Mary Liz Jameson

The beetle tree of life reveals that Coleoptera survived end‐Permian mass extinction to diversify during the Cretaceous terrestrial revolution

Here we present a phylogeny of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) based on DNA sequence data from eight nuclear genes, including six single‐copy nuclear protein‐coding genes, for 367 species representing 172 of 183 extant families. Our results refine existing knowledge of relationships among major groups of beetles. Strepsiptera was confirmed as sister to Coleoptera and each of the suborders of Coleoptera was recovered as monophyletic. Interrelationships among the suborders, namely Polyphaga (Adephaga (Archostemata, Myxophaga)), in our study differ from previous studies. Adephaga comprised two clades corresponding to Hydradephaga and Geadephaga. The series and superfamilies of Polyphaga were mostly monophyletic. The traditional Cucujoidea were recovered in three distantly related clades. Lymexyloidea was recovered within Tenebrionoidea. Several of the series and superfamilies of Polyphaga received moderate to maximal clade support in most analyses, for example Buprestoidea, Chrysomeloidea, Coccinelloidea, Cucujiformia, Curculionoidea, Dascilloidea, Elateroidea, Histeroidea and Hydrophiloidea. However, many of the relationships within Polyphaga lacked compatible resolution under maximum‐likelihood and Bayesian inference, and/or lacked consistently strong nodal support. Overall, we recovered slightly younger estimated divergence times than previous studies for most groups of beetles. The ordinal split between Coleoptera and Strepsiptera was estimated to have occurred in the Early Permian. Crown Coleoptera appeared in the Late Permian, and only one or two lineages survived the end‐Permian mass extinction, with stem group representatives of all four suborders appearing by the end of the Triassic. The basal split in Polyphaga was estimated to have occurred in the Triassic, with the stem groups of most series and superfamilies originating during the Triassic or Jurassic. Most extant families of beetles were estimated to have Cretaceous origins. Overall, Coleoptera experienced an increase in diversification rate compared to the rest of Neuropteroidea. Furthermore, 10 family‐level clades, all in suborder Polyphaga, were identified as having experienced significant increases in diversification rate. These include most beetle species with phytophagous habits, but also several groups not typically or primarily associated with plants. Most of these groups originated in the Cretaceous, which is also when a majority of the most species‐rich beetle families first appeared. An additional 12 clades showed evidence for significant decreases in diversification rate. These clades are species‐poor in the Modern fauna, but collectively exhibit diverse trophic habits. The apparent success of beetles, as measured by species numbers, may result from their associations with widespread and diverse substrates – especially plants, but also including fungi, wood and leaf litter – but what facilitated these associations in the first place or has allowed these associations to flourish likely varies within and between lineages. Our results provide a uniquely well‐resolved temporal and phylogenetic framework for studying patterns of innovation and diversification in Coleoptera, and a foundation for further sampling and resolution of the beetle tree of life.

Synopsis of the New World Genera of Anomalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) and Description of a New Genus from Costa Rica and Nicaragua

Abstract We describe a new genus of anomaline scarab, Anomalorhina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anomalini) from Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Anomala turrialbana Ohaus is transferred into this genus, and a new species, Anomalorhina osaensis, is described. Anomalorhina is characterized by the clypeal apex that is abruptly reflexed, the base of the frons that has prominent tubercles in males, the pronotum with a depressed fovea in males, and the pronotum with the apical bead posteriorly produced and V-shaped at the middle in females. We summarize the biological importance of the 16 genera of New World anomaline scarabs, including comments on agricultural pests, larvae, and natural history. We provide an overview and synopsis of each of the New World anomaline genera with comments on biology and characteristics for identification.

Biology Needs a Modern Assessment System for Professional Productivity

Stimulated in large part by the advent of the Internet, research productivity in many academic disciplines has changed dramatically over the last two decades. However, the assessment system that governs professional success has not kept pace, creating a mismatch between modes of scholarly productivity and academic assessment criteria. In this article, we describe the problem and present ideas for solutions. We argue that adjusting assessment criteria to correspond to modern scholarly productivity is essential for the success of individual scientists and of our discipline as a whole. The authors and endorsers of this article commit to a number of actions that constitute steps toward ensuring that all forms of scholarly productivity are credited. The emphasis here is on systematic biology, but we are not alone in experiencing this mismatch between productivity and assessment. An additional goal in this article is to begin a conversation about the problem with colleagues in other subdisciplines of biology.

Descriptions of the Larvae of Chlorota cincticollis Blanchard and Chasmodia collaris (Blanchard) (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) with a Key to the Larvae of the American Genera of Rutelini

Abstract Larvae of the genera Chlorota Burmeister and Chasmodia Macleay (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) are described for the first time based on the larvae of Chlorota cincticollis Blanchard and Chasmodia collaris (Blanchard). The pupa of C. cincticollis is also described. A key to the larvae of 19 American genera of Rutelini and a list of the described species are provided.

