Two new taxa of subtribe Rhaconotina (Hymenoptera: Braconidae,Doryctinae, Doryctini) from Africa,with a key to subtribe genera

A new genus, Grangerdoryctes gen. n. (with type species Aivalykus niger Granger), from Madagascar and a new subgenus Pararhacon subgen. n. of the genus Rhaconotus Ruthe (type species R. (P.) haeselbarthi sp. n.) from South Africa are described and illustrated. A discussion of genera without a second radiomedial vein of the fore wing in the tribe Doryctini is presented. The position and content of the subtribe Rhaconotina are discussed and a key for determination of the genera of this subtribe is proposed.     

Febraina: a new subtribe of Alticini with cladistic analysis based on morphology (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)

A new subtribe Febraina subtr.n. is established with Febra Clark designated as the type genus. Cladistic analysis based on morphological characters is carried out to reveal the composition of a new subtribe and to test its monophyly. Subtribe includes the following genera: Chilocoristes Weise; Halticorcus Lea; Setsaltica Samuelson; Maaltica Samuelson; Axillofebra Samuelson; Profebra Samuelson. Bionomical features of the genera of the subtribe are summarised. The syndrome of hemisphery is recorded for the genera of the subtribe, and morphological transformation resulting in hemisphery is described and discussed. Correspondence between direction of morphological transformation, phylogenetic arrangement of genera, and distributional pattern is recorded and discussed.     

Phylogeny of the hyper‐diverse rove beetle subtribe Philonthina with implications for classification of the tribe Staphylinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

With 71 genera and over 2700 described species, Philonthina is the most speciose subtribe of rove beetle tribe Staphylinini and forms a major component of the largest remaining higher systematics challenge in Staphylinini, the ‘Staphylinini propria’ clade. A related systematics issue concerns the position of the genus Holisus (Hyptiomina), which was recovered within the Neotropical philonthine lineage in several recent analyses of morphology. With the aims of resolving the phylogeny of Philonthina and the position and, thus, validity of Hyptiomina, we performed phylogenetic analyses of the tribe Staphylinini based on molecular (six genes, 4471 bp) and morphological (113 characters) data including 138 taxa from all relevant lineages of Staphylinini. We found that ‘Staphylinini propria’ is a monophylum consisting of six lineages: current subtribes Anisolinina, Philonthina, Staphylinina and Xanthopygina; and two new subtribes, Algonina Schillhammer and Brunke and Philothalpina Chatzimanolis and Brunke. While the previously hypothesized Neotropical lineage of Philonthina was corroborated, Holisus was recovered as a separate subtribe, outside of Philonthina, within an informal ‘Southern Hemisphere clade’. Based on our analyses, we propose tentative new concepts of the polyphyletic genera Belonuchus and Philonthus. We propose the following taxonomic changes: synonymy of the subtribes Staphylinina Latreille (valid name) and Eucibdelina Sharp; resurrection of genera Barypalpus Cameron and Trapeziderus Motschulsky from synonymy with Rientis Sharp and Belonuchus Nordmann, respectively; transfer of 38 Belonuchus species, 16 Hesperus Fauvel species and one Philonthus Stephens species to Trapeziderus as new combinations; transfer of two Hesperus species to Eccoptolonthus Bernhauer as new combinations; transfer of one Belonuchus species to Paederomimus Sharp as a new combination; and transfer of Pridonius Blackwelder new status from its position as a subgenus of Quedius (subtribe Quediina) to Philonthina as a genus, and new combinations for its two described species.     

A new species of Chiliotrichiopsis (Asteraceae: Astereae) from Peru

Chiliotrichiopsis peruviana Nesom, H. Rob. & Granda, a new species from Dept. Ayacucho in southwestern Peru, is described and illustrated. It is the only rayless species of the genus, now expanded to four species, and the only one that occurs outside of Argentina.Chiliotrichiopsis is one of six shrubby South American genera of Astereae (subtribe Hinterhuberinae) with paleate receptacles. Observations on morphology and a key to these genera provide perspective for the generic placement of the new species.     

