Monophyly of terrestrial adephagan beetles as indicated by three nuclear genes (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Trachypachidae)

Abstract

The beetle suborder Adephaga is traditionally divided into two sections on the basis of habitat, terrestrial Geadephaga and aquatic Hydradephaga. Monophyly of both groups is uncertain, and the relationship of the two groups has implications for inferring habitat transitions within Adephaga. Here we examine phylogenetic relationships of these groups using evidence provided by DNA sequences from all four suborders of beetles, including 60 species of Adephaga, four Archostemata, three Myxophaga, and ten Polyphaga. We studied 18S ribosomal DNA and 28S ribosomal DNA, aligned with consideration of secondary structure, as well as the nuclear protein-coding gene wingless. Independent and combined Bayesian, likelihood, and parsimony analyses of all three genes supported placement of Trachypachidae in a monophyletic Geadephaga, although for analyses of 28S rDNA and some parsimony analyses only if Coleoptera is constrained to be monophyletic. Most analyses showed limited support for the monophyly of Hydradephaga. Outside of Adephaga, there is support from the ribosomal genes for a sister group relationship between Adephaga and Polyphaga. Within the small number of sampled Polyphaga, analyses of 18S rDNA, wingless, and the combined matrix supports monophyly of Polyphaga exclusive of Scirtoidea. Unconstrained analyses of the evolution of habitat suggest that Adephaga was ancestrally aquatic with one transition to terrestrial. However, in analyses constrained to disallow changes from aquatic to terrestrial habitat, the phylogenies imply two origins of aquatic habit within Adephaga.

1. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution of Coleoptera

“…Nonetheless, only two of these studies used data from multiple genes Maddison et al 2009), and only Maddison et al (2009) included data from a NPC gene (wingless). The results of some analyses reported in the aforementioned studies are consistent with the reciprocal monophyly of the aquatic Hydradephaga (Amphizoidae, Aspidytidae, Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Hygrobiidae, Meruidae and Noteridae) and terrestrial Geadephaga (Carabidae, Cicindelidae, Paussidae, Rhysodidae and Trachypachidae) (e.g., Shull et al 2001;Ribera et al 2002;Vogler 2005;Hunt et al 2007;Hunt & Vogler 2008;).…”

“…Adephaga have been the focus of several extensively taxon-sampled molecular phylogenetic studies (e.g., Maddison et al 1999;Shull et al 2001;Caterino et al 2002;Ribera et al 2002;Maddison et al 2009) and have also been extensively sampled in several recent studies focused at the ordinal level (e.g., Vogler 2005;Hunt et al 2007;Hunt & Vogler 2008;). Nonetheless, only two of these studies used data from multiple genes Maddison et al 2009), and only Maddison et al (2009) included data from a NPC gene (wingless).…”

“…Archostemata was derived from within Myxophaga. Maddison et al (2009) used sequences from 18S and 28S rDNA (28S) and the NPC gene wingless to reconstruct the phylogeny of Adephaga. In addition to 60 adephagan terminals, they sampled 17 beetles representing the other three suborders, including more Archostemata (four genera in two families) than in any other molecular phylogenetic study to date.…”

Molecular phylogeny of bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) based on 18 molecular markers

“…Previous attempts on investigating phylogenetic relationships in beetles have demonstrated recurrent problems in resolving deeper relationships such as those between the four beetle suborders, but also much younger divergences [1][2][3][4]. One of the most problematic groups includes the weevils, where the majority of tribes and subfamilies remain unresolved despite considerable efforts in assembling molecular data [5][6][7][8].…”

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction For Detection Of Optimal Thermal Profile For DNA Templates From Air-Dried Insect Collection Material

“…These primers provide a possibility to study variable regions of DNA for molecular studies of species identification or molecular phylogenetics (Howland and Hewitt, 1995;Maddison et al, 2009). Universal primers for several genes are effective in research of little-known species.…”