The Confused, the Californian, and the Confused Californian Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract

Baridius californicus Motschulsky, 1845 is among the most senior species-group names for weevils described from California, USA. The original material was collected by Eschscholtz during one of two Russian expeditions, with the Rurik 1815–1818 or the Predpriyatiye 1823–1826. Motschulsky (1845) provided in his introduction general information about Eschscholtz’s Coleoptera at the Zoological Museum, Moscow, including previous examinations conducted by others. He mentioned the existence of additional Californian specimens but stated that his paper deals specifically with those at the Zoological Museum. As the name B. californicus has been used as valid since 1900, it is desirable to clarify the identity of the species. Upon my request made in 2010, N. Nikitsky, at that time curator at the Zoological Museum, searched for the type but without success. To my surprise, B. Korotyaev located a historical specimen at the Zoological Institute in St. Petersburg, a collection mentioned by Motschulsky (1845) in the introduction. The identity and labels of this specimen plus confusions with the equally enigmatic junior primary homonym Baridius californicus Boheman, 1859 made matters even more unsettling. I here review the historical perceptions regarding the name B. californicus and try to unravel the existing derangement with the help of new insights obtained during the past years.