Abstract
Simple SummaryThe rove beetle subfamily Tachyporinae has been suggested to be polyphyletic for the last half century but there are no previous studies conducting phylogenetic analysis on this group specifically. Here, the most comprehensive tachyporine phylogeny is shown, which again rejects the monophyly of Tachyporinae and its largest tribe Tachyporini. A revised classification of Tachyporinae is proposed here based on observation of morphological characters and their phylogenetic analyses. This backbone phylogeny will be a framework for further evolutionary and ecological studies.Tachyporinae are one of the most phylogenetically problematic subfamilies in the mega-diverse rove beetle family Staphylinidae. Despite its high diversity and abundance in forest micro-environments, with over 1600 species worldwide, several previous studies had refuted the monophyly of this subfamily and its largest tribe, Tachyporini. Based on the results of morphology-based phylogenetic analyses and direct examination of specimens encompassing two extinct and all forty extant genera, a new suprageneric classification of Tachyporinae is proposed here, with the removal of the tribe Mycetoporini into a newly recognized subfamily Mycetoporinae stat. nov. Four tribes with two subtribes are arranged within Tachyporinae sensu nov.: Tachyporini sensu nov. (Tachyporina stat. nov., sensu nov. and Euconosomatina stat. rev., sensu nov.), Vatesini sensu nov., Deropini, and Tachinusini stat. rev., sensu nov. (= Megarthropsini syn. nov.). Urolitus syn. nov. is placed as a junior synonym of Sepedophilus. Additionally, Palporus stat. nov. is raised to a distinct genus from a subgenus of Tachyporus sensu. nov., and †Mesotachyporus syn. nov. is synonymized with the latter. Mycetoporine Bobitobus stat. rev. is resurrected from synonymy with Lordithon sensu nov., and considered as a valid genus. My revised classification provides a novel framework for taxonomic inventories and ecological studies of these groups.
Highlights
Staphylinidae, whose members are commonly called rove beetles, is the largest family of the animal kingdom, with an incredible diversity of 65,561 living and 450 extinct species as of 4 March 2021
As Tachyporinae may be a polyphyletic lineage, this approach is currently the best strategy to infer the higher-level phylogeny by reducing the number of potentially phylogenetic “distinct” taxa, i.e., each could represent as own higher-taxonomic category
The morphological definition for each tribe has not been well established, a morphology-based approach is desired to solve this issue, rather than relying on a smaller taxon sampling based on molecular data, but such a DNA-oriented study is desired in future
Summary
Staphylinidae, whose members are commonly called rove beetles, is the largest family of the animal kingdom, with an incredible diversity of 65,561 living and 450 extinct species as of 4 March 2021 The family Staphylinidae is so diverse and species-rich, it has been further subdivided into four or five groups of subfamilies [2,3]. The tachyporines have been placed in the Tachyporine Group of subfamilies [4,5]. None of these groupings are supported as monophyletic (e.g., [6,7]), and they are all in need of further investigation and proper grouping
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
