Weevils (Curculionidae) are identified by which characteristic?

• A. Long snouts with chewing mouthparts on the end and clubbed antennae
• B. Siphoning mouthparts and slender bodies
• C. Broad, flattened bodies with no snouts
• D. Wings that are heavily sclerotized and fused

Answer: (C)

Weevils are identified by a long snout (rostrum) with chewing mouthparts at the tip, and their antennae are typically elbowed and clubbed. That extended snout is a distinctive adaptation that lets the insect probe plant tissue and bore into seeds, stems, fruits, or nuts, while the mouthparts at the end do the chewing from that position. The other traits don’t define weevils: siphoning mouthparts are characteristic of butterflies and moths, a broad, flattened body with no snout doesn’t match the weevil silhouette, and wings that are heavily sclerotized and fused don’t uniquely describe this group. The long rostrum with tip-mounted chewing jaws is the hallmark feature that identifies weevils.