Phylogenetic revision of the North American Asidini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract

AbstractThe asidine darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Asidini) are a morphologically diverse tribe of flightless tenebrionids found in many arid and sub‐arid habitats around the world. The 260 currently described North American species are contained in 27 genera, all of which are restricted to the western half of the continent. Evolutionary relationships within and between the North American Asidini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) genera were reconstructed using partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) (660 bp) and nuclear ribosomal 28S (D2 region) (492 bp), and 100 phenotypic characters for 50 North American asidine species, representing 20 of the 27 currently described genera and 1 new genus. Species from two additional tenebrionid tribes (Branchini and Coniontini) and the South American asidine genus Cardigenius were chosen as outgroups. Analyses were performed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference methods. Clade support was inferred based on the posterior probability distribution of tree topologies, nonparametric bootstrap analysis, and partitioned Bremer support indices. The generic classification of the North American Asidini is revised based on the results, with ten genera recognized. Seven current genera: Craniotus LeConte, Heterasida Casey, Litasida Casey, Microschatia Solier, Pelecyphorus Solier, Philolithus Lacordaire, Stenomorpha Solier, are redescribed, and Ardamimicus Smith gen.n., Ferveoventer Smith gen.n. and Micrasida Smith gen.n. are described, including Ardamimicus cognatoi Smith sp.n., Ferveoventer browni Smith sp.n. and Micrasida obrienorum Smith sp.n. Twenty current genera are treated as subgenera pending further analyses: Philolithus Lacordaire with subgenera Glyptasida Casey, Gonasida Casey, Herthasida Wilke and Tisamenes Champion; Pelecyphorus Solier, with subgenera: Astrotus LeConte, Parasida Casey (= Plesiasida nom.n), Poliorcetes Champion, Sicharbas Champion, Stenosides Solier, Ucalegon Champion and Zaleucus Champion, and Stenomorpha Solier with subgenera Asidina Casey, Asidopsis Casey, Bothrasida Casey, Megasida Casey, Notiasida Casey, Platasida Casey, Pycnomorpha Motschulsky, Stethasida Casey and Trichiasida Casey; all stat.rev.