Zyzzyva

The name was formally published, along with a description of the genus, by coleopterist Thomas Lincoln Casey, Jr. in 1922. Since there is no word remotely like this in either Greek or Latin, Casey had probably invented a name to appear at the end of alphabetical lists.

A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – one the numerous genera of true weevils.


Curculionidae

A taxonomic family within the order Coleoptera – true weevils or snout beetles.

for the numerous other genera see Curculionidae


Curculionoidea

A taxonomic superfamily within the order Coleoptera – most weevils, including all the true weevils.


Curculio

Borrowed from Latin curculiō (“weevil”).

A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – acorn weevils or nut weevils.


Ips

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἴ̄ψ (í̄ps, “wood-eating worm”).

bor

A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – certain bark beetles.


Dryophthorinae

A taxonomic subfamily within the family Curculionidae – many weevils.

Abacobius

(subfamily): Cryptodermatini, Dryophthorini, Litosomini, Ommatolampini, Orthognathini, Rhinostomini, Rhynchophorini, Sipalomimini, Sphenophorini, Stromboscerini – tribes


Prionomerus

(obsolete) A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – now Odontopus; the spiny weevils.


Curculio proboscideus

A taxonomic species within the family Curculionidae – elephant weevil, a nut and acorn weevil.


Sitophilus

sito- (“food, grain”) + -philus m (“-phile”), literally “grain-lover”

affix

A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – wheat weevil and related weevils, generally considered agricultural pests.


Ceutorhynchus

A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – certain true weevils.


Otiorhynchus

Latin ōtium n (“leisure; free time”) + Ancient Greek ῥῠ́γχος n (rhŭ́nkhos, “nose”). Despite the root word ῥῠ́γχος (rhŭ́nkhos) being a neuter noun, it resembles Latin -us, and so has taken the masculine grammatical gender.

A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – certain weevils.


Balaninus

Borrowed from Ancient Greek βᾰλᾰ́νῐνος (bălắnĭnos, “relating to acorns”).

bor

(obsolete, entomology) A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – synonym of Curculio.


Trigonopterus

Ancient Greek τρῐ́γωνον n (trĭ́gōnon, “triangle”) + -pterus m (“-winged”)

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A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – certain weevils, of Australia, Indonesia and Melanesia.


Anthonomus grandis

A taxonomic species within the family Curculionidae – boll weevil, a major pest of cotton crops.


Entiminae

A taxonomic subfamily within the family Curculionidae – many true weevils.


Macrochirus

macro- (“large”) + Ancient Greek χείρ f (kheír, “hand, arm, paw, finger”) + -us m.

A taxonomic genus within the tribe Rhynchophorini – certain large weevils of Malaya including the giant Malayan weevil.


Sipalinus gigas

A taxonomic species within the family Curculionidae – Japanese giant weevil, a very large weevil native to Japan.


Conotrachelus

cono- (“cone”) + Ancient Greek τρᾰ́χηλος m (trắkhēlos, “neck”)

A taxonomic genus within the tribe Conotrachelini – over a thousand of species of weevils, many of which are pests of fruit-bearing crops.


Conoderinae

→ English: conoderine

A taxonomic subfamily within the family Curculionidae – various weevils.


Pentarthrum

penta- (“five”) + Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́ρθρον n (ắrthron, “joint, limb”)


Myrmex

From Ancient Greek μύρμηξ (múrmēx, “ant”)


Attelabidae

A taxonomic family within the order Coleoptera – certain weevils.

Apoderus

(family): Apoderinae, Archolabinae, Attelabinae, Isotheinae, Pterocolinae, Rhynchitinae – subfamilies


Cryptorhynchinae

→ English: cryptorhynchine

A taxonomic subfamily within the family Curculionidae – cryptorhynchine weevils.


Anthribidae

→ English: anthribid

A taxonomic family within the order Coleoptera – anthribids or fungus weevils.

Hadromerina

(family): Anthribinae, Choraginae, Ulyaninae, Urodontinae – subfamilies


Xenocnema

From Ancient Greek ξένος (xénos, “alien; strange”) + Ancient Greek κνήμη (knḗmē, “shin, tibia”).


Cholus

Borrowed from Ancient Greek χόλος (khólos, “bile; bitterness, anger”).


Archarius

Borrowed from Koine Greek ἀρχάριος (arkhários, “one who ventures to school”); from Ancient Greek ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “beginning; starting point”).

der

A taxonomic genus within the family Curculionidae – certain true weevils; including the willow gall weevil (Archarius salicivorus).


Charagmus

From Ancient Greek χᾰ́ρᾰγμᾰ (khắrăgmă, “mark; stamp; etc.”), likely an adjectival form thereof.


Cionus

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κῑ́ονος (kī́onos), genitive of Ancient Greek κῑ́ων (kī́ōn, “division of the nose; wart; etc.”).