Invertebrate Systematics 19(1) 17-73 https://doi.org/10.1071/IS04007
Submitted: 10 March 2004  Accepted: 31 December 2004   Published: 6 May 2005

Abstract

Phylogenetic relationships among the basal Cucujoidea were reconstructed by a cladistic analysis of a data matrix consisting of 37 exemplar taxa and 99 adult and larval characters. Eight most parsimonious cladograms provided evidence for the polyphyly of Phloeostichidae, the paraphyly of Cucujoidea (with respect to the placement of Trogossitidae), and the monophyly of Protocucujidae + Sphindidae, Biphyllidae + Erotylidae, Cryptophagidae, Cucujidae + Silvanidae, Propalticidae + Laemophloeidae, and the Nitidulidae groups (Nitidulidae, Smicripidae, and Brachypteridae). The following families are elevated from subfamily to family status: Agapythidae (one genus), Phloeostichidae (four genera; the subfamilies Phloeostichinae and Hymaeinae are supressed), Priasilphidae (three genera), Tasmosalpingidae (one genus), and Myraboliidae (one genus). These families are described in detail and adult and larval keys to all families of Cucujoidea are provided. The genusBunyastichus, gen. nov. (type species:B. monteithi, sp. nov.) is described in the family Phloeostichidae and the family Priasilphidae is revised with the following new taxa:Chileosilpha, gen. nov. (type species:C. elguetai, sp. nov.),Priasilpha (P. angulata, sp. nov.,P. aucklandica, sp. nov.,P. bufonia, sp. nov.,P. carinata, sp. nov.,P. earlyi, sp. nov., andP. embersoni, sp. nov.),Priastichus (P. crowsoni, sp. nov. andP. megathorax, sp. nov.).

We thank R. A. Crowson for his initial studies of basal Cucujoidea, without which we could not have completed the present study. For specimens we thank N. B. Nikitsky for the gift of a larva ofPhloeostichus denticollis and D. Telnov for facilitating the mailing of this specimen from St Petersburg to Gympie, J. Kolibáč for allowing us to examine his putativePhloeostichus larva, A. A. Allen for the gift of the holotype ofChileosilpha elguetai (that was donated to the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Santiago) and for allowing us to remove the abdomen of his female paratype, and M. Elgueta for allowing the completely dissected male paratype to be deposited in the Australian National Insect Collection. We also thank G. B. Monteith for his special efforts in obtaining the type series ofBunyastichus monteithi and those curators listed in the Material examined. For help with data entry, SEM work, and scanning, we thank G. Hall, B. Rhode, E. Hines, and R. Henderson. Habitus illustrations were done by D. Helmore (Chileosilpha,Priasilpha spp., and partial habiti ofPriastichus spp.), S. P. Kim (Priastichus megathorax,Hymaea magna,Rhopalobrachium crowsoni,R. penai,Myrabolia grouvelliana), S. Monteith (Tasmosalpingus sp.), S. Smith (larva ofPriastichus crowsoni), and P. Wegrzynowicz (Phloeostichus denticollis). We thank Rolf Beutel and Joe McHugh for reviews of the manuscript. Funding for RABL was supported in part by FRST (contract C09X0002).

Arrow G. J. (1929) On the families of Coleoptera related to the Erotylidae, with descriptions of a new family, two new genera, and a few new species. Annals and Magazine of Natural History4, 305–322. andLawrence and Hlavac (1979).

Ericmodes Reitter, 1878 (Protocucujidae). Based on adults ofE. sylvaticus (R. Philippi, larvae ofEricmodes species from Chile and Australia, and published material inŚlipiński (1998).

Eronyxa Reitter, 1876 (Trogossitidae: Lophocaterinae). Based on adults and larvae ofE.pallida (Motschulsky) and larval description and illustrations ofE. expansa Van Dyke inTaitet al. (1990).

Helota Macleay, 1825 (Helotidae). Based on adults ofHelota sp. from West Sumatra and larval descriptions and illustrations inRymer Roberts (1958) andHayashi (1986).

Hobartius Sen Gupta & Crowson, 1966 (Hobartiidae). Based on adults and larvae ofH. eucalypti (Blackburn) (Tomaszewska and Ślipiński 1995).

Hymaea Pascoe, 1869 (Phloeostichidae: Hymaeinae). Based on adults ofH. magna Sen Gupta & Crowson and larvae ofH. succinifera Pascoe.

Laemophloeus Dejean, 1835 (Laemophloeidae). Based on adults and larvae ofL. biguttatus (Say).

Lamingtonium Sen Gupta & Crowson, 1969 (Lamingtoniidae). Based on adults and larvae ofL. thayerae Lawrence & Leschen (Lawrence and Leschen 2003).

Myrabolia Reitter, 1876 (Phloeostichidae: Myraboliinae). Based on adults of various species and a tentatively identifiedMyrabolia larva from the Brindabella Range, ACT.

Paracucujus Sen Gupta & Crowson, 1966 (Boganiidae: Paracucujinae). Based on adults and larvae ofP. rostratus Sen Gupta & Crowson.

Pharaxonotha Reitter, 1875 (Erotylidae: Pharaxonothinae). Based on adults and larvae ofP. floridana (Casey) (Leschen 2003).

Phloeostichus Redtenbacher, 1842 (Phloeostichidae: Phloeostichinae). Based on adults ofP. denticollis Redtenbacher, and a presumed larva from Guzeripl, Adygeya Autonomous Region (north-western Caucasus), Russia.

Priasilpha Broun, 1893 (Phloeostichidae: Priasilphinae). Based on adults and larvae ofP. obscura Broun.

Priastichus Crowson, 1973 (Phloeostichidae: Priasilphinae). Based on adults and larvae ofP. megathorax, sp. nov.

Propalticus Sharp, 1879 (Propalticidae). Based on adults ofP. doddi John and notes on a presumed larva of aPropalticus sp. collected in Lamington National Park, Queensland, under bark of deadCasuarina, by R. A. Crowson and preserved on a slide in Crowson’s collection.

Protosphindus Sen Gupta & Crowson, 1979 (Sphindidae: Protosphindinae). Based on adults and larvae ofP. chilensis Sen Gupta & Crowson and published material inBurakowski and Ślipiński (1987).

Rhizophagus Herbst, 1793 (Monotomidae: Rhizophaginae). Based on adults ofRhizophagus sp. from New York and larvae ofRhizophagus sp. from Mt Rainier National Park, Washington.

Rhopalobrachium Boheman, 1858 (Phloeostichidae: Hymaeinae). Based on adults and larvae ofR. clavipes Boheman.

Smicrips LeConte, 1878 (Smicripidae). Based on adults and larvae ofSmicrips spp. (from Panama and Arizona).

Tasmosalpingus Lea, 1918 (Phloeostichidae: Tasmosalpinginae). Based on adults ofT. quadrispilotus Lea and tentatively identified larvae of this species from Bruny Island, Tasmania.

Thymalus Latreille, 1802 (Trogossitidae: Peltinae). Based on adults and larvae ofT. marginicollis Chevrolat.

Xerasia Lewis, 1895 (Byturidae: Byturinae). Based on adults and larvae ofX. grisescens (Jayne).