The species status of the Otiorhynchus clavipes (Bonsdorff, 1785) species group (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) : an integrative approach using molecular, morphological, ecological, and biogeographical data

The species of the Otiorhynchus clavipes (Bonsdorff, 1785) group (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) treated here, are characterized by their unusually high phenotypical variation, which often caused taxonomic problems and controversies. Molecular markers COI and EF1-$\alpha$, karyological analysis, as well as morphological, biogeographical and ecological data are used to study weevils collected in the Alps, Carpathians, Sudetes and different areas of Germany. In the investigated populations of the flightless species O. fagi Gyllenhal, 1834 and O. clavipes, we detected an interspecific genetic distance of 11.3-15.8% (COI) and 3.1-3.7% (EF1-$\alpha$) depending on geographical distance. The phylogenetic trees indicate that both species are monophyletic and that they were correctly delimited from each other. Both species have also separate geographical ranges in Central Europe. Male specimens differ in the morphology of the aedeagus and the last abdominal sternite. Our study supports the legitimacy of species delimitation of O. fagi and O. clavipes as separate species, which can be treated as stable taxonomic hypotheses. The determination of the species status required the re-examination of spe cies ranges and allowed together with data on biology and altitudinal preferences a better biogeographical and ecological characterization of the species

An integrative revision of the subgenus Liophloeodes (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Polydrusini) : taxonomic, systematic, biogeographic and evolutionary insights

The subgenus Liophloeus Weise, 1894 of Liophloeus Germar, 1817 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Polydrusini) consists of five morphologically similar species traditionally diagnosed based on the shape of the aedeagus. However, traits of the genital apparatus exhibit substantial and overlapping inter- and intraspecific variation. All five species have the same ecological requirements and occur in central and eastern Europe, mostly in montane areas. The focus of this work was to verify the taxonomic status and validity of Liophloeodes species using a combination of molecular and morphometric techniques. Specimens were collected from the entire distribution range and initially assigned to a species according to the aedeagal shape. Genetic diversity and phylogeny of the subgenus were studied using three molecular markers (two ribosomal, 28S-D2 and ITS2, and one mitochondrial, COI). Moreover, several morphological characters were used for multivariate morphometric analyses. Finally, presence and prevalence of bacterial endosymbionts among species were investigated. Phylogenies based on ribosomal markers suggest that traditional species are correctly delimited, whereas COI phylogeny suggests hybridization and introgression occurring between Liophloeodes species. Morphometric analyses confirmed low interspecific diversity. Two major bacterial endosymbionts, Rickettsia and Wolbachia, were detected in many populations. We argue that Liophloeodes consists of young lineages whose evolution and diversification was possibly mediated by cyclic climate change events

Morphological variability of Carpathian weevils of the genus Bryodaemon (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

W pracy przedstawiono badania nad zmiennością morfologiczną trzech wybranych gatunków karpackich ryjkowców z rodzaju Bryodaemon: B. hanakii hanakii, B. rozneri i B. boroveci. Do przeanalizowania wyników wykorzystano analizy statystyczne: Analizę głównych składowych PCA (Principal Component Aalisys) oraz Uogólnione modele liniowe GLM (Generalized linear models). Otrzymane wyniki sugerują wyraźną zmienność wielu cech związaną z geograficznym występowaniem populacji. Należą do nich między innymi wartości połączone z wymiarami głowy. Wykazano również odrębność poszczególnych gatunków, co (poza aspektami taksonomicznymi) sugeruje, że w przeszłości występowały one w różnych refugiach. Znajduje to poparcie w danych molekularnych.The paper presents research on the morphological variability of selected three species of Carpathian weevils of the genus Bryodaemon: B. hanakii hanakii, B. boroveci and B. rozneri. To analyze the results two statistical analyses were used: analysis of the principal components PCA and Generalized Linear Models GLM. The results suggest a clear variability of many features associated with the geographic occurence of the population. These include, among other values connected with the dimensions of the head. The distinctiveness of individual species was also shown, which (apart from the taxonomy) suggests that in the past they occurred in different refuges. This is confirmed by molecular data

Zastosowanie danych molekularnych i morfologicznych przy wyodrębnianiu gatunków z kompleksu Otiorhynchus tenebricosus (Herbst, 1784) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań nad odrębnością gatunków w obrębie kompleksu gatunkowego Otiorhynchus tenebricosus opartych na analizie cech morfologicznych i danych molekularnych – markerze EF1-α i COI. Drzewa filogenetyczne otrzymano metodami Maximum likelihood i analizy Bayes’a. Do przeanalizowania wyników morfometrycznych wykorzystano analizę głównych składowych PCA. Wyniki analizy cech morfometrycznych nie wykazały istotnych statycznie różnic, natomiast analizy molekularne wskazują na odrębność badanych gatunków. Natomiast analizy genetyczne wraz z dostępnymi danymi literaturowymi dotyczącymi cech fenotypowych wskazują na postępującą specjację pomiędzy O. tenebricosus i O. lugdunensis.The paper presents results of the study on species delimitation within the Otiorhynchus tenebricosus complex based on the analysis of morphological and molecular data - EF1-α and COI markers. Phylogenetic trees were obtained using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. Principal component analysis PCA was used to checked the morphometric results.Results of the morphometric analysis did not show any significant differences, but molecular analyzes indicate the distinctness of the examined species while genetic analysis along with available literature data about phenotypic characteristics suggested progressive speciation between O. tenebricosus and O. lugdunensis