Most diverse, most neglected: weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) are ubiquitous specialized brood-site pollinators of tropical flora

In tropical environments, and especially tropical rainforests, a major part of pollination services is provided by diverse insect lineages. Unbeknownst to most, beetles, and more specifically hyperdiverse weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea), play a substantial role there as specialized mutualist brood pollinators. The latter contrasts with a common view where they are only regarded as plant antagonists. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of what is known about plant-weevil brood-site mutualistic interactions, through a review of the known behavioral, morphological and physiological features found in these systems, and the identification of potential knowledge gaps. To date, plant-weevil associations have been described or indicated in no less than 600 instances. Representatives of major plant lineages are involved in these interactions, which have emerged independently at least a dozen times. Strikingly, these mutualistic interactions are associated with a range of convergent traits in plants and weevils. Plants engaged in weevil-mediated pollination are generally of typical cantharophilous type exhibiting large, white and fragrant flowers or inflorescences and they also show specific structures to host the larval stages of their specialist pollinators. Another characteristic feature is that flowers often perform thermogenesis and exhibit a range of strategies to separate sexual phases, either spatially or temporally. Conversely, lineages of brood-site weevil pollinators present numerous shared behavioral and physiological traits, and often form multispecific assemblages of closely related species on a single host; recent studies also revealed that they generally display a high degree of phylogenetic niche conservatism. This pollination mutualism occurs in all tropical regions, and the contrasts between the known and expected diversity of these systems suggests that a wide range of interactions remain to be described globally. Our early estimates of the species richness of the corresponding weevil clades and the marked pattern of phylogenetic niche conservatism of host use further suggest that weevil-based pollination far exceeds the diversity of other brood-site mutualistic systems, which are generally restricted to one or a few groups of plants. As such, weevil pollinators constitute a relevant model to explore the emergence and evolution of specialized brood-site pollination systems in the tropics

Genetic data from the extinct giant rat from Tenerife (Canary Islands) points to a recent divergence from mainland relatives

Evolution of vertebrate endemics in oceanic islands follows a predictable pattern, known as the island rule, according to which gigantism arises in originally small-sized species and dwarfism in large ones. Species of extinct insular giant rodents are known from all over the world. In the Canary Islands, two examples of giant rats, †Canariomys bravoi and †Canariomys tamarani, endemic to Tenerife and Gran Canaria, respectively, disappeared soon after human settlement. The highly derived morphological features of these insular endemic rodents hamper the reconstruction of their evolutionary histories. We have retrieved partial nuclear and mitochondrial data from †C. bravoi and used this information to explore its evolutionary affinities. The resulting dated phylogeny confidently places †C. bravoi within the African grass rat clade (Arvicanthis niloticus). The estimated divergence time, 650 000 years ago (95% higher posterior densities: 373 000-944 000), points toward an island colonization during the Günz-Mindel interglacial stage. †Canariomys bravoi ancestors would have reached the island via passive rafting and then underwent a yearly increase of mean body mass calculated between 0.0015 g and 0.0023 g; this corresponds to fast evolutionary rates (in darwins (d), ranging from 7.09 d to 2.78 d) that are well above those observed for non-insular mammals.For technical support, we thank the research service facilities of IJC and IGTP, the Crystallization Facility of the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, the ICTS NMR facility from the Scientific and Technological Centres of the University of Barcelona and Biophysics Core Facility of BMC-LMU. I.G. was a fellow of the Marie Skłodowska Curie Training network ‘ChroMe’ (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015-675610, awarded to M.B. and A.G.L.). The project was further supported by national grants (nos. RTI2018-094005-B-I00 and BFU2015-66559-P from FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación—Agencia Estatal de Investigación to M.B.). Research in the participating labs was further supported by the following grants: the Marie Skłodowska Curie Training network ‘INTERCEPT-MDS’ no. H2020-MSCA-ITN-2020-953407 (to M.B.), MINECO-ISCIII no. PIE16/00011 (to M.B.); the Deutsche José Carreras Leukämie Stiftung DJCLS (no. 14R/2018 to M.B.), AGAUR (no. 2017-SGR-305 to M.B.), Fundació La Marató de TV3 (no. 257/C/2019 to M.B.), German Research Foundation Project (ID 213249687—SFB 1064 and Project ID 325871075—SFB 1309 to A.G.L.), the Spanish Ministry of Science (PID2019-110183RB-C21 to A.R.M.), Community of Madrid (P2018/BAA-4343-ALIBIRD2020-CM to A.R.M), Ramón Areces Foundation (to A.R.M.), National Science Foundation (EF-1921402 to J.M.E.L.), 2015 International Doctoral Fellowship La Caixa-Severo Ochoa (to M.F.V.), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (no. 747789 to M.M.L.), Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación (IJC2018-036657-I to M.M.L., ERC-2012-CoG-616960 to I.R.T.), MINECO (BFU2017-90114-P to I.R.T.), AGAUR (2017-SGR-324 to X.S.) and MINECO (BIO2015-70092-R and ERC-2014-CoG-648201 to X.S.). Research at the IJC is supported by the ‘La Caixa’ Foundation, Fundació Internacional Josep Carreras, Celgene Spain and the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya

