Derelomini

Tribe-level identification requires examination of genitalic and other morphological characters; members are small to medium-sized weevils with typical curculionid features including an elongated rostrum. Genera within Derelomini are distinguished by combinations of characters including tibial armature, claw structure, eye convexity, forehead sculpture, and male genitalic morphology. For example, Ebenacobius is diagnosed by protibiae with an apical mucro, free claws, eyes convex beyond head contour in dorsal view, and a median forehead furrow.

Primarily associated with plant reproductive structures, especially inflorescences. Members occur in: male inflorescences of palms (Arecaceae) including oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and wax palms (Ceroxylon); flowers of dicotyledonous plants including Euclea species (Ebenaceae); and inflorescences of Cyclanthaceae and Araceae (Anthurium).

Afrotropical region including southern Africa; Neotropics; Peruvian Andes. Distribution varies by genus: Ebenacobius in southern Africa; Elaeidobius in Afrotropical region; Anchylorhynchus and Cyclanthura in Neotropics; Terioltes in Central and South America.

• Elaeis guineensis - breeding and feeding sitemale inflorescences; critical for pollen transportation and fruit set
• Ceroxylon quindiuense - breeding and feeding sitemale inflorescences of wax palm
• Euclea species - larval developmentflowers of Ebenaceae; at least two Ebenacobius species
• Syagrus - ancestral hostcommon ancestor of Anchylorhynchus visited Syagrus flowers
• Arecaceae - brood pollination mutualismat least four genera of palms for Anchylorhynchus
• Anthurium - pollination and reproductionAraceae host for Cyclanthura
• Asplundia - pollination and reproductionCyclanthaceae host for Cyclanthura
• Carludovica - pollination and reproductionCyclanthaceae host for Cyclanthura and Ganglionus
• Sphaeradenia - pollination and reproductionCyclanthaceae host for Cyclanthura
• Cyclanthus - pollination and reproductionCyclanthaceae host for Cyclanthura

Larval development occurs within plant inflorescences. In Elaeidobius, activity in male oil palm inflorescences is critical for pollen transport. In Ebenacobius, larval stages develop in flowers of dicot plants. Anchylorhynchus species engage in brood pollination with larvae developing in palm flowers or fruits.

Brood pollination mutualisms with palms and other plants: adult activity in inflorescences facilitates pollen transport while providing oviposition sites and larval food resources. This mutualistic relationship has been described as an emerging system for studying mutualism evolution.

Pollinators of economically important palms including oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and wax palms; engaged in brood pollination mutualisms with Arecaceae, Cyclanthaceae, and Araceae. Potential role in floral herbivory for some lineages associated with dicotyledonous plants.

Elaeidobius species are critical pollinators of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), an economically important crop for palm oil production. Their activity in male inflorescences is essential for pollen transportation and fruit set.

• other Curculioninae tribesDerelomini is distinguished within Curculioninae by specialized associations with plant reproductive structures and brood pollination mutualisms; other tribes lack this consistent pattern of inflorescence specialization
• Derelomini generagenera within Derelomini distinguished by morphological characters including tibial armature, claw structure, eye convexity, forehead sculpture, and male genitalic morphology; host associations also differ geographically and phylogenetically

• brood pollination
• mutualism
• palm pollinators
• oil palm
• inflorescence specialist
• flower weevil
• Afrotropical
• Neotropical
• Arecaceae
• Cyclanthaceae
• Ebenaceae
• Araceae
• Curculionidae
• Curculioninae
• economic importance
• agricultural pollinator

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Systematics of Cyclanthura gen. n., a new genus of Derelomini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
• Systematic revision and morphological phylogenetic analysis of Anchylorhynchus Schoenherr, 1836 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Derelomini)
• Ebenacobius Haran, a new southern African genus of flower weevils (Coleoptera: Curculioninae: Derelomini) associated with dicotyledonous plants
• Description and Phylogeny ofStaminodeus, a New Genus of Derelomini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Cyclanthaceae
• Revision of the palm-pollinating weevil genus Elaeidobius Kuschel, 1952 (Curculionidae, Curculioninae, Derelomini) with descriptions of two new species
• Nouvelle espèce de Terioltes Champion, 1903, du Palmier andin Ceroxylon quindiuense (H. Karst.) H. Wendl., au Pérou (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Derelomini)
• <I>Ganglionus</I>, a New Genus of Derelomini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with <I>Carludovica</I> (Cyclanthaceae)