Abstract
Establishing well-supported monophyletic groups is a key requirement for producing a natural classification that reflects evolutionary descent. In a phylogenetic framework this is best achieved through dense taxon sampling and the analysis of a robust character dataset, combined with statistical testing of topological hypotheses. This study assesses the monophyly of tribes and subfamilies within the diverse ‘broad-nosed weevils’ (Curculionidae: Entiminae, Cyclominae and Hyperinae) through analysis of single-locus sequence data for mitochondrial cox1 and rrnL genes, in combination with a ‘backbone’ of complete and near-complete mitochondrial genome sequences. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses incorporating topological constraints for various higher-taxa were statistically tested using the AU, SH, and KH tests, which indicated that three tribes within Entiminae, as presently classified, are not monophyletic. Moderate and high bootstrap support was also consistent with two entimine tribes (Peritelini and Cylydrorhinini) being each recovered as monophyletic in an unconstrained analysis. Furthermore, one genus of cyclomine weevils (Aphela) is recovered outside the clade of ‘broad-nosed weevils’, although its taxonomic placement remains uncertain. It is apparent that the present approach may be hampered by limited taxon sampling in the ‘backbone’ dataset, rendering it difficult for divergent taxa to robustly match to their closest lineages. However, with improved taxon sampling of the mitogenome tree, the general approach can be a useful taxonomic tool for weevils.
Highlights
The fundamental aim of phylogeny reconstruction is to summarise genealogically determined evolutionary relationships as phylogenetic trees, visually tracing the historical course of speciation, organised through the relative recency of common ancestry [1,2]
This was expected because the bulk of phylogenetic signal is present in the full mitogenome alignment and no additional taxa in the deeper portion of the tree were incorporated into this analysis
When Aphela was separately constrained within the Cyclominae and within the broad-nosed weevils, neither of the resulting maximum likelihood (ML) trees was rejected by the approximately unbiased (AU), SH or KH test, prohibiting a definitive systematic placement
Summary
The fundamental aim of phylogeny reconstruction is to summarise genealogically determined evolutionary relationships as phylogenetic trees, visually tracing the historical course of speciation, organised through the relative recency of common ancestry [1,2]. Of paramount importance when inferring biological and systematic meaning from trees is the formulation of a sound basis for identifying natural groups of taxa, from which broader conclusions and predictions can be made regarding the biology of the included species Such predictions might include the identification of lineage-specific host-plant use, breeding behavior, or even geographic distribution. Because comprehensive taxon sampling in very diverse groups containing thousands of species, such as the weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea), is very difficult in practice [3], alternative sources of data other than collected specimens should be investigated to enhance taxon coverage.
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