Classification of Omalisidae based on molecular data and morphology, <br />with description of Paradrilinae subfam. nov. (Coleoptera: Elateroidea)

Abstract

Omalisidae, a species-poor family of elateroid beetles, are distributed mostly in the Mediterranean region. The morphology of females is modified due to neotenic development and the males share some traits with other neotenic lineages in Elateroidea, namely Drilini (Elateridae: Agrypninae) and Lyropaeinae (Lycidae). A molecular phylogeny was inferred from six omalisid species representing four genera and the previously published dataset of Elateroidea. The DNA based phylogeny suggests that small-bodied males, reduced pronotal carinae and missing elytral costae evolved independently in multiple elateroid lineages. The limits of Omalisidae are redefined and seven genera, i.e., Omalisus Geoffroy, 1762, Phaeopterus Costa, 1857, Thilmanus Gemminger, 1869, Euanoma Reitter, 1889, Pseudeuanoma Pic, 1901, Paradrilus Kiesenwetter, 1865 and Cimbrion Kazantsev, 2010, are currently placed in the family. Thilmaninae Kazantsev, 2005 and Paradrilus Kiesenwetter, 1865 are transferred from Drilini (Elateridae: Agrypninae) to Omalisidae and the Paradrilinae subfam. nov. is proposed. Paradrilus differs from other Omalisidae in prolonged cranium, wide robust prosternum with two apical processes and absent sharp edge of the pronotum. The morphology of Paradrilus is described in detail, illustrated and all taxa currently classified in Omalisidae are listed.

Description of larva of Euanoma starcki Reitter, 1889 (Coleoptera: Omalisidae)

“…However, it is separated from the larva of Drilus Olivier, 1790, the type genus of Drilidae [e.g., Bøving, Craighead, 1930-1931, by a number of much more conspicuous and systematically important characters. And although the adults of the Thilmaninae (where Euanoma belongs) occupy a somewhat intermediate position between Omalisus Geoffroy, 1762 and Drilus [Kazantsev, 2007], the larval morphology of Euanoma starcki suggests the subfamily should be attributed to Omalisidae rather than Drilidae, thus confirming its most recent placement in the former family in accordance with a study based on morphology and molecular data [Kundrata et al, 2015].…”

“…Four of its species are registered in the Western Caucasus, four in Turkey and one in Greece [Kazantsev, 2010]. It belongs to the tribe Euanomini of the subfamily Thilmaninae, which had been regarded as a member of Drilidae [e.g., Crowson, 1972;Kazantsev, 2007Kazantsev, , 2010, but recently placed in the family Omalisidae [Kundrata et al, 2015]. Neither in the genus Euanoma, nor in the subfamily Thilmaninae in general had the preimaginal forms been known.…”

The discovery of Iberobaeniidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea): a new family of beetles from Spain, with immatures detected by environmental DNA sequencing

“…5300 bp), representing the main elateroid lineages and outgroup taxa [8,12]. Sequence data for two representatives of the newly discovered taxon were added to this matrix, generating two versions of the four-marker dataset: (i) v1 a chimeraical terminal was assembled from the sequences of cox1, SSU and LSU for an adult specimen, sequenced using procedures reported by Bocakova et al [13] (GenBank accession nos.…”

The molecular phylogeny of Omalisidae (Coleoptera) defines the family limits and demonstrates low dispersal propensity and ancient vicariance patterns

“…The limits of Omalisidae have changed frequently and except for Omalisus all currently valid omalisid genera were either described in a different elateroid family or subsequently excluded from Omalisidae (Kleine, ; Wittmer, ; Crowson, ; Bocak & Brlik, ; Kazantsev, ). Omalisidae include seven genera and 23 species (Table S1; Kundrata et al ., ). The genera are placed into three subfamilies (Table S2; Kazantsev, ; Kundrata et al ., ).…”

“…Omalisidae include seven genera and 23 species (Table S1; Kundrata et al ., ). The genera are placed into three subfamilies (Table S2; Kazantsev, ; Kundrata et al ., ). Omalisinae include Omalisus and the monotypic genus Cimbrion Kazantsev (earlier in Phaeopterus Costa and Euanoma Reitter; see Kleine, ; Kundrata & Bocak, ).…”