restricted to the western slope of the Hottentots Holland Mountains range, from the Franschhoek Pass to Somerset West.
Description Adults reach a length of about 2.2–4 mm and have an integument black body, with the scapes and tarsi reddish.
Biology The larvae of develop in the bulbs of various species of Oxalis (Oxalis pes-caprae, Oxalis purpurea and Oxalis lanata). Adults were collected between July and October. The heat tolerance of this species was assessed in a comparative study of weevils associated with fire-prone ecosystems. Adults were found to survive temperatures above 50°C, which is rare for arthropods, especially in small insects.
Etymology The species name refers to the substantial morphological variation encountered in this species in terms of size, body ratios and elytral pattern.Part of this text is from “Revision of the enigmatic South African Cryptolaryngini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), with description of a new genus and twenty-two new species” by Haran J.M., et al. This article is licensed under the [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ CC BY 4.0 license
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