Studies on the evolution of floricolous habits and diversification of Cerambycidae

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14776
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 45030:Biodiversity and systematics-related
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Yamasako Junsuke 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 植物防疫研究部門, 主任研究員 (20748959)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 訪花性昆虫 / 甲虫目 / 共進化 / 系統分類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Beetles are thought to have played an important role in the early pollination of angiosperms during the Early to Middle Cretaceous. The superfamily Clysomeroidea, which includes the family Cerambycidae, is considered one of the important groups of early pollinators. Despite Cerambycidae being a large and diverse group of pollinating beetles, it is not clear when they emerged as pollinators. The results of the evolutionary analysis of the floricolous habits of this family suggest that the two primary floricolous Cerambycidae, the subfamilies Cerambycinae and Lepturinae, emerged independently as floricolous groups during the Early to Middle Cretaceous. Furthermore, multiple lineages within each subfamily evolved to utilize flowers more efficiently during a period from the Middle Cretaceous to the Cenozoic, and these ecological changes are thought to have contributed to the modern diversification of the floricolous Cerambycidae.

Free Research Field

昆虫分類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果は、白亜紀前期から中期にかけて出現したと考えられている被子植物の昆虫受粉生態系において、訪花性カミキリムシも初期の訪花性甲虫の一群として花粉媒介の役割を担っていた可能性を示唆するものである。本研究結果は、カミキリムシの遺伝子情報に基づく間接的な証拠ではあるものの、甲虫目と被子植物の花粉媒介を通じた共生系とその進化、およびそれぞれの多様化に関する興味深い事例を提供する。