Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 78 (1): 65-87, 2005
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Key to higher taxa of South American weevils based on adult characters (Coleoptera,
Curculionoidea)
The weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) from South America are currently classified in
the following families and subfamilies: Nemonychidae (Rhinorhynchinae), Anthribidae (Anthribinae), Belidae (Belinae and
Oxycoryninae), Attelabidae (Attelabinae and Rhynchitinae), Brentidae (Apioninae and Brentinae), Caridae (Carinae) and Curculionidae
(Erirhininae, Dryophthorinae, Entiminae, Aterpinae, Gonipterinae, Rhythirrininae, Thecesterninae, Eugnominae, Hyperinae,
Curculioninae, Cryptorhynchinae, Mesoptiliinae (= Magdalidinae), Molytinae, Baridinae, Lixinae, Conoderinae (= Zygopinae),
Cossoninae, Scolytinae and Platypodinae). In the present contribution we bring a dichotomous key for the identification of seven
families and 28 subfamilies of Curculionoidea from South America, and for 21 tribes of the highly heterogeneous subfamilies
Curculioninae and Molytinae. These tribes are Curculionini Anthonomini, Ceutorhynchini, Derelomini, Otidocephalini, Erodiscini,
Camarotini, Piazorhinini, Prionobrachiini, Smicronychini, Rhamphini and Tychiini, within Curculioninae; and Hylobiini, Pissodini,
Conotrachelini, Cleogonini, Sternechini, Pacholenini, Cholini, Petalochilini and Amalactini, within Molytinae. Most of them have been
classified as subfamilies in traditional schemes. The key is mainly based on external morphological characters, but also includes data
on genitalia, mouth parts and other biological features. Definitions and illustrations of diagnostic characters used in the key are
provided.
Key words:
Curculionoidea, South
America, dichotomous key