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE SUBTRIBE LAGASCEINAE (COMPOSITAE,HELIANTHEAE)

The subtribe Lagasceinae of the tribe Heliantheae is recognized traditionally to consist of two genera: Lagascea and Coulterella. Although both taxa possess uni-flowered heads aggregated into synflorescences, they are very different in most other morphological and anatomical respects. The six species of Lagascea that were investigated cytologically are n = 17, whereas the monotypic Coulterella is n = 18 with chromosomes one-half the size of those of Lagascea. The dissimilarities suggest that the two genera should not be retained in the same subtribe, and that the subtribe Lagasceinae should be abandoned. Lagascea seems to be related most closely to genera of the subtribe Helianthinae, such as Alvordia. Coulterella, on the other hand, seems closest to Flaveria of the tribe Helenieae or Senecioneae.     

Kauriphanes n. gen., a new genus of braconid parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) from New Zealand

A new genus belonging to the braconid wasp subfamily Doryctinae, Kauriphanes n. gen. (type species K. khalaimi n. sp.), is described from New Zealand. This genus is placed within the doryctine subtribe Caenophanina. The extent of this subtribe is discussed and the phylogenetic relationships of three of its genera were investigated using one mitochondrial and one nuclear DNA sequence markers. Similar to previous studies, the Bayesian analyses performed significantly support a clade with the included members of Caenophanina as a sister group of a clade with the examined species of Spathiini sensu stricto. The placement of the Caenophanini within Doryctini, however, is left pendant to further exhaustive phylogenetic studies. A key to genera and subgenera belonging to Caenophanina is given.     

A revised classification of subtribe Helianthinae (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) II. Derived lineages

Sequence data for internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial external transcribed spacer (ETS) regions were combined in a phylogenetic analysis with previously obtained plastid DNA restriction site data to provide a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for derived members of subtribe Helianthinae. Analyses of the two molecular datasets provided conflicting evidence on relationships among some groups, supporting the hypothesis that hybridization has played a significant role in the divergence of the subtribe. A revised generic‐level classification is presented that divides the approximately 350 species of the subtribe among 21 genera. The paraphyletic Viguiera is narrowed to embrace only the type species, V. dentata. Four newly described genera, Dendroviguiera, Gonzalezia, Heiseria and Sidneya, are composed of species formerly included in Viguiera. Aldama is expanded to include 118 species extending from southwestern North America and Mexico to South America. This requires 116 new combinations, including 58 that were recently transferred into Rhysolepis, which is a synonym of Aldama, based on molecular phylogenetic results. One species of Viguiera is transferred to Tithonia, and two combinations in Hymenostephium are validated. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 167 , 311–331.     

SYSTEMATIC IMPLICATIONS OF CHLOROPLAST DNA VARIATION IN THE SUBTRIBE MICROSERIDINAE (ASTERACEAE: LACTUCEAE)

Phylogenetic relationships among six of the seven currently recognized genera of the subtribe Microseridinae were examined using comparative restriction site mapping of the chloroplast genome. Complete cleavage maps of 17 enzymes were constructed for 35 of the 46 species in the subtribe and six representative outgroup species from four other subtribes of the Lactuceae. A total of 373 restriction site mutations was detected, 180 of which were phylogenetically informative. The chloroplast DNA mutations were used to generate phylogenetic trees using Dollo, Wagner, and weighted parsimony, and the resulting monophyletic groups were evaluated by the bootstrap method. The results indicate that the Microseridinae is paraphyletic because Stephanomeria is nested within the six core genera of the subtribe. Five of the genera of the Microseridinae are monophyletic, whereas Microseris is paraphyletic because one of its species, M. lindleyi, is more closely related to Agoseris and Nothocalais. The distant relationship of M. lindleyi to the rest of the species of Microseris is enigmatic, especially in view of its known involvement in the origin of two allotetraploid species, M. decipiens and M. heterocarpa. The taxonomic implications of these results lead to a revised classification of Microseris in which the genus Uropappus is revived to accommodate M. lindleyi, and a new genus, Stebbinsoseris, is described to include the allotetraploids. The cpDNA phylogeny is used to evaluate the patterns of character evolution within the Microseridinae, as well as to test previous hypotheses that differences in generation time result in unequal rates of chloroplast DNA evolution.     

