Pupae of the mega-diverse rove beetle tribe Staphylinini (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae): their traits and systematic significance

Abstract

This paper is the first comprehensive work on the pupae of Staphylinidae. It is the first-ever attempt to employ the morphological characters of these pupae in phylogenetic analysis. The study shows that the external structures of Staphylinini pupae could be a useful, alternative source for assessing the relationships of certain taxa within a tribe. The paper also includes an illustrated key to the identification of pupae at the subtribe and generic levels (Abemus, Acylophorus, Astrapaeus, Atanygnathus, Bisnius, Creophilus, Emus, Erichsonius, Gabrius, Hesperus, Heterothops, Neobisnius, Ocypus, Ontholestes, Philonthus, Quedius, Quedionuchus, Rabigus, Staphylinus, and Tasgius) of the tribe Staphylinini, found in Europe. Based on current knowledge of the morphology of pupal stages of Staphylinini species, eight morphological pupal types are presented: Acylophorus, Astrapaeus, Atanygnathus, Erichsonius, Heterothops, Philonthus, Quedius and Staphylinus. The paper also comments on pupal habitat, phenology and morphology in the context of antipredator and environmental adaptations.

The larval, pupal and mitogenomic characteristics of Agrilus adelphinus Kerremans, 1895 (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) from China

“…The morphological characteristics of larvae are important information which have received much attention, and some taxonomists have used these data in the study of higher-level phylogenetic relationships ( McCabe and Godfrey 1982 ; Smith 1997 ; Hart 2000 ; Michat et al 2007 ; Lawrence et al 2011 ; Staniec and Pietrykowska-Tudruj 2019 ; Mahlerová et al 2021 ). In the family Buprestidae , Bílý and Volkovitsh (2001 , 2003 , 2005 ), Volkovitsh and Bílý (2001 , 2015 ), Volkovitsh et al (2005) , and Bílý et al (2013) have made significant contributions on the development of larval morphology and its implications for classification.…”

Potential phylogenetic significance of the number of functional abdominal spiracles in beetle pupae, with focus on Staphylinoidea (Coleoptera)

“…Pupal descriptions have become not only more frequent but also more detailed and standardized over time, and now routinely include such features as the system of setae, spines or other projections that support the pupa in its cell, the presence and distribution of protective devices such as gin traps, and whether the pupa is exarate or obtect. Such pupal characters have also been used in phylogenetic studies within a few taxa, e.g., in Hydradephaga (Ruhnau, 1986), Hydrophilidae (Archangelsky, 2004b), Staphylinidae: Staphylinini (Staniec & Pietrykowska-Tudruj, 2019), Tenebrionidae (Bouchard & Steiner, 2004) and Chrysomelidae (Cox, 1998).…”