Complex selection on life-history traits and the maintenance of variation in exaggerated rostrum length in acorn weevils

• Published in: Oecologia Vol. 167; no. 4; pp. 1053 - 1061
• Main Authors: Bonal, Raul, Espelta, Josep Maria, Vogler, Alfried P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer 01.12.2011; Springer-Verlag; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: adults; Agricultural pests; analysis; Analysis of Variance; anatomy & histology; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Body Size; byproducts; Curculio; Curculio elephas; Diet; DNA, Mitochondrial; DNA, Mitochondrial - analysis; Ecology; Evolution; Exploitation; Feeding; Female; Female animals; females; Food; Food Chain; foods; Forests; fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Genetic variation; genetics; growth & development; Hydrology/Water Resources; Insect larvae; Larva; Larva - anatomy & histology; Larva - genetics; Larva - growth & development; Larva - physiology; Larvae; Larval development; Life history; Life Sciences; Mitochondrial DNA; Oviposition; physiology; Plant Sciences; PLANT-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS; Plant-Animal Interactions - Original Paper; Population Dynamics; Quercus; rostrum; Seeds; Selection, Genetic; Spain; Species; Species Specificity; Survival; taxonomy; testa; Trophic relationships; Weevils; Weevils - anatomy & histology; Weevils - genetics; Weevils - growth & development; Weevils - physiology; Spain; Seed size; Trophic segregation; Ecomorphological diversification; Body size; Seeds; Coleoptera; Segregation; Insecta; Corporal biometry; Woody plant; Life history trait; Fagaceae; Diversification; Quercus; Arthropoda; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Curculio; Curculionidae; Invertebrata

Trophic interactions can trigger the development of exaggerated specialized characters and promote morphological diversification. For example, acorn weevils (genus Curculio) present strikingly long rostrums, which are used by females to perforate oviposition holes through the seed coat. Species exhi...