Integrated phylogenomics and fossil data illuminate the evolution of beetles

Beetles constitute the most biodiverse animal order with over 380,000 described species and possibly several million more yet unnamed. Recent phylogenomic studies have arrived at considerably incongruent topologies and widely varying estimates of divergence dates for major beetle clades. Here we use a dataset of 68 single-copy nuclear protein coding genes sampling 129 out of the 193 recognized extant families as well as the first comprehensive set of fully-justified fossil calibrations to recover a refined timescale of beetle evolution. Using phylogenetic methods that counter the effects of compositional and rate heterogeneity we recover a topology congruent with morphological studies, which we use, combined with other recent phylogenomic studies, to propose several formal changes in the classification of Coleoptera: Scirtiformia and Scirtoidea sensu nov., Clambiformia ser. nov. and Clamboidea sensu nov., Rhinorhipiformia ser. nov., Byrrhoidea sensu nov., Dryopoidea stat. res., Nosodendriformia ser. nov., and Staphyliniformia sensu nov., Erotyloidea stat. nov., Nitiduloidea stat. nov., and Cucujoidea sensu nov., alongside changes below the superfamily level. Our divergence time analyses recovered a late Carboniferous origin of Coleoptera, a late Paleozoic origin of all modern beetle suborders, and a Triassic–Jurassic origin of most extant families, while fundamental divergences within beetle phylogeny did not coincide with the hypothesis of a Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution

Variation in life history traits and transcriptome associated with adaptation to diet shifts in the ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Background: Despite the broad diet range of many predatory ladybirds, the mechanisms involved in their adaptation to diet shifts are not completely understood. Here, we explored how a primarily coccidophagous ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri adapts to feeding on aphids. Results: Based on the lower survival rate, longer developmental time, and lower adult body weight and reproduction rate of the predator, the aphid Megoura japonica proved being less suitable to support C. montrouzieri as compared with the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri. The results indicated up-regulation of genes related to ribosome and translation in fourth instars, which may be related to their suboptimal development. Also, several genes related to biochemical transport and metabolism, and detoxification were up-regulated as a result of adaptation to the changes in nutritional and non-nutritional (toxic) components of the prey. Conclusion: Our results indicated that C. montrouzieri succeeded in feeding on aphids by regulation of genes related to development, digestion and detoxification. Thus, we argue that these candidate genes are valuable for further studies of the functional evolution of ladybirds led by diet shifts

The mid-Miocene Zhangpu biota reveals an outstandingly rich rainforest biome in East Asia

During the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum [MMCO, ~14 to 17 million years (Ma) ago], global temperatures were similar to predicted temperatures for the coming century. Limited megathermal paleoclimatic and fossil data are known from this period, despite its potential as an analog for future climate conditions. Here, we report a rich middle Miocene rainforest biome, the Zhangpu biota (~14.7 Ma ago), based on material preserved in amber and associated sedimentary rocks from southeastern China. The record shows that the mid-Miocene rainforest reached at least 24.2°N and was more widespread than previously estimated. Our results not only highlight the role of tropical rainforests acting as evolutionary museums for biodiversity at the generic level but also suggest that the MMCO probably strongly shaped the East Asian biota via the northern expansion of the megathermal rainforest biome. The Zhangpu biota provides an ideal snapshot for biodiversity redistribution during global warming

A revision of the Pediacus Shuckard 1839 (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) of Asia and Australasia

The Pediacus Shuckard fauna of Asia and Australasia is revised. Eighteen species are recorded, described and illustrated from the regions and a key to species is provided. Nine new species are described: Pediacus australis sp. nov. (Australia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand), P. carinatus sp. nov. (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand), P. fujianensis sp. nov. (China), P. japonicoides sp. nov. (Taiwan); P. leei sp. nov. (Taiwan), P. pendleburyi sp. nov. (Malaysia), P. sinensis sp. nov. (China), P. taiwanensis sp. nov. (Taiwan) and P. thomasi sp. nov. (Taiwan). A checklist of the Pediacus fauna of the world is given, listing a total of 31 species

New Species and Records of Costa Rican Passandridae (Cucujoidea)

Ivie, Michael A., Ślipiński, S. Adam (2005): New Species and Records of Costa Rican Passandridae (Cucujoidea). The Coleopterists Bulletin 59 (4): 459-463, DOI: 10.1649/810.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/810.

