Bruchinae, Latreille, 1802

Clark, Shawn M., Lillrose, Tiffany & Belo Neto, Luiz A., 2013, Leaf Beetles of the Cayman Islands (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Insecta Mundi 2013 (279), pp. 1-41 : 6

Subfamily Bruchinae

The taxonomic placement of this group of beetles, often called bean weevils or seed beetles, is controversial and sometimes hotly debated. Historically, the group has been treated at the family rank of Bruchidae . Some workers still hold to this view, emphasizing morphological differences, as well as the fact that the behavior is very distinct, the larvae developing within seeds, rather than on foliage or roots as is prevalent among most of the Chrysomelidae . In contrast, many modern systematists believe that the phylogenetic position of the bean weevils is within the Chrysomelidae , the seed feeding association having developed after several of the basal chrysomelid lineages had already diverged. It is believed that much of the distinct morphology is specialization associated with this habit. These systematists treat the bean weevils as the subfamily Bruchinae , within the family Chrysomelidae . In this publication, we follow this second view, with the group treated at subfamily rank. Even so, we do not deal with these species, deferring to bruchine specialists to do so.

Subfamily Criocerinae , Tribe Lemini