Dormancy of a specialist herbivore, Anthonomus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in a dry tropical forest.

This article focuses on the dormancy and life history of the weevil *Anthonomus rufipennis* LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in a seasonally dry tropical forest of central Mexico. Over a 57-month period, the study monitored weevil populations and physiological status on its reproductive host tree, *Senna polyantha*, and its dry season refuge host, the epiphyte *Tillandsia recurvata* ("ball moss"). Results showed that during the dry season, weevils remained as moderately active, nonreproductive adults with high fat reserves on *T. recurvata*, indicating a dormant state, and moved to *S. polyantha* to reproduce when the host plant leafed out and produced flower buds. The presence of both reproductive and dormant weevils during the rainy season suggests that *A. rufipennis* is facultatively multivoltine, with flexible generation numbers depending on environmental conditions. The study’s methodology and findings provide a model for understanding insect dormancy in dry tropical forests and offer comparative insights relevant to economically important related species such as the cotton boll weevil and pepper weevil.