East Palearctic Research Articles

Phylogeny, migration and life history: filling the gaps in the origin and biogeography of the Turdus thrushes

Although the biogeographic history of thrushes (Turdidae) has been extensively studied, a concise discussion of this topic is still lacking. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate: (1) the evolutionary origin of the migratory behaviour of the Turdus thrushes in a biogeographic context including (2) trans-Atlantic dispersal events, (3) possible colonization routes into the Nearctic, and (4) relationships among life history traits, ecological factors, and migratory strategies within the most comprehensive taxon set of 72 Turdus thrushes to date. We estimated the ancestral ranges of the studied species, primarily by comparing main biogeographic models (dispersal-vicariance, dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis, BayArea models), and performed phylogenetic generalized least squares analyses to identify relationships among distribution patterns, diet, body measurements, clutch size, and migratory behaviour. We found that the most probable ancestral regions for all Turdus species were located in the East Palearctic realm, followed by early colonization of the western Palearctic and Africa, and that several trans-Atlantic movements occurred between 11 and 4 million years ago, which is earlier than previously thought. Migration emerged as an ancestral behaviour of the genus Turdus, and differences in clutch size and main food types were significant between migratory and non-migratory species. Correlated evolution was found between migration and along-latitudinal mobility, main food type, and the shift in main food type between the seasons. We conclude that along-latitudinal movements may have evolved earlier, simultaneously with the radiation of the Turdus thrushes, followed by the appearance of meridional migration, associated with orographic and climatic changes. The increased clutch sizes observed in migratory species and documented here for thrushes could serve as an important mechanism to compensate for losses due to mortality during migration.

Bruchidius terrenus (Sharp, 1886) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae): A New Invasive Species of Seed Beetles in the Fauna of Russia

Bruchidius terrenus (Sharp, 1886) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) is a new invasive East Palearctic species of seed beetles to the fauna of the Crimea and Russia was emerged in November 2017 from the seeds of Albizia julibrissin Durazzini, 1772 and A. kalkora (Roxburgh) Prain, 1897, that were collected in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. B. terrenus is a monophagous species: larvae develop in the seeds of silk trees (Albizia Durazzini, 1772). The infestation levels of the seeds of A. julibrissin and A. kalkora were 45 and 78%, respectively. The species is monovoltine; emergence of imagoes was observed in November–December. The overwintering stage is imago.

Migratory routes of red‐necked phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus breeding in southern Chukotka revealed by geolocators

The migration routes of red‐necked phalaropes breeding around the Bering Sea are poorly known, despite the fact that the Bering Sea could mark the boundary between the East Palearctic populations that winter in the Pacific Ocean around the East Indies and the West Nearctic populations that winter in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America. Geolocator data retrieved from two male phalaropes tagged in southern Chukotka, Far Eastern Russia, confirm that birds breeding in this region belong to the East Palearctic population and winter in the East Indies, suggesting that the division line with the West Nearctic population is farther to the east. The routes taken by the two phalaropes were almost entirely pelagic, totaling around 18 000–20 000 km round‐trip, with the birds continuously on the move during migration, rather than resident in any particular stopover site, contrary to most other migratory shorebirds.

The East Palaearctic GenusUvarovina(Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae): Taxonomic Remarks and Bioacoustics

Abstract The East Palearctic genus Uvarovina comprises two species. However, their identification can sometimes be difficult, even when using all available information. The type localities of U. daurica and U. chinensis are situated at the opposite edges of the genus' range, where the species can be diagnosed easily. In other parts of their range the situation is more complicated, sometimes with contradictory diagnostic characters. The type species U. daurica (Uvarov, 1928) is removed from the synonymy with Peltastes venosus Fischer von Waldheim, 1839. The calling song consists of long sequences of short, isolated syllables.

Faunistic complexes of the Cladocera (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) of Eastern Siberia and the Far East of Russia

Faunistic complexes of 155 species of the Cladocera found in Eastern Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation are described. The eight complexes are specified: unrevised widely spread species (51), the widespread Eurasian faunistic complex (34 species), the circumpolar complex (4 species), the East Asian and American (Beringian) complex (8 species), the endemic East Asian complex (19 species), the southern thermophilic complex (12 species), the mountainous endemic complex (3 species), and the Baikal endemic complex (8 species). Directions for further studies are suggested. Faunistic investigations of the modern level in the East Palearctic represent an independent task, which should be accomplished by taxonomists in close cooperation with specialists on local faunas.

