Abstract
Senodoniini is a small lineage of click beetles currently comprising 21 species in two genera, distributed in the Himalayas and East and Southeast Asia. The definition and limits of this group have changed considerably during its history. Recent authors treat Senodoniini as a tribe within Dendrometrinae, usually close to Dimini, but this placement has never been rigorously tested. Here, we shed new light on the systematic position and limits of Senodoniini by performing a combined phylogenetic analysis of two nuclear and two mitochondrial molecular markers. Our results recovered Senodoniini not monophyletic, and placed them into the Lissominae complex, where they formed a clade with Austrelater Calder & Lawrence (Protelaterini). Molecular phylogeny is in agreement with the adult morphology. Additionally, we examined the morphology of a monotypic genus Rostricephalus Fleutiaux from Southeast Asia, which was previously classified in various Elateridae groups including Senodoniini, and its position was always uncertain. This genus shares morphological characters with Protelaterini. We provide morphological redescriptions as well as the figures of main diagnostic characters for Senodonia Laporte, Sossor Candèze, and Rostricephalus. Based on our results, we place these genera to Lissominae: Protelaterini, and hence synonymize Senodoniini Schenkling with Protelaterini Schwarz.
Highlights
Elateridae are by far the most species-rich family in the beetle superfamily Elateroidea, with approximately 10,000 described species known from all zoogeographical regions [1]
Both Maximum likelihood (ML) and BI analyses showed identical backbone topology, only the clade containing Pityobiinae, Senodoniini, Lissominae, and Thyacosterninae was either sister to all Elateridae except Tetralobinae and Elaterinae (ML analysis; Figure 1A) or sister to Elaterinae (Bayesian inference)
This is supported by their different morphology; Senodonia and Sossor have antenna inserted into a saucer-shaped depression, pronotum without a pronounced sublateral carina, prosternal process rather long behind procoxae, metacoxal plates weakly narrowed outwards or almost parallel-sided, tarsomeres I–IV each with a distinct ventral lobe, female sternite
Summary
Elateridae are by far the most species-rich family in the beetle superfamily Elateroidea, with approximately 10,000 described species known from all zoogeographical regions [1]. Senodoniini are a small group with convoluted taxonomic history, including frequently changing limits as well as position in the Elateridae classification [6,7,8]. Senodoniini were placed near Dimini mainly due to the presence of lobate tarsomeres, and the definitions of both groups often overlapped [9,10]. Senodoniini were considered either a part of the widely delimited Dimini [11], a separate subfamily [8], or a tribe within. Senodoniini historically contained several genera from various zoogeographic regions, which are currently placed in various other groups, such as Penia Laporte, 1838, Csikia Szombathy, 1910, Neocsikia
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