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Student 10-Minute Presentation

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Student

Student Competition

Grad 10-min Competition: SysEB, Biodiversity and Conservation

Exploring specificity in palm flower weevils (Curculionidae) using species delimitation methods

Monday, November 11, 2024
11:06 AM – 11:18 AM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 225 A, PCC
Oral Presentation Student Competition

Antagonistic insect-plant interactions are thought to be major drivers of phytophagous insect specialization and diversification. However, the details of these diversification processes are generally poorly understood. Palm inflorescences are complex habitats that support a diverse array of insect species, including weevils that can be beneficial or detrimental to their host trees. In this presentation, we explore how feeding guild impacts host specialization in palm weevils using phylogenetic methods. We focus on weevil occupants of palms belonging to the genus Syagrus, members of which can be found in both rainforests and open habitats across South America. We constructed a phylogeny of ~300 weevil morphospecies sampled from 70% of known Syagrus species. Using the generated phylogeny, we grouped the samples into species using coalescent species delimitation methods. We then explored how feeding guild and habitat  impact dietary breadth of weevils at the plant species level.