TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EXTERNAL MALE GENITALIA IN FAMILY CURCULIONIDAE WITH COMMENTS ON THE STRUCTURE OF THESE ORGANS IN OTHER FAMILIES OF CURCULIONOIDEA (COLEOPTERA: INSECTA)

Taxonomic importance of male genitalia studied in 797 species of Curculionoidea belonging to families Atteliabidae (100), Brenthidae (2), Apionidae (60), Rhynchophoridae (10) and Curculionidae (625), has been highlighted at the level of families as well as in the subfamilies, tribes and genera of Curculionidae. The variations noted in the male genitalia pertain to the relative length of aedeagus, aedeagal apodemes and phalobasic apodeme alongwith the shape of aedeagus and structure of endophallic armature. Several subfamilies, tribes and genera of Curculionidae show a constant structure of male genitalia whereas some others express sufficient diversity, warranting a review of their taxonomic status.