First description of the male of the spider Tibellus paraguensis Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Philodromidae), with new distribution records.

The genus Tibellus Simon, 1875 currently includes 51 species (WSC 2016); it presents some taxonomic difficulties, due to morphological variability, and similarities among some congeners (Efimik 1999). Studies on the genus were undertaken by Gertsch (1933) and Schick (1965) from America, Tikader (1980) from India, Van den Berg & Dippenaar-Schoeman (1994) from the Afrotropical region, and Efimik (1999) from the East Palearctic region.

<strong>Keynote: The Trichoptera fauna of Asia</strong>

Many foreign and indigenous scientists have contributed extensively to our knowledge of Asian caddisflies. At the time of the Trichoptera Symposium in 2012, the number (1,090 spp.) and density (43 spp./Gm2) of Trichoptera species in the East Palearctic Region were the least for any of the Earth’s 7 biogeographic regions as defined by the Trichoptera World Checklist; the number (5,313 spp.) and density (405 spp./Gm2) in the Oriental Region were the greatest. Limnephilidae, Rhyacophilidae, and Leptoceridae are the most speciose families in the East Palearctic Region; Leptoceridae, Hydropsychidae, and Hydroptilidae in the Oriental Region. In the East Palearctic Region, 288 fossil species have been reported, most of which are ichnotaxa, sedimentary impressions of larval cases for which the family is unknown; in the Oriental Region, only two fossil species are known, both from Burmese amber. Based on cosmopolitan species, the distinction between the East Palearctic and Oriental Regions is as great or greater than average; the distinction between the East and West Palearctic Regions is less than average but between the East Palearctic and the Nearctic Region is greater; the fauna of the Oriental Region is conspicuously endemic. Future increases in knowledge of the Asia Trichoptera fauna will result from accelerated collecting in poorly explored regions; increasing the rate of identifying and describing new and poorly known species, especially with use of modern molecular, computational, and networking tools and especially focusing on descriptions of larvae in the Oriental Region; mentoring young Asian Trichoptera scientists for excellence in research quality and productivity; and promoting international collaborations for theoretical and applied science in Asia.

Phylogenetic analyses of the isonychiid mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Isonychiidae) in the northeast palearctic region

AbstractWe investigated the molecular phylogeny of isonychiid mayflies inhabiting the East Palearctic region, Isonychia (Isonychia) japonica, Isonychia (Isonychia) ignota, Isonychia (Isonychia) ussurica and Isonychia (Prinoides) shima. We discuss their genetic structures, phylogeny and phylogeography. We collected a total of 100 specimens of isonychiid mayfly species from 47 localities of the Northeast Palearctic region (the Japanese archipelago, the Korean peninsula, the Russian Far East and Mongolia). We analyzed the DNA sequences at the mtDNA COI and 16S rRNA regions, and the nuDNA Histone H3 region. As a result of our genetic analyses of the four Northeast Palearctic isonychiid mayflies, their monophyly at the species level was supported by both the mtDNA (COI and 16S rRNA regions) and the nuDNA (Histone H3 region). In addition, it also became clear that significantly large genetic differentiation exists at the inter‐species level; thus, the relationship of “shima + (japonica + (ignota + ussurica))” is supported. Among the four isonychiid mayflies of the Northeast Palearctic area, I. (P.) shima was shown to be a basal‐most linage within the included species

Anurans of the Tagay Locality (Baikal Lake, Russia; Miocene): Bombinatoridae, Hylidae, and Ranidae

The Miocene (MN 5) locality of Tagay (Baikal Lake, Russia) yielded isolated bones of five anuran taxa: Bombina sp. (Bombinatoridae), Hyla sp. (Hylidae), Pelophylax sp. and Rana sp. (Ranidae), Bufo mirus (Bufonidae), the first four of which are described here. In Tagay anuran assemblage, Ranidae are dominant, whereas Hylidae and Bombinatoridae are extremely rare. The Tagay Bombina and Hyla represent the oldest records of these genera in Asia. The Tagay Bombina possibly belongs to an ancestral Bombina lineage, which originated in Asia by the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. The Tagay Hyla could be an early member of the East Palearctic species-group of Hylidae that originated during the early Miocene in Asia. Pelophylax sp. and Rana sp. are among the earliest records of the lineages of green and brown frogs, respectively, in Asia.

