The Enigmatic Dead-Leaf Miner Geochus Broun (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Phylogenetic Placement, a New Species, and Lectotype Designations

A new species of the enigmatic weevil genus Geochus, found on Lord Howe Island, challenges long-held assumptions about its taxonomy. Unlike other Geochus species, Geochus kuscheli retains tarsal claws, a trait previously thought unique to this genus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Geochus is not closely related to the subfamilies Curculioninae or Molytinae but instead forms a basal grade with Entiminae, Cyclominae, and Phrynixini, with Afrogeochus reclassified from Curculioninae to Cossoninae based on molecular evidence. The study also designates lectotypes for 26 Geochus species, stabilizing their taxonomy, and groups the 27 known species into 13 species groups, providing a key for identification.

Leschen, R. A. B., Davis, S., Brown, S. D. J., Brav-Cubitt, T., & Buckley, T. R. (2022). The Enigmatic Dead-Leaf Miner Geochus Broun (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Phylogenetic Placement, a New Species, and Lectotype Designations. The Coleopterists Bulletin, 76(1). https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065x-76.1.1