Systematics of the Flea Weevils of the Tribe Ramphini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) from East Asia II. Phylogenetic Analysis and Higher Classification

Abstract

Phylogenetic analysis of East Asian Ramphini was performed to make a classification system based on the inferred phylogenetic relationships of the genera and subgenera. Phylogenetic reconstruction was carried out by the computer program PAUP Version 3.1.1 (Swofford, 1993) on 36 characters. From the result obtained by this analysis, following genera and subgenera are recognized: Sphaerorchestes, Imachra, Synorchestes, Ramphus, Isochnus, Tachyerges, Hyporhynchaenus, Indodinorrhopalus, Rhynchaenus, Orchestes and Pseudorchestes. Rhynchaenus of traditional sense was regarded as paraphyletic and divided into two independent genera: Rhynchaenus and Orchestes, of which the latter includes three subgenera: Orchestes s. str., Alyctus and Nomizo. New system of higher classification of this tribe is proposed on the hypothesis about the phylogenetic relationship.