Comparisons of the weevil fauna (Curculionidae, Apionidae, Bruchidae) of fifteen legume hosts (Fabaceae) in South Sweden

The legume host preference of species belonging to Curculionidae, Apionidae, and Bruchidae was studied in the province of Scania, South Sweden during 2010-2015. It was suggested that significant differences existed between host preferences reported from other parts of Europe and South Sweden. In total, 375 pure stands of 15 legume species (Fabaceae), 25 stands of each species, were carefully searched, each stand for 15 min., using a scoop net. A total of 68 species belonging to Curculionidae, Apionidae, and Bruchidae with known or suspected preference for legumes were found. Species with <10 individuals in the material as a whole were excluded from statistical analysis, leaving 44 species of these groups to be considered. Correspondence Analysis (CA) performed on plant-weevil species relationships closely reflected the phylogenetic relationships of the host plants and demonstrated that most weevils were distinctly related to one single legume species, or to a few species phylogenetically closely related. Comparisons with information from Central Europe, the British Isles, and Denmark showed that the host preferences for legume genera documented in Scania were often similar to those observed elsewhere, but that considerable differences existed within the same host genus, particularly in Trifolium.