Pythiopina,an enigmatic subtribe of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pedinini): taxonomic revision,microtomography, ecological niche models and phylogenetic position

Morphological, anatomical, and distributional data concerning the S outh A frican endemic beetle subtribe P ythiopina (T enebrionidae: P edinini) are revised. Five species, representing two genera, are recognized. Included in this total is one new species (Meglyphus mariae K amiński sp.n. ). The following species are placed in synonymy: Meglyphus ciliatipes [=Meglyphus calitzensis syn.n. ]; Meglyphus laenoides [=Meglyphus andreaei syn.n. ; =Meglyphus namaqua syn.n. ]. Microtomographic models for all valid P ythiopina species, including the holotype of the newly described species, are presented and analysed. Endoskeleton morphology (specifically characters of the tentorium and metendosternite) proved to be informative at the specific and generic levels. An identification key is provided to all known species of the subtribe. Environmental niche models are presented for the majority of species. A molecular phylogeny of P edinini based on six genetic loci (28S : D 1–D 3 region; 28S : D 4–D 5 region, COII , A rgK , CAD 2, wg) was also produced to explore the phylogenetic position of P ythiopina. This analysis is the first to include representatives of all seven subtribes of P edinini, and supports a sister relationship between P ythiopina and the P alaearctic subtribe D endarina. Results also suggest the existence of a second pair of sister taxa within P edinini (in addition to M elambiina) with an amphitropical A frican distribution. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:285AD87A‐46B1‐4FE9‐BC57‐949EA1F70D49 .     

HENRICKSONIA (ASTERACEAE-COREOPSIDINAE), A NEWLY DISCOVERED GENUS WITH A PALEACEOUS PAPPUS FROM NORTH-CENTRAL MEXICO

A new genus, Henricksonia, containing the single species H. mexicana, has been described from a locality in north-central Mexico. It is unique among the genera of the subtribe Coreopsidinae in possessing a pappus of well-developed scales such as frequently occurs in other subtribes of the Heliantheae. The discovery of four, previously uncollected, monotypic genera among several tribes of the Asteraceae from this region over the past several years suggests that the area is a primary center of diversification for this large family.     

A review of species of the tribe Auletini (Coleoptera,Rhynchitidae) from the Russian fauna: 2. Subtribe pseudomesauletina

The genera Eurostauletes, Aletinus, and Pseudomesauletes from the fauna of Russia are revised. Each genus includes one species in the Russian fauna (Eu. longimanus, A. beckeri, and P. uniformis), their distribution in Russia is clarified. The data on the trophic associations of the species are summarized. The subtribe Pseudomesauletina, the genera Eurostauletes, Aletinus, and Pseudomesauletes, the subgenera Heterauletes and Pseudomesauletes s. str., and the species Eu. longimanus, A. beckeri, and P. uniformis are redescribed. A key to the Palaearctic genera of the subtribe Pseudomesauletina is given.     

Revision and phylogenetic assessment of the rove beetle genus Pseudohesperus Hayashi,with broad reference to the subtribe Philonthina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini)

This paper studies the phylogeny of the rove beetle subtribe Philonthina, to test its hypothetical monophyly and to unravel the evolutionary relationships of the subtribe and its included genus‐level taxa, with emphasis on the genus Pseudohesperus and its close‐allied relatives. The phylogenetic analyses are based on 105 adult morphological characters and 66 terminal taxa, i.e., all six members of Pseudohesperus, 51 species to represent 29 other genera of the subtribe Philonthina, seven species to represent the other six subtribes of Staphylinini, one species of the tribes Arrowinini, and one of the Platyprosopini. According to the phylogenetic results obtained, the genus Erichsonius should move out from the hitherto‐defined subtribe Philonthina and thus the monophyly of this taxon is challenged. The phylogenetic tree suggests that the genera Hesperus and Belonuchus might not be monophyletic, but the monophyly of Pseudohesperus and the sister relationship between it and Bisnius are well supported. The species‐level phylogenetic relationships of the genus Pseudohesperus reveal a clear pattern of species diversification that can be correlated well with the species' zoogeographical patterns. The paper also revises the taxonomy of Pseudohesperus and describes five new species from China: Pseudohesperus luteus Li & Zhou sp. nov. , Pseudohesperus pedatiformis Li & Zhou sp. nov. , Pseudohesperus tripartitus Li & Zhou sp. nov. , Pseudohesperus sparsipunctatus Li & Zhou sp. nov. , and Bisnius lubricus Li & Zhou sp. nov. An identification key to the species of Pseudohesperus is provided and their geographical distributions are mapped. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163 , 679–722.     

