Phylogeny and evolution of the phytophagan lineages of Cucujiformia (Coleoptera), with emphasis on weevils

MARVALDI, A. E.

Dresden

Encuentro; 5th Dresden Meeting on Insect Phylogeny; 2011

The monophyly of the "Phytophaga", group that includes the Curculionoidea (weevils) and the Chrysomeloidea (leaf beetles and long-horned beetles), is supported by both molecular and morphological evidence. Recent phylogenetic studies also indicate that this megadiverse clade of plant-feeding beetles is closely related to some cucujoid lineages within Cucujiformia. The present contribution will focus in the evolutionary history of the Curculionoidea, with about 62 000 extant species described, the 80 % of which belong to the family Curculionidae. Being so extraordinarily speciose, the phylogenetic systematics of the later remains most challenging. The current state of understanding of the higher phylogeny of weevils is reviewed, considering morphology (of adults and larvae) and the results of recent and ongoing molecular studies. The DNA sequence data, now available for a wider taxon sampling, come from various ribosomal RNA and protein-coding genes. The alignment of the RNA datasets is performed according to structure information, method that uses a biological criterion (covariation) for assigning positional nucleotide homology. The value of incorporating structure information in the process of alignment is highlighted. Within the framework of the updated weevil phylogeny presented, a succint account is given of the main clades (families), and of the major subclades of the largest of them, the Curculionidae, summarising their diversity, distribution, fossil information, and biology. The evolutionary history of weevils allow identification of important niche shifts and discussion of the possible effects that colonization of angiosperms and acquisition of a number of key innovations may have had in the enormous diversification of weevils. http://insectphylogeny2011.snsd.de/