Resolving the taxonomic conundrum in Graphoderus of the east Palearctic with a key to all species (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae).

The Holarctic diving beetle genus Graphoderus (Dytiscinae, Aciliini) contains relatively few and well-known species but these may still be difficult to identify based on external characters. A taxonomic problem in the eastern Palearctic was discovered that relates to the Palearctic Graphoderus zonatus (Hoppe, 1795) and the Nearctic Graphoderus perplexus Sharp, 1882. Based on qualitative and quantitative characters, especially on male genitalia which have been poorly studied in the past, it is shown that eastern Palearctic specimens identified by previous authors as either of the two species in fact belongs to a third species. The synonymized name Graphoderus elatus Sharp, 1882, is reinstated as a valid species (stat. n.) and a lectotype is designated from the mixed syntype series. The male genitalia of all known Graphoderus species have been examined and an illustrated identification key to the genus is provided. The three species in the complex of focus, Graphoderus elatus, Graphoderus zonatus and Graphoderus perplexus are found to have allopatric distributions; Graphoderus perplexus in the Nearctic region, Graphoderus zonatus in the west Palearctic region and eastwards to the Yenisei-Angara river and Graphoderus elatus east of the Yenisei-Angara river. All previous records of either Graphoderus zonatus or Graphoderus perplexus in the east Palearctic, east of the Yenisei-Angara river turned out to be misidentified Graphoderus elatus. This conclusion also brings with it that dimorphic females, thought only to be present in the single subspecies Graphoderus zonatus verrucifer (CR Sahlberg, 1824), proved to be present also in a second species, Graphoderus elatus. The dimorphic female forms is either with dorsally smooth elytra and pronotum or conspicuously granulated elytra and wrinkly pronotum. As has been shown in Graphoderus zonatus verrucifer there is a correlation between the occurrence of granulate female forms in a population and an increase in the number of adhesive discs on pro- and mesotarsus in males within Graphoderus elatus.

Contributions to the Pediciidae (Diptera) fauna of Turkey with six new records

* Correspondence: okanozgul@mu.edu.tr The Pediciidae were part of the Limoniidae, which were traditionally included in the Tipulidae (Oosterbroek, 2006); however, they were separated from the Limoniidae by Starý (1992) due to several features in the adult stage. Adult pediciids are ordinarily found in low deciduous vegetation near streams and lakes in forested areas. Many species are abundant and extensively preyed upon by birds, mammals, fish, and other vertebrates, as well as spiders and insects. Larvae are usually found in various aquatic and semiaquatic environments during most of their development. They feed on decaying plant material and fleshy fungi (Ula spp.). The Pediciinae are carnivorous in spring habitats; hence, they move to pupate on the margins of aquatic and semiaquatic environments or in dryer places (Reusch and Oosterbroek, 1997). The Pediciidae currently contain 490 described species worldwide. Of these, 201 species are known in the Palearctic region, mainly in the East Palearctic (Oosterbroek, 2015). So far, 11 pediciid species have been found in Turkey (Oosterbroek, 2015). The aim of this paper is to summarize our knowledge on the Turkish Pediciidae fauna and add new records. Specimens were collected in aquatic and semiaquatic habitats in 2008–2011 in the provinces of Balikesir, Bilecik, Bursa, Canakkale, Kirklareli, Kocaeli, and Sakarya in the Marmara region; Afyonkarahisar, Kutahya, and Usak in the Aegean region; and Eskisehir in the Central Anatolian region of Turkey (Figure). All adults were collected by the authors with a sweep net (40 cm in diameter). Genitalia preparations were performed based on Dienske’s (1987) approach and were preserved either in 70% mixture of alcohol and glycerin (3:1) solution or by pinning. The species were identified by following the works conducted by Dienske (1987), Savchenko (1989), Reusch and Oosterbroek (1997), and Podenas et al. (2006). Some problems in identifying the specimens were solved, and the identified taxa were checked by Jaroslav Starý. The material examined is presented along with localities, altitude, GPS coordinates, collection dates, and number and sex of each specimen examined. Specimens examined in the current study are deposited in the Zoological Laboratory of the Department of Biology, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey (ZMMU). A total of 280 specimens including 224 males were collected in Afyonkarahisar, Balikesir, Bilecik, Bursa, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Kirklareli, Kutahya, Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Usak provinces of Turkey between 2008 and 2014. Twelve species were identified belonging to 4 genera of Pediciidae, 6 of which were recorded in Turkey for the first time. Additionally, all species were new records for the provinces where they were collected (Table). Subfamily Pediciinae Dicranota (Ludicia) lucidipennis (Edwards, 1921) Material examined: 1 ♂. Canakkale: Bayramic, Evciler, Kaz Mountains, Duden Alani (39°41′N, 26°47′E), 1270 m, 19.08.2008. Abstract: This study was carried out to contribute to the Pediciidae (Diptera) fauna in Afyonkarahisar, Balikesir, Bilecik, Bursa, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Kirklareli, Kutahya, Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Usak provinces of Turkey between 2008 and 2014. It was reported that 12 pediciid species belonging to 4 genera have been recorded in Turkey. Six of these species were recorded for the first time for the Turkish Pediciidae fauna. These species are Dicranota (Paradicranota) flammatra Starý, 1981; Dicranota (Paradicranota) fuscipennis Lackschewitz, 1940; Dicronata (Paradicronata) landrocki Czizek, 1931; Dicranota (Paradicranota) schistacea Lackschewitz, 1940; Dicronata (Paradicronata) subtilis Loew, 1871; and Tricyphona (Tricyphona) unicolor (Schummel, 1829). All pediciid species known in Turkey, and their provinces of collection, are given in this paper.

