Curculionidae

/ˌkɜːkjuːliˈɒnɪdiː/ noun

Definition

The scientific family name for weevils, a huge group of beetles characterized by their distinctive long, curved snouts.

Etymology

Latinized scientific name from 'curculio' plus the family-naming suffix '-idae,' used in biological taxonomy to denote family-level groups of organisms.

Kelly Says

When scientists discover a new family of animals, they're essentially naming it forever—Curculionidae has been the official name for weevils since the 1600s, and you can't change it even though we've learned incredible amounts about them since then.

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