Weevils are beetles belonging to the superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small, less than 6 mm in length, and herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They belong to several families, with most of them in the family Curculionidae. Some other beetles, although not closely related, bear the name "weevil", such as the biscuit weevil, which belongs to the family Ptinidae.
The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families. Numerous subfamilies are recognized, but the precise taxonomy and systematics are likely to change with ongoing research.
Belidae is a family of weevils, called belids or primitive weevils because they have straight antennae, unlike the "true weevils" or Curculionidae which have geniculate (elbowed) antennae. They are sometimes known as "cycad weevils", but this properly refers to a few species from the genera Parallocorynus and Rhopalotria.
Nemonychidae is a small family of weevils, placed within the primitive weevil group because they have straight rather than geniculate (elbowed) antennae. They are often called pine flower weevils. As in the Anthribidae, the labrum appears as a separate segment to the clypeus, and the maxillary palps are long and projecting. Nemonychidae have all ventrites free, while Anthribidae have ventrites 1-4 connate or partially fused. Nemonychidae lack lateral carinae on the pronotum, while these are usually present, though may be short, in Anthribidae.
The tooth-nosed snout weevils, Rhynchitidae, are small beetles that are usually found in vegetation. They usually use buds, fruits, or seeds for oviposition. The tooth-nosed snout weevils receive this name due to the teeth on the edges of their mandibles.
The Entiminae are a large subfamily in the weevil family Curculionidae, containing most of the short-nosed weevils, including such genera as Entimus, Otiorhynchus, Phyllobius, Sitona, and Pachyrrhynchus. In comparison with their stunning diversity, only a few of these weevils are notorious pests of major economic importance. Entimines are commonly encountered in the field, including urban environments, and abundant in entomological collections.
The Mordellidae are a family of beetles commonly known as tumbling flower beetles for the typical irregular movements they make when escaping predators, or as pintail beetles due to their abdominal tip which aids them in performing these tumbling movements. Worldwide, there are about 1500 species.
Caryobruchus gleditsiae is a species of beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It lives in North and Central America and develops inside the seeds of palm trees. Adults grow to a maximum length of 11 mm (0.43 in), the size depending on the size of the seed it grew up in. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1763 Centuria Insectorum.
Spermophagus is a genus of beetles belonging to the family Chrysomelidae subfamily Bruchinae.
Acanthoscelides is a genus of bean weevils of the subfamily Bruchinae. They are native to the New World. About one third of them can be found in Mexico.
Bruchidius is a genus of beetles in the bean weevil subfamily (Bruchinae) of the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae. Most are native to the Old World.
Bruchus is a genus of beetles in the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae. They are distributed mainly in the Palearctic, especially in Europe. Several occur in other parts of the world, such as North America, Africa, and Australia, as introduced species. Several species are notorious agricultural pests.
Callosobruchus is a genus of beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, the leaf beetles. It is in the subfamily Bruchinae, the bean weevils. Many beetles in the genus are well known as economically important pests that infest stored foodstuffs.
Bruchidius siliquastri is a species of bean weevil. It was first found in pods of Cercis siliquastrum in China, and has thence been found in several continents. Its length ranges from 2.8 to 3.7 millimetres. Its body is short and ovate, with a black integument. The apex of its femora and the ventral part of its hind tarsi are reddish. Its vestiture is made of thin and short setae; dorsally setae are a whitish colour, denser on the scutellum. Its pygidium is also covered with setae. Its name is derived from its host plant.
Harpalini is a tribe of a diverse group of ground beetles belonging to the subfamily Harpalinae within the broader family Carabidae. The tribe contains more than 2500 species.
Bruchus pisorum, known generally as pea weevil, is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. Other common names include the pea beetle and pea seed beetle. It is found in Europe and Northern Asia, North America, and temperate Asia.
Amblycerus is a genus of pea and bean weevils in the beetle family Chrysomelidae. There are more than 60 described species in Amblycerus.
Bruchidius anderssoni, is a species of leaf beetle found in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Bruchidius nalandus, is a species of leaf beetle found in Congo, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Socotra Island.
Rhaebus is a genus of metallic bean weevils in the subfamily Bruchinae, and the only member of the tribe Rhaebini. It is restricted to the Palearctic region.
