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 botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

of true weevils, 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 * ...

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

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

are used in

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...

invasive weed An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native species ...

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 ...

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 ** podium * 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 ...

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 ( ; ), also called the Tethys Sea or the Neo-Tethys, was a prehistoric ocean during much of the Mesozoic Era and early-mid Cenozoic Era. It was the predecessor to the modern Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Eurasia ...

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 use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...

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'' * '' Aparotopus'' * '' Aplesilus'' * '' Apleurus'' * '' Asinocleonus'' * '' Asproparthenis'' * '' Atactogaster'' * '' Bodemeyeria'' * '' Bothynoderes'' * '' 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'' * '' 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 Curculionidae, true weevils, comprising about 180 species, mostly in the Palaearctic region with some species introduced to North America. Turkey appears to have a significant diversity of the group, with more than 50 ...

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

References

Beetle subfamilies {{Curculionidae-stub