Molecular phylogeny of <scp>N</scp> itidulidae: assessment of subfamilial and tribal classification and formalization of the family <scp>C</scp> ybocephalidae ( <scp>C</scp> oleoptera: <scp>C</scp> ucujoidea)

Abstract

Abstract We present a molecular phylogeny of N itidulidae based on thirty ingroup taxa representing eight of the ten currently recognized subfamilies. Approximately 10 K base pairs from seven loci ( 12S , 16S , 18S , 28S , COI , COII and H3 ) were used for the phylogenetic reconstruction. The phylogeny supports the following main conclusions: (i) Cybocephalidae are formally recognized as a distinct family not closely related to N itidulidae and its constituent taxa are defined; (ii) K ateretidae are sister to N itidulidae; (iii) C ryptarchinae are monophyletic and sister to the remaining nitidulid subfamilies; (iv) subfamily P rometopinae stat. res. is reinstated and defined, to accommodate taxa allied to Axyra E richson, Prometopia E richson and Megauchenia MacLeay ; (v) A mphicrossinae, C arpophilinae and E puraeinae are shown to be closely related taxa within a well‐supported monophyletic clade; (vi) tribal affinities and respective monophyly within N itidulinae are poorly resolved by our data and must be more rigorously tested as there was little or no support for prior morphologically based tribes or genus‐level complexes; (vii) N itidulinae are found to be paraphyletic with respect to C illaeinae and M eligethinae, suggesting that they should either be subsumed as tribes, or N itidulinae should be divided into several subfamilies to preserve the status of C illaeinae and M eligethinae; (viii) Teichostethus S harp stat. res. is not a synonym of H ebascus E richson and the former is reinstated as a valid genus. These conclusions and emendations are discussed in detail and presented within a morphological framework.