Host specificity in palm weevils using species delimitation methods

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 and their weevil visitors (Curculionidae) present an ideal system in which to study the evolutionary impacts of mutualistic and antagonistic interactions on host breadth. Palm flower weevils, comprising species from tribe Derelomini (Curculioninae) and subfamily Baridinae, are very abundant in a wide range of palm taxa and exhibit a variety of relationships with their host palms. In this presentation, we use phylogenetic methods to explore host breadth among palm flower weevil species in light of negative and positive interactions. Because palm flower weevil diversity is incredibly understudied, we cannot rely on the literature to sort weevil specimens into species for our analyses. Instead, we group samples into species clusters using species delimitation methods and calculate host specificity for each delimited species. We then assess how positive and negative interactions toward host palms impacts weevil host breadth in this system.