<i>Ebenacobius </i>Haran, a new southern African genus of flower weevils (Coleoptera: Curculioninae: Derelomini) associated with dicotyledonous plants

A new genus of derelomine flower weevil (Curculionidae: Derelomini sensu Franz 2006), Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov., is described to accommodate a clade of species morphologically and phylogenetically distinct from other genera in this tribe. This genus can be diagnosed as follows: protibiae armed with an apical mucro, claws free, eye convexity exceeding the contour of head in dorsal view and forehead with a median furrow. In total, 19 species are recognized in this genus; 14 species are described as new (E. curvisetis Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. duplicatus Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. grobbelaarae Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. hessei Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. hippopotamorum Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. kuscheli Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. mulanjensis Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. oberprieleri Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. rectirostris Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. san Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. pedi Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. thoracicus Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. tsonga Haran gen. et sp. nov. and E. xhosa Haran gen. et sp. nov.), five species of Derelomus Schoenherr (D. atratus Hesse; D. costalis Fåhraeus; D. incognitus Hesse; D. rhodesianus Hesse; D. turneri Marshall) are hereby transferred to Ebenacobius gen. nov. and one species name is placed in synonymy (Derelomus rugosicollis Hesse, 1929 = Derelomus costalis Fåhraeus, 1844 syn. nov.). Members of Ebenacobius gen. nov. seem to develop in inflorescences of dicot plants, with larval stages of at least two species recovered from the flowers of Euclea species (Ebenaceae). A key to the continental African genera of Derelomini and to species of Ebenacobius gen. nov. is provided. Pictures of habitus and terminalia of adults, along with distribution and life history data are also provided for each species.</p

Phylogenetic analysis and systematics of the &lt;i&gt;Acrapex unicolora&lt;/i&gt; Hampson species complex (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini), with the description of five new species from the Afrotropics

Ten morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini) from Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed, including five new species: Acrapex kafula le Ru sp. nov., A. kavumba le Ru sp. nov., A. kiakouama le Ru sp. nov., A. miscantha le Ru sp. nov. and A. simillima le Ru sp. nov. Evidence is provided to transfer the monotypic genus Poecopa Bowden, 1956 to the genus Acrapex. Host plants of five species are recorded, some of them for the first time. Acrapex kavumba sp. nov., A. miscantha sp. nov. and A. simillima sp. nov. were found on one host plant each. Acrapex mediopuncta, previously reported in West Africa from Pennisetum purpureum Schumach., Rottboellia compressa L., Setaria megaphylla (Steud) Dur. &amp; Schinz. and Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf, was only found from S. megaphylla in Central Africa. Larvae of Acrapex unicolora were collected on Andropogon gayanus Kunth, Chrysopogon zizanoides (L.) Roberty, Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Maire &amp; Weller, Cymbopogon pospischiilii (K.Schum.) C.E.Hubb., Hyparrhenia diplandra (Hack.) Stapf and Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Moss. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses on a comprehensive sample of 61 specimens belonging to eight of the studied species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses provided additional evidence of the synonymy of Acrapex and Poecopa, whereas molecular species delimitation analyses support the validity of the five newly described species and unravel another potential new species, only collected in the larval stage.</p

