Matching Items (4)
Description
A phylogenetic revision of the broad-nosed weevil genera Minyomerus Horn, 1876, and Piscatopus Sleeper, 1960 (Entiminae: Tanymecini) is presented. These genera are distributed throughout western North America, from Canada to Mexico and Baja California, primarily in arid and desert habitats, and feed on shrubs such as creosote (Larrea tridentata (DC.) Coville: Zygophyllaceae) and several Asteraceae. Piscatopus was considered monotypic, comprised solely of P. griseus Sleeper, 1960, whereas Minyomerus formerly was comprised of seven species: M. innocuus Horn, 1876 (designated as the type species for Minyomerus in Pierce, 1913), M. caseyi (Sharp, 1891), M. conicollis Green, 1920, M. constrictus (Casey, 1888), M. languidus Horn, 1876, M. laticeps (Casey, 1888), M. microps (Say, 1831). This revision includes comprehensive redescriptions of the previously described species in these genera and descriptions of ten new species: M. imberbus sp. nov., M. caponei sp. nov., M. reburrus sp. nov., M. cracens sp. nov., M. trisetosus sp. nov., M. puticulatus sp. nov., M. bulbifrons sp. nov., M. politus sp. nov., M. gravivultus sp. nov., and M. rutellirostris sp. nov. A cladistic analysis using 46 morphological characters of 22 terminal taxa (5 outgroup, 17 ingroup) was carried out in WinClada and yielded a single most-parsimonious cladogram (length = 82, consistency index = 65, retention index = 82). The monophyly of Minyomerus is supported by the preferred cladogram. The results of the cladistic analysis place Piscatopus griseus within the genus Minyomerus as sister to M. rutellirostris. Therefore, Piscatopus is demoted to a junior synonym of Minyomerus and its sole member P. griseus, is moved to Minyomerus as M. griseus (Sleeper), new combination. Additionally, the species M. innocuus Horn, 1876 is demoted to a junior synonym of M. microps (Say, 1831), based on the principle of priority, and M. microps is elevated to the rank of type for the genus. The species M. languidus, M. microps, and M. trisetosus are putatively considered parthenogenetic, and lack male specimens over a broad range of sampling events. The diversity in exterior and genitalic morphology, range of host plants, overlapping species distributions, and geographic extent suggests an origin during the Miocene (~15 mya).
ContributorsJansen, Michael Andrew (Author) / Franz, Nico M (Thesis advisor) / Wojciechowski, Martin (Committee member) / Rosenberg, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Weevils are among the most diverse and evolutionarily successful animal lineages on Earth. Their success is driven in part by a structure called the rostrum, which gives weevil heads a characteristic "snout-like" appearance. Nut weevils in the genus Curculio use the rostrum to drill holes into developing fruits and nuts, wherein they deposit their eggs. During oviposition this exceedingly slender structure is bent into a straightened configuration - in some species up to 90° - but does not suffer any damage during this process. The performance of the snout is explained in terms of cuticle biomechanics and rostral curvature, as presented in a series of four interconnected studies. First, a micromechanical constitutive model of the cuticle is defined to predict and reconstruct the mechanical behavior of each region in the exoskeleton. Second, the effect of increased endocuticle thickness on the stiffness and fracture strength of the rostrum is assessed using force-controlled tensile testing. In the third chapter, these studies are integrated into finite element models of the snout, demonstrating that the Curculio rostrum is only able to withstand repeated, extreme bending because of
modifications to the composite structure of the cuticle in the rostral apex. Finally, interspecific differences in the differential geometry of the snout are characterized to elucidate the role of biomechanical constraint in the evolution of rostral morphology for both males and females. Together these studies highlight the significance of cuticle biomechanics - heretofore unconsidered by others - as a source of constraint on the evolution of the rostrum and the mechanobiology of the genus Curculio.
modifications to the composite structure of the cuticle in the rostral apex. Finally, interspecific differences in the differential geometry of the snout are characterized to elucidate the role of biomechanical constraint in the evolution of rostral morphology for both males and females. Together these studies highlight the significance of cuticle biomechanics - heretofore unconsidered by others - as a source of constraint on the evolution of the rostrum and the mechanobiology of the genus Curculio.
