Sub-fossil weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea) from the central part of West Siberia provide evidence of range expansion during the last glaciations

Nine localities with the similar-age deposits (31,800-21,815 BP, Late Pleistocene) containing weevils have been known from West Siberia. Our examination of this material identifies 2011 sub-fossil fragments representing seven species of Brenthidae and 38 species of Curculionidae. The most speciose genus is Otiorhynchus which includes seven species, while the remaining 29 genera are represented by 1-2 species each. The most abundant species are Otiorhynchus karkaralensis, Tournotaris bimaculata, Hemitrichapion tschernovi, Otiorhynchus politus and Stephanocleonus eruditus. Sub-fossil assemblages of weevils from southern sites (57-58° N) markedly differ from the northern (60°30′-61°30′ N) and from known similar-age deposits of Northern Eurasia. This is exemplified by Otiorhynchus spp., especially Otiorhynchus karkaralensis in the southern deposits of West Siberia. Weevils in sub-fossil assemblages of West Siberia differ from the recent fauna. 30 species with sub-fossil representatives are known from the region currently, while sub-fossil 15 species are currently absent from this region. The sub-fossil weevils that were widely distributed during the last glacial currently occur in refugia in the north of Siberia and in mountains of the south Siberia and central Kazakhstan.