Alesiella gen.n. and a newly discovered relict lineage of Staphylinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). (15th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: BRUNKE, ADAM J.; SOLODOVNIKOV, ALEXEY
• Is Part Of: Systematic entomology. Volume 38:Number 4(2013:Oct.)
• Page Start: 689
• Page End: 707
• Publication Date: 2013-07-15
• Subjects: Insects -- Classification -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.7012
• DOI: 10.1111/syen.12021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0307-6970

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="syen12021-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p id="syen12021-para-0001">This study aimed to identify the sister group of the poorly known and morphologically isolated Burmese species <italic>Quedius lineipennis</italic> within the tribe Staphylinini (Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) using morphological characters. Phylogenetic analysis of a broad taxon sample demonstrated that this Asian species is not a member of the genus <italic>Quedius</italic> but forms the sister taxon to the Neotropical genus <italic>Quediomacrus</italic>. Both taxa were shown to be members of a hitherto unrecognized lineage with a highly disjunct distribution. The lineage is hypothesized to be Asian in origin, with dispersals to the Americas during the early Eocene climatic maximum via Beringia and to Australia via land connections in the late Miocene. The current distribution of the lineage is considered to be relictual. New phylogenetic hypotheses within 'Quediina' and Staphylinini as a whole are proposed and the general tree topology of Staphylinini recovered by recent morphological studies is refined. Phylogenetic relationships within the <italic>Quedius</italic> complex remain unclear. <italic>Alesiella</italic> Brunke and Solodovnikov <bold>gen.n.</bold>, is erected for <italic>Quedius lineipennis</italic> and the <italic>Quedius</italic> subgenus <italic>Quedionuchus</italic> is reinstated to genus level with new combinations as follows: <italic>Quedionuchus atl</italic> (Smetana, 1975), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus calli</italic> (Smetana, 1976), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus cipactli</italic> (Smetana, 1976), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus coatl</italic> (Smetana, 1976), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus ehacatl</italic> (Smetana, 1976), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus ollin</italic> (Smetana, 1976), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus ozomatli</italic> (Smetana, 1975), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus reitterianus</italic> (Bernhauer, 1944), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus samuraicus</italic> (Bernhauer and Schubert, 1916), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus schultzei</italic> (Smetana, 1975), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus tecpatl</italic> (Smetana, 1976), <bold>comb.n.</bold>; <italic>Quedionuchus xochitl</italic> (Smetana, 1976). <italic>Quedius lugubris</italic> Lokay, 1913 is transferred from the subgenus <italic>Quedionuchus</italic> to the subgenus <italic>Distichalius</italic> and placed in synonymy: <italic>Quedius punctatellus</italic> (Heer, 1839) = <italic>Quedius lugubris</italic> Lokay, 1913, <bold>syn.n</bold>.</p> <p id="syen12021-para-0110">This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9C7D3C90‐FCB9‐414F‐911B‐194A1A6602DE.</p> </abstract>