Phylogenetic study of the weevil subfamily Ceutorhynchinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) based on morphology

The weevil subfamily Ceutorhynchinae is a fairly large weevil lineage and its members are relatively easily differentiated from other weevil subfamilies. It is distributed worldwide and presently consists of 11 tribes and more than 100 genera and 1,300 described species. Its habitat range is quite extensive, extending from aquatic and semi-aquatic environments to grasslands, and throughout all forest layers. At the subfamily level, host ranges usually are quite broad, but become narrower at the species and species-group levels. Larvae may be ectophagous or endophagous, and have diets that are often specific and may include roots, leaves, leaf and flower buds, and various parts and stages of reproductive organs (pollen, petals, ovaries, seeds). Due to its cosmopolitan distribution, varying levels of habitat range and diet breadth, Ceutorhynchinae, in particular, is a prime target for investigating the evolution of host use in phytophagous insects. However, no phylogenetic hypothesis has been proposed for the evolution of Ceutorhychinae to date. Currently, due to the lack of comprehensive morphological examinations within the subfamily, there has been great confusion in the higher classification of Ceutorhynchinae which hinders contemporary systematic and ecological studies. Thus, the first phylogenetic hypothesis has been constructed based on morphological data in order to assess the relevance of the current classification scheme at the generic and tribal levels, test the subfamily for monophyly, and delimit the major taxonomic ranks, thereby providing a framework for the subfamily which may assist future research on this group, such as the investigation of host use evolution, character system evolution, and biogeography.