A cladistic analysis of the genera of the tribe Entimini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), with description of a new genus and species from the Amazonian Region

Abstract

A new genus and species of the weevil tribe Entimini, Nasocomptus obyberaba gen. nov. and sp. nov., are described from the southwestern Amazonian Region (type locality: Brazil, Rondonia, Ouro Preto do Oeste). A cladistic analysis was carried out among representative species of most of the Neotropical genera, including Nasocomptus gen. nov., to provide a phylogenetic hypothesis for the tribe. A single most parsimonious cladogram was obtained: (Entimus (Nasocomptus ((Polyteles, Phaedropus) (Rhigus, Cydianerus)))). An identification key for the genera of Neotropical Entimini (except Trachyus) is furnished. The new genus is easily distinguished by two outstanding autapomorphies: anterior angle of rostrum prominent and spiked in males, and styli of female coxites ventral and pre-apical. Color photographs of the habitus of the new species and outline illustrations of structures used in the cladistic analysis are presented.

A Combined Molecular and Morphological Approach to Explore the Higher Phylogeny of Entimine Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), with Special Reference to South American Taxa

“…According to previous phylogenetic analyses based on morphology, Strangaliodes would be closer to other southern South American letopiines, e.g., Geniocremnus Kuschel and Megalometis Schoenherr, and less related to Leptopius and some genera from the Australian region [44]. Conversely, Entimini would be related to the Neotropical Lordopini [14]. Unfortunately, no samples of these groups were available in our study.…”

“…Entimini include 13 genera [14], most of which have been revised taxonomically [13,15,114,115]. They are composed of large species (about 20 mm long) with iridescent scaly vestiture and well-developed humeri and hind wings; their rostrum usually shows a median sulcus and the postocular lobes are always present.…”

“…Females have a subtriangular sternite VIII, with a slightly longer than plate apodeme-as in most entimines-and a short ovipositor (about one-third the length of the abdomen) bearing styli and sclerotized proximal and distal gonocoxites [15]. The phylogenetic position of Entimini is doubtful because our analyses included a single species of Entimus and lacked representatives of other allied taxa, such as Lordopini [14].…”

“…During recent decades, several specialists worldwide have done a considerable revisionary work on different tribes of Entiminae, providing useful morphological features to contribute to tribal diagnoses, to recognize genera and species, and to analyze their relationships. Most of the studies include taxa from a restricted biogeographic region, e.g., Entimini [13][14][15]; Eustylini and Geonemini [16][17][18][19][20]; Tanymecini [21][22][23][24][25]; Naupactini [26][27][28][29]; Sitonini [30]; Cyphicerini, Phyllobiini and Polydrusini [31,32]; Laparocerini [33][34][35][36]; Otiorhynchini [37][38][39][40]; Tanyrhynchini [41,42]; Leptopiini (as Tropiphorini in recent studies) [43][44][45][46]; and Trachyphloeini [47]. However, the generic classification of the entimines into tribes, as in the last worldwide weevil catalogue [2], remains unsatisfactory, with many tribes probably not representing natural groups.…”

Figure 9 from: Girón JC (2020) Status of knowledge of the broad-nosed weevils of Colombia (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae). Neotropical Biology and Conservation 15(4): 583-674. https://doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.15.e59713

“…Some genera of the tribe have been revised: Entimus (Vaurie 1951;Morrone 2002), Rhigus (Gaiger 2001) and Phaedropus Schönherr, 1823(Schönherr 1823, col. 1140Vanin 1983; not recorded from Colombia). A morphology-based phylogeny, key to the current genera and details on their morphology were presented by Vanin and Gaiger (2005).…”