Vol. 63, 2024

(update: 2024.12.27)

First Molecular Phylogeny Estimate of the Weevil Tribe Mecopini (Curculionidae: Conoderinae) Unveils its Polyphyletic Nature at the Tribal and Generic Level

^1,2,*,

³, Analyn Cabras

^4,5,

and Ren-Chung Cheng^2,6,

¹Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, No. 88, Sec. 4, Tingzhou Rd., Taipei City 116059, Taiwan. *Correspondence: E-mail: jay584371@gmail.com (Tseng)
²Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, No. 145 Xingda Rd., South Dist., Taichung 40227, Taiwan
³Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan. E-mail: yunhsiao@outlook.com (Hsiao)
⁴Zoology Division, National Museum of Natural History, Malate, Manila, Philippines
⁵Invertebrate Research Laboratory, UResCom, Davao Oriental State University, City of Mati, Davao Oriental 8200, Philippines. E-mail: ann.cabras24@gmail.com (Cabras)
⁶Research Center for Global Change Biology, National Chung Hsing University, No. 145 Xingda Rd., South Dist., Taichung 40227, Taiwan. E-mail: bolasargiope@email.nchu.edu.tw (Cheng)

Received 30 March 2024 / Accepted 9 September 2024 / Published 27 December 2024
Communicated by Jen-Pan Huang

Mecopini has received limited attention since the last century, highlighting an important knowledge gap in its systematics and taxonomy. The morphological characteristics of several genera within this tribe contradict the widely accepted tribal diagnosis, suggesting the current classification is unsustainable. In this study, we examined mecopine specimens from Taiwan and the Philippines, reconstructed the first molecular phylogeny estimate for this obscure tribe, and examined type series of all described Pempheres Pascoe, Chirozetes (Chirozetes) arotes Heller and Chirozetes (Mesochirozetes) formosanus Heller, representing two subgenera within the genus Chirozetes Pascoe, to propose taxonomic acts on these genera. Our results reveal the polyphyletic relationships within Mecopini at both the tribal and generic levels. Based on the phylogenetic framework and morphological characters, we propose excluding Agametis Pascoe from this tribe and elevating the subgenus Mesochirozetes Heller to full generic status. We also designate lectotypes of Mesochirozetes formosanus Heller and two Pempheres species. Our study highlights the uncertainties of current classification of Mecopini, raising questions not only about
the tribal composition but also the monophyly of genera within this tribe. Further studies are necessary to address these systematic issues, which may prompt a reevaluation and redefinition of this little-known tribe.

Key words: Agametis, Chirozetes, Mesochirozetes, New synonym, New placement

Citation: Tseng WZ, Hsiao Y, Cabras A, Cheng RC. 2024. First molecular phylogeny estimate of the weevil tribe Mecopini (Curculionidae: Conoderinae) unveils its polyphyletic nature at the tribal and generic level. Zool Stud 63:49. doi:10.6620/ZS.2024.63-49.

Supplementary materials: Fig. S1丨Table S1丨Table S2