Question

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is the scientific name of

• A. Coconut weevil
• B. Mango leaf hopper
• C. Cabbage butterfly
• D. Lemon butterfly

Hint:

To easily remember this name, associate "Rhynchophorus" (meaning snout-bearer in Greek, referencing the characteristic curved weevil snout) with the Red Palm/Coconut weevil.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Correctly identifying insect pests by their scientific names is essential for designing effective integrated pest management (IPM) programs.
Many crop pests are known by common regional names, but their scientific binomial name is standardized globally.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, commonly known as the Red Palm Weevil or Coconut Weevil, is a destructive pest of palm trees.
This snout beetle belongs to the family Curculionidae under the order Coleoptera.
The larvae of this weevil bore into the trunk and crown of palms, including coconut palms, date palms, and royal palms.
Because they feed internally on the soft tissues of the palm heart, they can kill a mature tree before outward symptoms of damage become visible.
Let us review the scientific names of the other options:
- Mango leaf hopper: Amritodus atkinsoni or Idioscopus clypealis
- Cabbage butterfly: Pieris brassicae
- Lemon butterfly: Papilio demoleus
Therefore, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is the scientific name for the Coconut Weevil.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus represents the Coconut weevil.
Thus, the correct choice is (A).