The era of cybertaxonomy: X-ray microtomography reveals cryptic diversity and concealed cuticular sculpture in Aphanerostethus Voss, 1957 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

By

Lewis, Jake H
Kojima, Hiroaki
Suenaga, Miyuki
Petsopoulos, Dimitrios
Fujisawa, Yusuke
Trương, Xuân Lam
Warren, Dan

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1217

Pages

1--45

Subjects

Biodiversity , DNA barcoding , integrative taxonomy , micro-CT , sexual selection , species discovery , Weevil , μCT

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1217.126626

 

Abstract

Weevils represent one of the most speciose and economically important animal clades, but remain poorly studied across much of the Oriental Region. Here, an integrative revision of the Oriental, flightless genus Aphanerostethus Voss, 1957 (Curculionidae: Molytinae) based on X-ray microtomography, multi-gene DNA barcoding (CO1, Cytb, 16S), and traditional morphological techniques (light microscopy, dissections) is presented. Twelve new species, namely, A. armatus Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov., A. bifidus Kojima & Lewis, sp. nov., A. darlingi Lewis, sp. nov., A. decoratus Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov., A. falcatus Kojima, Lewis & Fujisawa, sp. nov., A. incurvatus Kojima & Lewis, sp. nov., A. japonicus Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov., A. magnus Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov., A. morimotoi Kojima & Lewis, sp. nov., A. nudus Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov., A. spinosus Lewis & Kojima, sp. nov., and A. taiwanus Lewis, Fujisawa & Kojima, sp. nov. are described from Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia. A neotype is designated for A. vannideki Voss, 1957. The hitherto monotypic genus Darumazo Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1985, syn. nov. is synonymized under Aphanerostethus based on new morphological data and Aphanerostethus distinctus (Morimoto & Miyakawa, 1985), comb. nov. is transferred accordingly. X-ray microtomography is successfully used to explore for stable interspecific differences in cuticular, internal and micro morphology. Remarkable species-specific sexual dimorphism in the metatibial uncus is described in seven of the newly described Aphanerostethus species and the evolution of this character is discussed.