ContributorsJansen, Michael Andrew (Author) / Franz, Nico M (Thesis advisor) / Chawla, Nikhilesh (Committee member) / Harrison, Jon (Committee member) / Martins, Emilia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2009
Description
Understanding the diversity, evolutionary relationships, and geographic distribution of species is foundational knowledge in biology. However, this knowledge is lacking for many diverse lineages of the tree of life. This is the case for the desert stink beetles in the tribe Amphidorini LeConte, 1862 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) – a lineage of arid-adapted flightless beetles found throughout western North America. Four interconnected studies that jointly increase our knowledge of this group are presented. First, the darkling beetle fauna of the Algodones sand dunes in southern California is examined as a case study to explore the scientific practice of checklist creation. An updated list of the species known from this region is presented, with a critical focus on material now made available through digitization and global aggregation. This part concludes with recommendations for future biodiversity checklist authors. Second, the psammophilic genus Trogloderus LeConte, 1879 is revised. Six new species are described, and the first, multi-gene phylogeny for the genus is inferred. In addition, historical biogeographic reconstructions along with novel hypotheses of speciation patterns within the Intermountain Region are given. In particular, the Kaibab Plateau and Kaiparowitz Formation are found to have promoted speciation on the Colorado Plateau. The Owens Valley and prehistoric Bouse Embayment are similarly hypothesized to drive species diversification in southern California. Third, a novel phylogenomic analysis for the tribe Amphidorini is presented, based on 29 de novo partial transcriptomes. Three putative ortholog sets were discovered and analyzed to infer the relationships between species groups and genera. The existing classification of the tribe is found to be highly inadequate, though the earliest-diverging relationships within the tribe are still in question. Finally, the new phylogenetic framework is used to provide a genus-level revision for the Amphidorini, which previously contained six valid genera and 253 valid species. This updated classification includes more than 100 taxonomic changes and results in the revised tribe consisting of 16 genera, with three being described as new to science.
ContributorsJohnston, Murray Andrew (Author) / Franz, Nico M (Thesis advisor) / Cartwright, Reed (Committee member) / Taylor, Jesse (Committee member) / Pigg, Kathleen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
The weevil genus Pachnaeus Schoenherr, 1826 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Eustylini Lacordaire) is revised to accommodate 21 species, including the following 10 new species from the northern Caribbean region: Pachnaeus andersoni sp. nov. (Little Cayman), Pachnaeus eisenbergi sp. nov. (Jamaica), Pachnaeus godivae sp. nov. (Cayman Brac), Pachnaeus gordoni sp. nov. (Jamaica), Pachnaeus howdenae sp. nov. (Bahamas), Pachnaeus ivieorum sp. nov. (Bahamas with adventive records from Florida), Pachnaeus maestrensis sp. nov. (Cuba), Pachnaeus morelli sp. nov. (Haiti), Pachnaeus obrienorum sp. nov. (Cuba and Bahamas), and Pachnaeus quadrilineatus sp. nov. (Jamaica).Pachnaeus can be distinguished from similar, co-occurring taxa such as Exophthalmus quadrivittatus (Olivier, 1807), Exophthalmus roseipes (Chevrolat, 1876), Exophthalmus vittatus (Linnaeus, 1758), and Diaprepes abbreviatus (Linnaeus, 1758) by (1) the presence of postocular vibrissae, (2) endophallus primarily membranous and sac-like proximally, and long (>3 × width), tubular, and sclerotized distally, (3) additional endophallic sclerites typically absent, (4) a never bicarinate, typically tricarinate, rostrum, and several additional characteristics of the pedon, endophallus, pronotal structure, rostral structure, and scaling. Based on these characters, Pachnaeus sommeri (Munck af Rosenschoeld in Schoenherr, 1840) comb, nov. and Pachnaeus gowdeyi (Marshall, 1926) comb. nov. are transferred into the genus from Exophthalmus Schoenherr and Lachnopus Schoenherr respectively.
This revision provides genus and species redescriptions, diagnoses, illustrations, and the first comprehensive key to all 21 species within the present circumscription of Pachnaeus, in addition to reviewing the known biology and observed intraspecific variation within species. The complex taxonomic history of the genus is reviewed, and the evolutionary relationships of its presumed constituent clades are proposed through the construction of informal species groups and subgroups based on diagnosable shared traits. Lectotypes for Pachnaeus citri Marshall, Pachnaeus costatus Perroud, and Exophthalmus sommeri Munck af Rosenschoeld in Schoenherr and paralectotypes of P. citri (3 specimens) and E. sommeri (4 specimens) are designated. New state and national records are reported for Pachnaeus azurescens Gyllenhal in Schoenherr for Florida, U.S.A. and new national records are reported for Pachnaeus litus (Germar) for the Bahamas. Validity of the names Docorhinus Schoenherr, 1823 and Pachnaeus Schoenherr, 1826 is treated. Generic placement of Pachnaeus roseipes Chevrolat, 1876 is explored.
ContributorsReily, Brian Herndon (Author) / Franz, Nico M (Thesis advisor) / Taylor, Jesse (Committee member) / Pigg, Kathleen (Committee member) / Johnston, Murray A (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022