Introduction

This diverse subfamily includes about 250 species in 15 genera and, with the exception of tropical Africa, is cosmopolitan. Three tribes are represented in The Palaearctic region; Carciliini Pierce, 1916 includes five species of Carcilia Roelofs, 1875 from the Far East, Mesoptiliini Lacordaire, 1863 with the single species Eumagdalis grilati Bedel, 1885 from Algeria, and Magdalidini Pascoe, 1870 by the single genus Magdalis Germar, 1817. Magdalis includes about 100 species in 9 subgenera and occurs throughout most of the world while the greatest diversity is in the Palaearctic region; 25 species are known from the USA and 53 species in 8 subgenera are Palaearctic of which 19 occur in Europe and 9 species of 5 subgenera extend to the UK. Some authors include the group in the subfamily Pissodinae Gistel, 1848, a group now included as a tribe of the large subfamily Molytinae Schoenherr, 1823. Species of Magdalis are distinguished from other UK weevils by the base of the elytra which is deeply excised medially, the scutellum lying at the apex of this incision and behind the basal elytral margin. All are elongate, dorsally rather flat and either near parallel-sided or with the elytra gradually broadened towards the apex, entirely black to dark brown in colour, sometimes with a blue or green reflection and sometimes with parts of various appendages paler. They lack scales and have, at most, very fine hairs to the dorsal surface. The head is proportionally small with small, weakly convex eyes that follow the outline, the vertex is variously punctured and the interocular distance is about as wide as the rostrum which is usually long, curved and near parallel-sided. Antennae rather long, with a long and narrow scape and very variable club. The pronotum is quadrate to elongate, variously punctured and simply convex, without structure or lateral borders although in some there are lateral tubercles or the anterior angle is produced into an acute tooth. The prosternum is not deeply channelled for the reception of the rostrum and the mesepimera are not visible from above. In most the pronotum and elytra are continuous in outline or nearly so; in some the elytra have broad shoulders and are clearly broader than the pronotal base. Elytra continuously or separately rounded at the apex and often exposing part of the pygidium, with distinct punctured striae, the punctures often elongate, and narrow, usually finely punctured interstices. Legs long and slender, femora with or without an internal tooth, femora smooth externally; the outer margin of the pro-tibiae are curved and extended at the apex into a sharp inward-facing tooth, tarsi 5-segmented with the third strongly lobed and often concealing the fourth, claws free.