Flat beetles in a flat land: A review of the Australian Cucujidae (Coleoptera)

The Cucujidae is a small family of characteristically strongly flattened beetles, consisting of four described genera: Cucujus, Palaestes, Pediacus and Platisus. We present an overview of the world cucujid fauna, its biology and biogeography. The Australian fauna is discussed, including the first species of Pediacus from the region, which was recently-described, and current taxonomic research on Platisus

Antillipeltis alleni Lawrence, Leschen & Ślipiński, 2014, sp. n.

<i>Antillipeltis alleni</i> sp. n. <p>(Figs 4 A–B)</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> This species resembles <i>A. iviei</i> and differs from all of the extant species in the relatively elongate elytra and dorsal vestiture of moderately long, erect setae and in having the head, pronotum and entire ventral surface yellow. It differs from <i>A. iviei</i> in being slightly smaller in the shorter and broader pronotum with sparser punctation.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Length 2.7 mm; body length 2.18 times as long as greatest elytral width. Head, mouthparts, antennae, ventral surfaces and legs yellow; scutellar shield and anterior portion of elytra reddish-brown grading into yellowish-brown posteriorly, but without any clear markings; most of elytral sutural edges and explanate lateral margins yellow. Dorsal vestiture of moderately long, erect, fine setae; setae of ventral surfaces somewhat shorter and decumbent. Head punctation moderately fine, dense and somewhat irregular (not clearly seen due to angle of head). Pronotum about 0.58 times as long as wide, widest at middle; sides strongly curved and narrowly explanate; edges of lateral carinae finely, irregularly crenulate; pronotal punctation finer, sparser and more irregular than that on head; punctures not sharply defined, usually separated by one to several puncture diameters; interspaces relatively smooth and shiny. Elytra 1.68 times as long as wide and 3.36 times as long as pronotum, widest behind middle; sides barely rounded and narrowly explanate; punctation coarser and denser than that on pronotum, with punctures gradually impressed and very irregular, so puncture diameter appears greater or smaller depending upon angle of lighting; interspaces relatively smooth and shiny.</p> <p> <b>Type specimen.</b> Holotype, male: Dominican Republic: Miocene amber (AMNH).</p> <p> <b>Etymology</b>. The species is named after Albert Allen who provided the type specimen and a number of other interesting new Coleoptera over the years.</p>Published as part of <i>Lawrence, John F., Leschen, Richard A. B. & Ślipiński, Adam, 2014, Antillipeltis, a new genus of Antillean Trogossitidae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea) with a key to the Cleroidea, pp. 435-454 in Zootaxa 3794 (3)</i> on page 445, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3794.3.6, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/231124">http://zenodo.org/record/231124</a&gt

Antillipeltis maculata Lawrence, Leschen & Ślipiński, 2014, sp. n.

