Family: Curculionidae (weevils, snout beetles)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Holometabola > Coleoptera (beetles) > Polyphaga > Curculionoidea

This is the largest family in the animal kingdom, including about 48 000 species in total, of which about 2 500 species occur in southern Africa. They are small to very large (1-60mm) with diverse habits, shapes and colours. Their mandibles (jaws) are situated at the end of a rostrum (snout) that is adapted for chewing into seeds and stems. The antennae (feelers) are characteristically elbowed and clubbed and situated on the rostrum. Both adults and larvae feed on plants and the female bores into seeds and stems where the eggs are laid. This group of beetles includes a wide range of pests of crops and stored products.

There are other closely related weevil families within the superfamily Curculionoidea:

Anthribidae Apionidae Attelabidae Brachyceridae Brentidae Cryptolarydae Dryophthoridae Erirhididae Nanophyidae Oxycorinidae Platypodidae Scolytidae Urodontidae. See also Bruchinae (pea weevils, family Chrysomelidae).

Some subfamilies, genera and species from southern Africa

Subfamily Bagoninae
Subfamily Baridinae
Subfamily Curculioninae
Subfamily Ceutorrhynchinae
Subfamily Conoderinae
Subfamily Cossoninae
Subfamily Cryptopinae
Subfamily Cyclominae
Subfamily Entiminae
Subfamily Hyperinae
Subfamily Lixinae
Subfamily Molytinae
Subfamily: Scolytinae (bark beetles)
Subfamily Xiphaspidinae

Page by Margie Cochrane