Detecting seasonal variation in composition of adult Coccinellidae communities

1. Following its recent global spread, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), an aphid predator of East Palearctic origin, dominated local coccinellid communities. While long‐term trends in this change are well documented, little is known about seasonal changes.2. Seasonal changes in communities of adult Coccinellidae were investigated in central Europe (Prague), from April to November in 2010–2014. The beetles were collected at 2‐weekly intervals by net‐sweeping particular stands of trees (Tilia spp., Acer spp. and Betula sp.). The numbers of beetles caught were recalculated per unit effort, and average species abundance and community richness, dominance and diversity were calculated for each 2‐week period.3. Frequencies of 21 established species varied throughout the vegetative season and general trends in this variation were similar in each of the 5 years of this study. In May–June the abundant species was Adalia decempunctata, which was later replaced by Harmonia axyridis as the most abundant species in late summer. Coccinella septempunctata colonized trees occasionally in summer. This sequence of species substitution occurred every year and was reset during winter. Species richness decreased and dominance increased during the course of each vegetative season. The diversity of the coccinellid community (Shannon index H′) significantly decreased during the course of the vegetative season. This was caused by a gradual increase in the dominance of H. axyridis, the abundance of which explained 88% of variation in H′.4. The existence of a significant seasonal difference indicates that it is important to take this into consideration when comparing coccinellid communities.

Molecular phylogeny of Metanoeina net-winged beetles identifies Ochinoeus, a new genus from China and Laos (Coleoptera: Lycidae).

The molecular hypothesis on relationships of Metanoeina lineages is presented and results are compared with morphology. A new genus Ochinoeus is proposed for four East Palearctic and Oriental species. Ochinoeus is recovered as a sister lineage to Matsudanoeus Sklenarova et al., 2014 and differs from related genera in morphology of genitalia and incomplete secondary elytral costae. We show, that the structure of elytral costae, although highly homoplastic across Metriorrhynchini, can be used for identification of Ochinoeus. The geographic distribution of Metanoeina is limited to the eastern parts of the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. The reconstruction of ancestral ranges identifies continental Eastern Asia as the centre of generic diversity of Metanoeina and suggests the dispersal from continental Asia to the southern part of the Oriental region, i.e. to the Sundaland and Philippines. Among Metanoeina lineages, only Metanoeus Waterhouse, 1878 contains higher number of species. The following four species are described: Ochinoeus huaphanensis sp. nov., O. hainanensis sp. nov., O. habashanensis sp. nov., and O. xunyanbaensis sp. nov..