Molecular phylogenetics of subtribe Aeridinae (Orchidaceae): insights from plastid matK and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences

We conducted phylogenetic analyses using two DNA sequence data sets derived from matK, the maturase-coding gene located in an intron of the plastid gene trnK, and the internal transcribed spacer region of 18S–26S nuclear ribosomal DNA to examine relationships in subtribe Aeridinae (Orchidaceae). Specifically, we investigated (1) phylogenetic relationships among genera in the subtribe, (2) the congruence between previous classifications of the subtribe and the phylogenetic relationships inferred from the molecular data, and (3) evolutionary trends of taxonomically important characters of the subtribe, such as pollinia, a spurred lip, and a column foot. In all, 75 species representing 62 genera in subtribe Aeridinae were examined. Our analyses provided the following insights: (1) monophyly of subtribe Aeridinae was tentatively supported in which 14 subclades reflecting phylogenetic relationships can be recognized, (2) results are inconsistent with previous classifications of the subtribe, and (3) repeated evolution of previously emphasized characters such as pollinia number and apertures, length of spur, and column foot was confirmed. It was found that the inconsistencies are mainly caused by homoplasy of these characters. At the genus level, Phalaenopsis, Cleisostoma, and Sarcochilus are shown to be non-monophyletic.     

Systematics of rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) associated with Hodotermopsis sjostedti (Isoptera: Termopsidae)

Members of the termitophilous subtribe Termitozyrina (Aleocharinae: Lomechusini) associated with Hodotermopsis sjostedti are taxonomically treated. The genera Hodotermophilus Naomi & Terayama and Termophidoholus Naomi & Hirono, and each type species (monotypic) are redescribed. Termophidoholus formosanus, originally described from Taiwan, and its host termite H. sjostedti are newly recorded from Laos. Yakuus iwatai Kanao & Maruyama gen. & sp. nov. and H. gloriosus were collected sympatrically in the same nests in Yaku‐shima, Japan. All of the above species, belonging to the three genera, share the presence of a batch of spurs at the tibial apex of fore and mid legs. Habitus photographs and illustrations of diagnostic features are provided for these species, and their phylogenetic relationships are discussed based on morphological similarities and the extant distribution of the host termite species.     

CHROMOSOME NUMBERS IN COMPOSITAE VIII: HELIANTHEAE

One hundred and ninety-three new counts are reported for the tribe Heliantheae of Compositae, mostly based on determinations of meiotic material, including first counts for the genera Adenothamnus, Chrysogonum, Enceliopsis, Guardiola, Isocarpha, Lipochaeta, Otopappus, and Oyedaea, as well as first counts for 66 species. The original counts are discussed in relation to those previously reported for the tribe, by genera and subtribe. Two-thirds of the approximately 150 genera and more than a third of the roughly 1500 species have now been examined. The incomplete knowledge of generic relationships in the tribe often make the interpretation of these chromosome numbers difficult. Three observations are documented and discussed: (1) genera with low chromosome numbers are few; (2) genera with aneuploid series are abundant; and (3) the original basic chromosome number in the tribe is probably in the range of x = 8 to x = 12.     

A systematic histological study of palm fruits. VI. Subtribe Linospadicinae (Arecaceae)

The pericarp structure of representative species of the four genera of the subtribe Linospadicinae is described and compared. Tissues found in the pericarp of this group are similar to those found in other subtribes of the Areceae, with no characters unique to the subtribe and nothing to suggest its closest affinities. The four genera, as well as each species examined, do show distinctive pericarp features, however.Laccospadix andLinospadix are similar, both with a single series of fibrous, bundles and an outer series of prominent raphide-bearing cells dominating the pericarp. In bothHowea andCalyptrocalyx, a complex exocarp forms from a series of fibrous bundles and brachysclereids, but each genus has other distinctive characters.Howea has vascular bundles in the exocarp zone, an outer series of raphide-bearing cells, and a conspicuously thickened locular epidermis. Based on a limited sample of four species, raphide-bearing cells appear to be always interior to the exocarp inCalyptrocalyx, and the locular epidermis is thin.     

