Curculionidae

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Curculionidae
Lixus angustatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Superfamily:	Curculionoidea
Family:	Curculionidae Latreille, 1802
Subfamily
(Many authors merge a lot of these) Bagoinae Baridinae Ceutorhynchinae Conoderinae Cossoninae Cryptorhynchinae Curculioninae Cyclominae Dryophthorinae Entiminae Erirhininae Gonipterinae Hyperinae Leptoniinae Lixinae Mesoptiliinae Molytinae Orobitidinae Platypodinae — ambrosia beetles Raymondionyminae Scolytinae — bark or ambrosia beetles Xiphaspidinae

Curculionidae, weevils, also called snout beetles or curculios (not to be confused with the genus Curculio), is the family of the "true" weevils (or snout beetles). With over 60,000 species described worldwide, it is the largest of any animal family.

Pachyrhinus lethierryi

They are recognized by their distinctive long snout and geniculate antennae with small clubs; beyond that, curculionids have considerable diversity of form and size, with adult lengths ranging from 1 mm to 40 mm.

Weevils are almost entirely plant feeders, and most species are associated with a narrow range of hosts, in many cases only living on a single species. With so many species to classify and over 400 genera, the taxonomy of this family is quite complicated, and authors disagree on the number and placement of various subfamilies, tribes, and subtribes.

The word "weevil" has been made famous by the boll weevil, which lays its eggs and eats inside cotton bolls, killing the plant.

See also

• Black Vine Weevil
• Boll Weevil
• Hylobius
• Pests and diseases of roses
• Rhinomacer
• Wheat Weevil

Phylogeny

The phylogeny of the group is complex; with 60,000 species there is a spirited debate about the relationships between subfamilies and genera. A 1997 analysis (see references) attempted to construct a phylogeny based mainly on larval characteristics.

References

• http://www.cricyt.edu.ar/entomologia/Articulos/Cladistics13%281997%29.pdf

External links

• Media related to Curculionidae at Wikimedia Commons
• Information related to Curculionidae from Wikispecies.

On the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site

• Anthonomus eugenii, pepper weevil
• Cylas formicarius, sweetpotato weevil
• Chalcodermus aeneus, cowpea curculio
• Cosmopolites sordidus, banana root borer
• Eudociminus mannerheimii, cypress weevil
• Eurhinus magnificus
• Gerstaeckeria spp.
• Metamasius callizona, Mexican bromeliad weevil
• Metamasius hemipterus sericeus, silky cane weevil,
• Metamasius mosieri, Florida bromeliad weevil
• Naupactus (=Graphognathus) spp., whitefringed beetles
• Oxyops vitiosa, melaleuca weevil
• Pantomorus cervinus, Fuller rose weevil
• Pseudocneorhinus bifasciatus, twobanded Japanese weevil
• Rhynchophorus cruentatus, palmetto weevil
• Sphenophorus venatus, hunting billbug