Documenting tenebrionid diversity: progress on &lt;i&gt;Blaps&lt;/i&gt; Fabricius (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Tenebrioninae, Blaptini) systematics, with the description of five new species

With about 250 species, the genus Blaps Fabricius, 1775 is one of the most diverse genera of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Tenebrioninae: Blaptini: Blaptina). In this study, we provide new insights on the evolutionary relationships of Blaps species using a combined molecular and morphological dataset encompassing 69 distinct Blaps species and subspecies (105 specimens in total, all belonging to the subgenus Blaps), four other representatives of the tribe Blaptini (from the subtribes Gnaptorina, Gnaptorinina and Prosodina) and 12 outgroup species. Five new species of Blaps are also described within the subgenus Blaps: B. effeminata sp. nov. from Libya, B. intermedia sp. nov. from Morocco, B. maldesi sp. nov. from Algeria, B. nitiduloides sp. nov. from Algeria and Tunisia and B. teocchii sp. nov. from Tunisia. The results of the phylogenetic analyses indicate that the genus Blaps is likely paraphyletic; the two highlighted clades are morphologically distinct and correspond to groups previously referred to as sections (I and II) within the subgenus Blaps. This suggests the need for more phylogenetic studies in order to clarify the status of the various genera and subgenera belonging to the tribe Blaptini.</p

Evolution of plant–insect interactions: insights from macroevolutionary approaches in plants and herbivorous insects

Chapter TwoInternational audienceIn this study, we review recent works in the phylogenetic investigations of plant-insect interactions. Thanks to the development of novel methodological approaches and the ever-increasing availability of informative molecular markers, it is indeed now possible to test more and more complex evolutionary scenarios. Here, we are limiting our review to studies on herbivorous insects (excluding work on the evolution of pollinating insects), and we provide an overview of the variety of approaches employed to answer fundamental questions in plant/insect evolution. More specifically, our review addresses studies that have focused on the following: (1) reconstructing the evolutionary history of the associations with plants; (2) inferring the diversification dynamics of herbivorous insects and (3) studying the biogeographic history of herbivorous insects. Finally, we attempt to decipher whether general trends in the evolution of planteinsect interactions have emerged from these studies and highlight the most promising perspectives in this field

Global patterns of insect diversification: towards a reconciliation of fossil and molecular evidence?

Macroevolutionary studies of insects at diverse taxonomic scales often reveal dynamic evolutionary patterns, with multiple inferred diversification rate shifts. Responses to major past environmental changes, such as the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution, or the development of major key innovations, such as wings or complete metamorphosis are usually invoked as potential evolutionary triggers. However this view is partially contradicted by studies on the family-level fossil record showing that insect diversification was relatively constant through time. In an attempt to reconcile both views, we investigate large-scale insect diversification dynamics at family level using two distinct types of diversification analyses on a molecular timetree representing ca. 82% of the extant families, and reassess the insect fossil diversity using up-to-date records. Analyses focusing on the fossil record recovered an early burst of diversification, declining to low and steady rates through time, interrupted by extinction events. Phylogenetic analyses showed that major shifts of diversification rates only occurred in the four richest holometabolous orders. Both suggest that neither the development of flight or complete metamorphosis nor the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution environmental changes induced immediate changes in diversification regimes; instead clade-specific innovations likely promoted the diversification of major insect orders