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The Curculionidae are a family of , commonly called snout beetles or true weevils. They are one of the largest animal families with 6,800 genera and 83,000 species described worldwide. They are the sister group to the family Brentidae.
They include the as the subfamily Scolytinae, which are modified in shape in accordance with their wood-boring lifestyle. They do not much resemble other weevils, so they were traditionally considered a distinct family, Scolytidae. The family also includes the , of which the present-day subfamily Platypodinae was formerly considered the distinct family Platypodidae.
Larval Curculionidae are C-shaped and lightly sclerotised, with minute antennae, robust mandibles and no legs.
Most weevils feed on plants as larvae and adults, and they include important pests of cultivated plants that chew holes in fruits, nuts and other parts. The long rostrum possessed by most adult weevils is used by females to help lay eggs (oviposit) inside plant tissue. Some feed on rotten wood or bark (e.g. Cossoninae and Cryptorhynchinae), and some are wood-borers that feed on ambrosia fungi (Platypodinae and some Scolytinae).'']] Although pesticide resistance hasn't historically been an issue with these insects, recently a mutation was discovered in association with the voltage-gated sodium channel in the species Maize weevil, indicating there is a lot to learn about how these insects adapt to changing environments.
Many species of weevils are common household and garden pests, but don't harm people, pets, or buildings. Their presence is more of a temporary nuisance, usually to plants and their fruits in their larval stage. In tropical areas they have larger effects, specifically several species in the genera Conotrachelus and Copturus.
Recent work on the phylogenetic relationships in weevils mentions the two subfamily groups Adelognatha ( short-nosed weevils, subfamily Entiminae) and Phanerognatha ( long-nosed weevils, subfamilies of Curculionidae other than Entiminae) for the species of Curculionidae.
Almost two dozen subfamilies are recognized by some authors even when merging those that are certainly invalid. Others, however, recognize a lesser number – the only subfamilies that are almost universally considered valid are the Baridinae, Cossoninae, Curculioninae, Cyclominae, Entiminae, Molytinae, Platypodinae, and Scolytinae. The various proposed taxonomic schemes typically recognize as many additional subfamilies again, but little agreement is seen between authorities about which. In particular, the delimitation of the Molytinae has proven difficult.
The timeline for current and extant weevil speciation and diversification is consistent with the radiation of during the Mesozoic period. The subfamilies considered valid by at least some authors today:
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