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We present a molecular phylogeny of Nitidulidae 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 Nitidulidae and its constituent taxa are defined; (ii) Kateretidae are sister to Nitidulidae; (iii) Cryptarchinae are monophyletic and sister to the remaining nitidulid subfamilies; (iv) subfamily Prometopinae stat. res. is reinstated and defined, to accommodate taxa allied to Axyra Erichson, Prometopia Erichson and Megauchenia MacLeay; (v) Amphicrossinae, Carpophilinae and Epuraeinae are shown to be closely related taxa within a well‐supported monophyletic clade; (vi) tribal affinities and respective monophyly within Nitidulinae 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) Nitidulinae are found to be paraphyletic with respect to Cillaeinae and Meligethinae, suggesting that they should either be subsumed as tribes, or Nitidulinae should be divided into several subfamilies to preserve the status of Cillaeinae and Meligethinae; (viii) Teichostethus Sharp stat. res. is not a synonym of Hebascus Erichson and the former is reinstated as a valid genus. These conclusions and emendations are discussed in detail and presented within a morphological framework.

Molecular analyses on the Brassicogethes coracinus species complex (pollen beetles associated with Brassicaceae) were performed to explore genetic and ecological diversification, and robustness of the current morphologically based classification. Complete COI sequences (1,542 bp) were obtained from 69 individuals assigned to 10 recognized species and from 5 individuals of the designated outgroup (B. aeneus). Mean interspecific divergence within the clade varied from 0.005 to 0.283. The species B. epeirosi, B. subaeneus and B. cantabricus were associated with the tribe Arabideae and found to occupy basal most positions in the phylogeny, whereas all other species, mostly associated with the tribe Hesperideae, grouped together. In the latter group, B. erysimicola and B. coracinus occupied a basal position adjacent to a wider cluster of mixed haplotypes, likely, due to incomplete lineage sorting or past hybridization events. New data based on nuclear genetic markers are currently being collected to pursue a multilocus analysis. © Springer-Verlag 2012

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Meligethes (Odontogethes) inexpectatus sp. n. is described from China, Sichuan Province. The new species is based on a female specimen previously incorrectly referred to as Meligethes scrobescens Chen, Lin, Huang & Yang, 2015, which was recently described from a series of male specimens collected in the same area. Both species belong to the taxonomically difficult species-group related to M. chinensis Kirejtshuk, 1979, including a dozen closely related species distributed throughout Nepal and SW and Central China. The true female of Meligethes scrobescens is also described, based on recently collected material from China (Hubei and Chongqing), including a series of male and female specimens. Diagnostic characters distinguishing the new species from all other known members of the M. chine nsis species-group and species-complex are discussed, and their overall range distribution are depicted. Additional data on geographic distribution and larval ecology of some of the closely related species are also reported.