''Anthonomus'' is a genus of

weevil Weevils are beetles belonging to the Taxonomic rank, superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small, less than in length, and Herbivore, herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They b ...

s. This genus includes major agricultural pests such as the boll weevil, strawberry blossom weevil, and pepper weevil, as well as promising

biological pest control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...

agents such as ''

Anthonomus santacruzi ''Anthonomus santacruzi'' is a weevil that is a promising biocontrol agent for ''Solanum mauritianum'' Scopoli, which is a major ecological weed in high-rainfall regions of South Africa. The weevil exhibited a preference for ''S. mauritianum'' ...

''.

Taxonomy

The taxonomy of the genus is still under revision. It is unclear whether '' Cnemocyllus'' should be a genus or a subgenus within ''Anthonomus''. Research suggests that the genus '' Hampea'' in the

mallow family Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar o ...

was the original host plant for the ''A. grandis'' species group.

References

* Curculioninae {{Curculioninae-stub

Taxonomy

See also

References