The tooth-nosed snout weevils, Rhynchitidae, are small
beetles (1.5 to 6.5 mm) 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.
Traditionally considered a subfamily of
Attelabidae within the
Curculionoidea (weevils and relatives), the tooth-nosed snout weevils are regarded as a separate family Rhynchitidae by some authorities.
A common member of this group is the rose curculio, Merhynchites bicolor, which feeds on roses.
The thief weevil, Pterocolus ovatus, is the only pterocoline (subfamily Pterocolinae) known from North America. It is an obligate egg
predator and nidus
kleptoparasite (nest thief) of some beetles in the family
Attelabidae.
Genera
These genera belong to the subfamily Rhynchitinae:[1][2][3][4]
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Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A.; Lyal, Christopher H. C. (1999). A World Catalogue of Families and Genera of Curculionoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) (Excepting Scotylidae and Platypodidae). Entomopraxis.
ISBN978-84-605-9994-4.