Lixinae is a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

true weevil True most commonly refers to truth, the state of being in congruence with fact or reality. True may also refer to: Places * True, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in the United States * True, Wisconsin, a town in the United States * T ...

s, included in the

Molytinae Molytinae is a subfamily of weevils described by Carl Johan Schönherr in 1823. Molytinae includes the following tribes: * Amalactini * Aminyopini * Amorphocerini * Anchonini * Cholini * Cleogonini * Conotrachelini * Cycloterini * Dino ...

in many older treatments. They are mainly root feeders, although some develop in flower buds or stems. Several

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

are used in

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...

invasive weed An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

s, namely

knapweed ''Centaurea'' () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding re ...

s (''Centaurea''). Characteristics include tarsal claws that are fused at the base, and labial palps are short and telescoping. The body is elongate shape, as for some other weevils. Each tibia bears an uncus (small hook) on its distal end. The

rostrum Rostrum may refer to: * Any kind of a platform for a speaker: **dais **pulpit * Rostrum (anatomy), a beak, or anatomical structure resembling a beak, as in the mouthparts of many sucking insects * Rostrum (ship), a form of bow on naval ships * Ros ...

is forwardly directed.

Genesis

Bearing in mind modern geographical distribution of Lixinae and its feeding links, it is considered to be that this subfamily appeared in Euroasian lands, when the area of

Tethys Ocean The Tethys Ocean ( el, Τηθύς ''Tēthús''), also called the Tethys Sea or the Neo-Tethys, was a prehistoric ocean that covered most of the Earth during much of the Mesozoic Era and early Cenozoic Era, located between the ancient continents ...

demenished. Probably, lixine weevils formed as group in the arid conditions of the deserts of Ancient Mediterranean. From here pra-lixine spread out the over dryland.

Taxonomy

There are three

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

s. The largest of these by far are the Cleonini, sometimes ranked as an independent subfamily in the past: Temnorhinus mendicus

Cleonini * '' Adosomus'' * '' Afghanocleonus'' * ''

Ammocleonus ''Ammocleonus'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and b ...

'' * '' Aparotopus'' * '' Aplesilus'' * ''

Apleurus ''Apleurus'' is a genus of cylindrical weevils in the beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them fro ...

'' * '' Asinocleonus'' * '' Asproparthenis'' * '' Atactogaster'' * '' Bodemeyeria'' * ''

Bothynoderes ''Bothynoderes'' is a genus of beetles belonging to the family Curculionidae The Curculionidae are a family of weevils, commonly called snout beetles or true weevils. They are one of the largest animal families, with 6,800 genera and 83,000 sp ...

'' * '' Brachycleonus'' * '' Calodemas'' * '' Centrocleonus'' * '' Chromonotus'' * '' Chromosomus'' * '' Cleonis'' * '' Cleonogonus'' * '' Cleonolithus'' * '' Cnemodontus'' * '' Coniocleonus'' * '' Conorhynchus'' * '' Cosmogaster'' * '' Curculionites'' * '' Cyphocleonus'' * '' Entymetopus'' * '' Eocleonus'' * '' Epexochus'' * '' Ephimeronotus'' * '' Epirrhynchus'' * '' Eumecops'' * '' Eurycleonus'' * '' Georginus'' * '' Gonocleonus'' * '' Hemeurysternus'' * '' Heterocleonus'' * '' Isomerops'' * '' Koenigius'' * '' Leucochromus'' * '' Leucomigus'' * '' Leucophyes'' * '' Liocleonus'' * '' Lixocleonus'' * '' Lixomorphus'' * '' Lixopachys'' * '' Mecaspis'' * '' Menecleonus'' * '' Mesocleonus'' * '' Microcleonus'' * '' Mongolocleonus'' * '' Monolophus'' * '' Neocleonus'' * '' Nomimonyx'' * '' Pachycerus'' * '' Pajnisoodes'' * '' Paraleucochromus'' * ''

Pentatropis ''Pentatropis'' is a genus of plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1834. It is native to Africa and southern Asia. ;Species ;formerly included moved to other genera ''(Cynanchum, Daemia, Rhyncharrhena, Vincetoxicu ...

'' * '' Phaulosomus'' * '' Pleurocleonus'' * '' Pliocleonus'' * '' Porocleonus'' * '' Priorhinus'' * '' Pseudisomerus'' * '' Pseudocleonus'' * '' Pycnodactylopsis'' * '' Resmecaspis'' * '' Rhabdorrhynchus'' * '' Rungsonymus'' * '' Scaphomorphus'' * '' Stephanocleonus'' * '' Surchania'' * '' Temnorhinus'' * '' Terminasiania'' * '' Tetragonothorax'' * '' Trachydemus'' * '' Trichocleonus'' * '' Trichotocleonus'' * '' Whiteheadia'' * '' Xanthochelus'' * '' Xenomacrus'' * '' Zaslavskia'' Lixini * '' Broconius'' * '' Eugeniodecus'' * '' Eustenopus'' * '' Gasteroclisus'' * '' Hololixus'' * '' Hypolixus'' * '' Ileomus'' * '' Lachnaeus'' * ''

Larinus ''Larinus'' is a genus of true weevils, comprising about 180 species, mostly in the Palaearctic region.Hoffman, A. 1954. Faune de France. 59, Coléoptères Curculionidés. Part 2. P. Lechavalier, Paris. Turkey appears to have a significant div ...

'' * ''

Lixus Lixus may refer to: * ''lixus'', the Latin word for "boiled" * Lixus (ancient city) in Morocco * ''Lixus (beetle)'', a genus of true weevils * Lixus, one of the sons of Aegyptus and Caliadne Caliadne (; Ancient Greek: Καλιάδνης ) or Cali ...

'' * '' Microlarinus'' * '' Microlixus'' * '' Mycotrichus'' Rhinocyllini * '' Bangasternus'' * '' Rhinocyllus''

References

External links

Beetle subfamilies {{Curculionidae-stub