<i>Antillipeltis maculata</i> sp. n. <p>(Figs 1 B, 3E)</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> This species resembles <i>A. pubescens</i> and differs from others in the genus in having distinctly maculate yellow and black elytra. It differs from <i>A. pubescens</i> in having a maculate pronotal disc, shorter elytral hairs and a longer pronotum about a third as long as the elytra.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Length 4.0– 4.4 mm; body length 1.90–2.09 times as long as greatest elytral width. Head, mouthparts and antennae primarily yellow, but dorsal surface of head with large black macula extending from about middle of eyes to posterior edge, mandibular apices, palps and antennal club sometimes darker; pronotum primarily yellow with large, dark brown triangular macula at middle with one angle facing posteriorly; scutellar shield dark brown; elytra yellow with large dark brown anteromesal macula extending across suture and surrounding scutellar shield, with curved dark brown macula at posterior third of each elytron, sometimes forming complete eyelet, and with longitudinal sublateral brown macula sometimes joining the two; undersurfaces yellow to dark brown; legs primarily yellow, but tarsi and pretarsi sometimes dark brown. Pronotal vestiture of very short fine setae, most of which barely extend beyond edges of punctures, vestiture of elytra, ventral surfaces and legs consisting of longer decumbent to suberect setae. Head punctation moderately fine and dense. Pronotum 0.63–0.64 times as long as wide; sides moderately curved and narrowly explanate, and edges of lateral carinae crenulate; anterior angles not produced forward; posterior angles broadly rounded. Pronotal punctation coarser and denser, but irregular; interspaces finely granulate and shiny. Elytra 1.41–1.57 times as long as wide and 2.90–3.00 times as long as pronotum, widest at about middle; sides weakly rounded and explanate; punctation coarse and dense, interspaces more or less smooth and shiny. Aedeagus 0.5 times as long as ventrites 1–5; tegmen including fused parameres 4.5 times as long as wide; parameres 0.75 times as long as body of tegmen including paired dorsal struts; ventral strut 0.72 times as long as body of tegmen; penis 1.15 times as long as tegmen including parameres and 9.6 times as long as wide.</p> <p> <b>Type specimens.</b> Holotype, male: Dominican Republic: Foothills of Cordillera Central, S. of Santiago, vi.1938, P. J. Darlington, Jr (MCZC). Paratype: male, Dominican Republic: Prov. Barahona, near Filipinas, Larimar Mine, 20-26.vi.1992, at night, R. E. Woodruff & P. E. Skelley, at night (AACB).</p>Published as part of <i>Lawrence, John F., Leschen, Richard A. B. & Ślipiński, Adam, 2014, Antillipeltis, a new genus of Antillean Trogossitidae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea) with a key to the Cleroidea, pp. 435-454 in Zootaxa 3794 (3)</i> on pages 439-443, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3794.3.6, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/231124">http://zenodo.org/record/231124</a&gt

Phylogeny and classification of Cucujoidea and the recognition of a new superfamily Coccinelloidea (Coleoptera: Cucujiformia)

A large-scale phylogenetic study is presented for Cucujoidea (Coleoptera), a diverse superfamily of beetles that historically has been taxonomically difficult. This study is the most comprehensive analysis of cucujoid taxa to date, with DNA sequence data sampled from eight genes (four nuclear, four mitochondrial) for 384 coleopteran taxa, including exemplars of 35 (of 37) families and 289 genera of Cucujoidea. Maximum-likelihood analyses of these data present many significant relationships, some proposed previously and some novel. Tenebrionoidea and Lymexyloidea are recovered together and Cleroidea forms the sister group to this clade. Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea are recovered as sister taxa and this clade (Phytophaga) forms the sister group to the core Cucujoidea (Cucujoidea s.n.). The nitidulid series is recovered as the earliest-diverging core cucujoid lineage, although the earliest divergences among core Cucujoidea are only weakly supported. The cerylonid series (CS) is recovered as monophyletic and is supported as a major Cucujiform clade, sister group to the remaining superfamilies of Cucujiformia. Currently recognized taxa that were not recovered as monophyletic include Cucujoidea, Endomychidae, Cerylonidae and Bothrideridae. Biphyllidae and Byturidae were recovered in Cleroidea. The remaining Cucujoidea were recovered in two disparate major clades: one comprising the nitidulid series + erotylid series + Boganiidae and Hobartiidae + cucujid series, and the other comprising the cerylonid series. Propalticidae are recovered within Laemophloeidae. The cerylonid series includes two major clades, the bothriderid group and the coccinellid group. Akalyptoischiidae are recovered as a separate clade from Latridiidae. Eupsilobiinae are recovered as the sister taxon to Coccinellidae. In light of these findings, many formal changes to cucujiform beetle classification are proposed. Biphyllidae and Byturidae are transferred to Cleroidea. The cerylonid series is formally recognized as a new superfamily, Coccinelloidea stat.n. Current subfamilies elevated (or re-elevated) to family status include: Murmidiidae stat.n., Teredidae stat.n., Euxestidae stat.n., Anamorphidae stat.rev., Eupsilobiidae stat.n., and Mycetaeidae stat.n. The following taxa are redefined and characterized: Cleroidea s.n., Cucujoidea s.n., Cerylonidae s.n., Bothrideridae s.n., Endomychidae s.n. A new subfamily, Cyclotominae stat.n., is described. Stenotarsinae syn.n. is formally subsumed within a new concept of Endomychinae s.n