GENITALIA STRUCTURE OF THE INSECT PYCNODACTYLOPSIS TOMENTOSA TOMENTOSA (FÅHRAEUS, 1842) (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE: LIXINAE) IN EGYPT

The male and female genitalia usually exhibit distinguishing features that aid in differentiating between genera and species; hence, the study of genitalia is expected to be crucial to the taxonomy of insects. Morphological description of genitalia of many genera and species of the tribe Cleonini (Subfamily: Lixinae) has remained a neglected area. In the current study, we presented the descriptions of the male and the female genital external structures of the genus Pycnodactylopsis Voss, 1963, where the genitalia of both sexes of Pycnodactylopsis tomentosa (Fåhraeus, 1842) from Egypt were examined and photographed through both light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as full details were described and illustrated for the first time to the best of our knowledge. Diagnostic characters of each of the genus and species were also explained.