Phylogeny of xanthopygine rove beetles (Coleoptera) based on six molecular loci

The rove beetle subtribe Xanthopygina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Staphylinini) is a species‐rich group of 27 neotropical genera that contains some of the largest and most brightly coloured of all staphylinid beetles. The monophyly of the subtribe has never been tested before, using a large dataset of taxa and genes. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses are used on individual genes (COI, 28S rDNA, wingless, arginine kinase, CAD and topoisomerase I) and the partitioned concatenated dataset to test for monophyly and examine the relationships among Xanthopygina genera. Xanthopygina (excluding Philothalpus) are shown to be a monophyletic group with strong support values. The genus Philothalpus is removed from Xanthopygina and placed in the tribe Staphylinini as incertae sedis. Four distinct clades of Xanthopygina genera are recognized. The origin of Xanthopygina is hypothesized to be in the Late Cretaceous or later and the origin of myrmecophilous adaptations is discussed.     

Phylogeny of the Homalotina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) based on morphology

The aleocharine subtribe Homalotina Heer represents one of the most diverse lineages of Staphylinidae. Despite its wide distribution and diversity, the phylogenetic relationships of the subtribe remain poorly understood. Here, we present the first cladistic analysis of the Homalotina based on morphological data. The subtribe is hypothesized to be a monophyletic group consisting of seven genera (Anomognathus Solier, Cephaloxynum Bernhauer, Holisomimus Cameron, Homalota Mannerheim, Neomalota Cameron, Stenomastax Cameron, and Thecturota Casey). The dataset for phylogenetic analysis comprised 83 characters representing 245 character states derived from adult morphology. These data were analysed using equal weighting and implied weighting schemes (k = 1–6) and results support the monophyly of the subtribe based on two synapomorphic characters (complete postoccipital sutures on head, posterolateral margin of metacoxae with macrosetae) and three homoplastic characters (medial setae on prementum not extended to apex of ligula, medial setae on labium contiguous, posterolateral angle of elytron slightly sinuate). Generic relationships differ in each analysis within the Homalotina (EW, IW with k = 1, 2–4, 5–6) although there are some identical topologies among the IW trees. Clades A, B, C, D, H, J and G were resolved as monophyletic in all weighting regimes. The monophyly of the genera is relatively well supported except for the genera Homalota and Stenomastax. Homalota species were recovered in four independent clades (clade C, D, I, K) and the Stenomastax species were recovered in two independent lineages. Candidates for the possible new genera are discussed. We herein transfer Homalota flavomaculata Bernhauer to the genus Stenomastax, resulting in the new combination [Stenomastax flavomaculata (Bernhauer)]. Our preliminary character correlation tests using phylogenetic pairwise comparisons did not support the hypothesis of association between flattened body form, and subcortical habitat and anterior shift of antennal insertion in Homalotini.     

Phylogenetic relationships of Thlaspi s.l. (subtribe Thlaspidinae, Lepidieae) and allied genera based on chloroplast DNA restriction-site variation

Chloroplast DNA restriction-site variation was analyzed in 30 accessions representing 20 species from the major lineages in Thlaspi s.l. (previously described as genera by Meyer 1973, 1979) and allied genera from the subtribe Thlaspidinae (Peltaria, Teesdalia, Cochlearia, Ionopsidium, Aethionema). A total of 161 variable restriction sites were detected. Phylogenetic analyses indicated a division of Thlaspi s.l. into three groups consistent with Meyer's genera Thlaspi s. str., Microthlaspi and Noccaea/Raparia. The genus Thlaspi s.l. as currently described proved to be paraphyletic because one of its major lineages, i.e. Thlaspi s. str., appeared to be more closely related to other genera (Peltaria, Teesdalia) than to the remaining lineages of Thlaspi s.l., i.e. Noccaea/Raparia and Microthlaspi. Sequence divergence values (100 x p) between the Thlaspi s.l. lineages were similar to values between these groups and related genera (Teesdalia, Peltaria), respectively. Chloroplast DNA variation was also used to assess subtribal classification of the genera studied. The cpDNA data were inconsistent with the controversial taxonomic classifications based on morphology. The molecular data would suggest that (1) the subtribe Thlaspidinae, as traditionally described, is not monophyletic; (2) the Thlaspidinae should be reduced to a group consisting of Thlaspi s. str., Peltaria, Teesdalia, Microthlaspi, Noccaea/Raparia, and that Aethionema should be excluded from the Thlaspidinae; and (3) Cochlearia and Ionopsidium represent the subtribe Cochleariinae.