Phylogenomics of weevils revisited: data curation and modelling compositional heterogeneity

Area of Science:

• Entomology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Weevils (Curculinoidea) are a hyperdiverse beetle group and the most significant land herbivores.
• Previous phylogenomic studies using anchored hybrid enrichment (AHE) data produced an anomalous placement for the family Belidae.
• Resolving weevil interrelationships is vital for understanding insect evolution and herbivory.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-analyze genome-scale AHE data for weevils (Curculinoidea).
• To correct systematic errors and compositional heterogeneity in phylogenomic datasets.
• To establish a robust and consistent backbone phylogeny for weevils.

Main Methods:

• Re-analysis of existing genome-scale anchored hybrid enrichment (AHE) data.
• Application of various models of molecular evolution, including the infinite mixture model CAT-GTR.
• Implementation of data filtering techniques to reduce systematic errors and compositional heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• The family Belidae is consistently recovered as sister to the clade (Attelabidae, (Caridae, (Brentidae, Curculionidae))).
• This revised placement aligns with findings from morphological and other molecular datasets.
• A robust backbone phylogeny for weevils (Curculinoidea) was established, resolving previous discrepancies.

Conclusions:

• Proper data curation and modeling of site-specific compositional heterogeneity are critical for accurate phylogenomic studies.
• The study provides a reliable evolutionary framework for weevils, essential for future research on their diversification.
• The corrected phylogeny enhances our understanding of the evolutionary history of these major land herbivores.