Amphibians crossing the Bering Land Bridge: Evidence from holarctic treefrogs (Hyla, Hylidae, Anura)

Based on an updated, time-calibrated phylogeny and applying biogeographical model testing and diversification analysis, we re-examined systematics and biogeography of the Holarctic treefrog genus Hyla with a focus on the East Asian species. We analyzed four mitochondrial genes (12S and 16S rRNA, tRNALeu, ND1) and one nuclear gene (POMC) for 192 samples representing 30 species of Hyla. Based on our results we suggest that H. ussuriensis is a synonym of H. japonica. Specimens from Sakhalin and Kunashir Islands might represent a cryptic species within H. japonica. We confirm earlier hypotheses that the genus Hyla originated during the Eocene to Early Oligocene and that Eurasian species originated from two independent dispersal events from North America via the Bering Land Bridge. Middle Eocene to Oligocene dispersal gave rise to the most recent common ancestor of the West Palearctic H. arborea-group and the East Palearctic, newly defined, H. chinensis-group. The Northeast Asian H. japonica-group resulted from a second wave of colonization from the Nearctic. A trans-Atlantic dispersal route could be excluded. Dispersal of the H. arborea-group to the western Palearctic coincides with the closure of the Turgai Strait at the end of the Oligocene. Diversification of Hyla decreased at the end of the Middle Miocene, possibly coinciding with the end of the Mid Miocene Climatic Optimum and the advent of cooler and drier climates in the Northern Hemisphere.

New Species of Stactobia McLachlan (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from China

Three species in the genus Stactobia are previously known from China, Stactobia salmakis Malicky & Chantaramongkol, 2007, from Zhejiang, S. parva Wells & Dudgeon, 1990, from Hong Kong, and S. semele Malicky & Chantaramongkol, 2007, from Taiwan. Examination of materials collected from Jiangxi and Sichuan Provinces in the southern part of China has revealed 4 new species of Stactobia, bringing the number of Chinese Stactobia species to 7. Newly described species include S. forcipata, new species, S. rhombica, new species, S. leptoclada new species, and S. spicifera, new species. Previously described species S. salmakis and S. semele, along with all the new species belong to the Stactobia martynovi diagnostic species group; S. parva belongs to the Stactobia nielseni diagnostic species group. The diagnostic characters for the new species and for these two species groups are summarized. Genus Stactobia (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae, Stactobiinae) includes 144 extant species worldwide (Morse, 2013), predominantly distributed in the Oriental Region (OL, 91 spp.) and the West Palearctic Region (WP, 35 spp.), with a few species found in the East Palearctic (EP, 10 spp.) and Afrotropical (AT, 4 spp.) biogeographic regions. In addition, 2 species are distributed in both EP and WP, 1 species is distributed in both OL and WP and 1 species is distributed in both AT and WP. The Chinese fauna presently includes 3 species (Wells and Dudgeon, 1990; Malicky and Chantaramongkol, 2007). From 1990 to 2005, the junior authors organized 5 expeditions in the southeastern, southwestern, northwestern and central parts of China. As a result, 4 new Chinese species of Stactobia are discovered, bringing the total to 7 Chinese species of Stactobia. We did not identify any of the 3 previously known Chinese species of Stactobia in our expeditions, suggesting that many more undescribed species of this genus may occur in China. Four diagnostic species groups were recognized in Stactobia by Schmid (1959); Marshall (1979) further confirmed these species groups and provided some distinguishing morphological characters for each group. Neither author provided explicit synapomorphies or other evidence that the groups are monophyletic. All the Chinese species fall into two diagnostic species groups: The S. martynovi group and the S. nielseni group.

Adinopsis nippon, a new species of marsh-dwelling rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Deinopsini) from Japan, with an annotated catalogue of Adinopsis species of the world.

Adinopsis nippon sp. n. is described from Japan and represents the first discovery of the genus Adinopsis in the temperate zone of the East Palearctic region. It is closely related to A. myllaenoides (Kraatz) known from North and South America and is placed in the myllaenoides species group. An annotated catalogue of the world species of Adinopsis is presented.

Historical biogeography of the Angelica group (Apiaceae tribe Selineae) inferred from analyses of nrDNA and cpDNA sequences

Abstract Biogeographical patterns and diversification processes of Asia‐centered angiosperm groups have been significantly affected by the multistage uplift of the Himalayas–Tibetan Plateau since the Late Tertiary. The divergence time of the largely East Asian Angelica group (Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae, tribe Selineae) was initially analyzed using Beast and nrDNA internal transcribed spacer sequence data from 96 representatives of tribe Selineae and relatives. Further analyses of the biogeographical history of the Angelica group were carried out using Beast, S‐Diva, Rasp, and Lagrange on datasets containing all or some of the following loci: nrDNA internal and external transcribed spacers; cpDNA rps16 intron; and cpDNA rps16‐trnK, rpl32‐trnL, and trnL‐trnT intergenic spacers. The results suggested that the Angelica group was originally present in the East Palearctic during the global cooling of the late Middle Miocene (13.6 Mya) and that the Angelica s.s. clade originated in the same region at 10.2 Mya. Subsequent diversifications of the Angelica s.s. clade intensified in the East Palearctic during the middle Late Miocene (10.0–7.0 Mya) and in the eastern Himalayan Zone during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene (<4.0 Mya). These diversifications likely corresponded with plateau uplift‐driven climatic changes. Considering elevational reconstructions, the differential responses to altitude appear to be the primary factor explaining the recent radiation of the group in the eastern Himalayas. The North American species of the Angelica group were retrieved as polyphyletic and their migrations involved six independent dispersals to North America at least since the middle Late Miocene, including four times from northeast Asia and twice from Europe.

Biogeographical analysis within the family Phytoseiidae Berlese (Acari: Mesostigmata): an example from the large sub-genus Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) De Leon

Despite their great interest for pest management, the biogeography of the Phytoseiidae is still poorly known. This study focuses on the spatial distribution of one of the largest taxa within the family: the sub-genus Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) currently comprising 322 species. It also provides a description of five discrete morphological characters used to discriminate between species and easily observed. This survey is the first analysis of the combined distribution of both species and associated morphological characters within the family Phytoseiidae. It reveals the great utility of taxonomic data compilation and associated databases for aspects beyong alpha-taxonomy. The highest number of species of Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) was reported from the East Palearctic region and the lowest from the Neotropical province. This was quite surprising as the highest species diversity of Phytoseiidae is reported from this latter region. Several hypotheses are discussed to explain this observation. In provinces showing the highest number of Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) species, we usually also observed the most diverse morphological forms for the five characters considered. High endemism levels were observed in all the provinces considered, even those where only few species were reported (especially the Neotropical province). Possible synonymies are thus discussed, as species could have been described more than once in different biogeographic provinces. Furthermore, some hypotheses are discussed to explain the high species and morphological diversity of the sub-genus Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) in theWest and East Palaearctic regions. Further phylogenetic analyses are required to test these different hypotheses.

Four Caddisfly Species of Oecetis (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) New to Korea

The genus Oecetis McLachlan is one of two largest genera in Leptoceridae and includes approximately 500 species in the world and 40 species in the East Palearctic region. Four Oecetis species were recorded in North Korea by Kumanski in 1991, but no species are known in South Korea. In this study, we recorded three Oecetis species new to the Korean Peninsula, O. antennata Martynov, O. notata Rambur, and O. caucula Yang and Morse, and an additional species, O. nigropunctata Ulmer, which is previously known in North Korea by Kumanski. Diagnoses, illustrations, and taxonomic remarks are provided for each species.

Discovery of Eutheiini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) in Australia, with implications for phylogeny and biogeography of Paraneseuthia

The scydmaenine tribe Eutheiini is recorded from Australia for the first time. Paraneseuthia carltoni sp. n. and P. booloumba sp. n. are described and illustrated, both from Queensland. In a parsimony-based phylogenetic analysis using adult morphological characters including genital features, the Australian species together with the Melanesian type species of Paraneseuthia Franz, P. peckorum Franz, were found to be more closely related to East Palearctic congeners than to most of the Paraneseuthia in the Sunda-Papuan area. The topology of the tree and biogeographic data suggest a Sundaland origin of this genus, with three major dispersal routes from a center located in present-day Sumatra: (i) north-eastern colonization of the Palearctic Far East, via a continental or island-arc route; (ii) south-eastern dispersal to East Australia; and (iii) eastern dispersal to Melanesia, possibly via the Quaternary Outer-Melanesian Arc. The important role of dispersal in the evolution of Paraneseuthia is supported by the presence of this genus on isolated volcanic islands, such as the southern Moluccas and Fiji, which were never connected to larger land masses.