Floral associations of cyclocephaline scarab beetles

Abstract The scarab beetle tribe Cyclocephalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) is the second largest tribe of rhinoceros beetles, with nearly 500 described species. This diverse group is most closely associated with early diverging angiosperm groups (the family Nymphaeaceae, magnoliid clade, and monocots), where they feed, mate, and receive the benefit of thermal rewards from the host plant. Cyclocephaline floral association data have never been synthesized, and a comprehensive review of this ecological interaction was necessary to promote research by updating nomenclature, identifying inconsistencies in the data, and reporting previously unpublished data. Based on the most specific data, at least 97 cyclocephaline beetle species have been reported from the flowers of 58 plant genera representing 17 families and 15 orders. Thirteen new cyclocephaline floral associations are reported herein. Six cyclocephaline and 25 plant synonyms were reported in the literature and on beetle voucher specimen labels, and these were updated to reflect current nomenclature. The valid names of three unavailable plant host names were identified. We review the cyclocephaline floral associations with respect to inferred relationships of angiosperm orders. Ten genera of cyclocephaline beetles have been recorded from flowers of early diverging angiosperm groups. In contrast, only one genus, Cyclocephala, has been recorded from dicot flowers. Cyclocephaline visitation of dicot flowers is limited to the New World, and it is unknown whether this is evolutionary meaningful or the result of sampling bias and incomplete data. The most important areas for future research include: 1) elucidating the factors that attract cyclocephalines to flowers including floral scent chemistry and thermogenesis, 2) determining whether cyclocephaline dicot visitation is truly limited to the New World, and 3) inferring evolutionary relationships within the Cyclocephalini to rigorously test vicarance hypotheses, host plant shifts, and mutualisms with angiosperms.

Distinguishing male and female Chinese rose beetles, Adoretus sinicus, with an overview of Adoretus species of biosecurity concern

Abstract The Chinese rose beetle, Adoretus sinicus Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Adoretini), is a broadly polyphagous scarab beetle that is economically important and causes damage to a wide variety of host plants including agricultural crops and ornamentals in Southeast Asia, China, the Hawaiian Islands and several other Pacific Islands. The species has become established in numerous regions and is of biosecurity concern because importation of this species to other regions poses a threat to agriculture due to its generalist herbivore feeding habits. Field and laboratory research directed towards control of the species is hampered by the lack of characteristics that allow accurate determination of the sexes on live beetles in the field. Here, three recognizable and reliable non-destructive morphological differences between the sexes of A. sinicus are documented: (1) the form of the terminal sternite; (2) the length to width ratio of protarsomere 1, and; 3) the ratio of the combined length of protarsomeres 2–4 to the length of protarsomere 1. Because many Adoretus species are of biosecurity concern, and because tools to identify Adoretus species are lacking, we review the natural history and research on control associated with A. sinicus as well as the genus as a whole.

Evolution and phylogeny of the scarab subtribe Anisopliina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anomalini)

Abstract The subtribe Anisopliina (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anomalini) is associated with grasses, and its species are distributed in the Palaearctic, Oriental, Ethiopian, Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographical regions. Phylogenetic analysis of adult morphological characters was conducted to examine the monophyly and classification of the group, as well as to examine characters associated with grass pollinivory and graminivory. We review the biology, phylogeny and classification of the Anisopliina and provide an overview of each genus. The analysis of ninety‐one morphological characters using parsimony does not support the monophyly of the subtribe Anisopliina. Instead, the results provide support for a group referred to here as the anisopliine clade, a circum‐Mediterranean group, forming an internal clade within the well‐supported tribe Anomalini. Sister group relationships are discussed, possibly being associated with a New World anomaline taxon. Character states associated with grass herbivory, including mouthpart and leg characters, are discussed based on the phylogenetic analysis. Within the Anomalini, an evolutionary shift from generalized leaf feeding to grass associations and grass pollen feeding is supported.

Molecules, morphology and Mimeoma scarabs: evolutionary and taxonomic implications for a palm‐associated scarab group

Cyclocephaline scarabs, the second largest tribe of rhinoceros beetles, are important pollinators of early‐diverging angiosperm families in the tropics. The evolutionary history of cyclocephaline genera is poorly resolved and several genera are thought to be nonmonophyletic. We assess the monophyly of Mimeoma Casey, a group of Neotropical palm‐feeding scarabs, and its relationship to Cyclocephala with a phylogenetic analysis of 2899 bp of DNA sequence data and 18 morphological characters. All five species of Mimeoma were included in analyses along with species of Cyclocephala Dejean, Dyscinetus Harold and Tomarus Erichson as outgroup taxa. Nearly complete 28S, 12S and CO1 data were collected from 26 of 29 specimens, of which 16 samples were pinned, museum specimens. 28S data strongly support a nonmonophyletic Mimeoma; mitochondrial data (CO1 and 12S) suggest that Mimeoma species are nested within an apical clade of other Cyclocephala species; combined molecular and morphological data identify two strongly supported clades of Mimeoma species but do not support their sister relationship. Combined data show that Mimeoma species are nested within Cyclocephala, thus rendering Cyclocephala paraphyletic. Mimeoma is synonymized within Cyclocephala resulting in the following new combinations: Cyclocephala acuta Arrow n.comb., Cyclocephala englemani (Ratcliffe) n.comb., Cyclocephala maculata Burmeister n.comb., Cyclocephala nigra (Endrödi) n.comb. and Cyclocephala signatoides Höhne n.comb. Our results demonstrate that pinned, museum specimens can be used to obtain DNA sequence data (particularly high‐copy gene regions) for evolutionary studies, and provide the first empirical support that host‐plant associations within cyclocephaline scarab clades are conserved at the plant family‐level.

REVISION OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN GENUS BRACHYSTERNUS Guérin-Méneville (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE: RUTELINAE: ANOPLOGNATHINI: BRACHYSTERNINA)

Abstract The southern South American genus Brachysternus Guérin-Méneville is revised and now includes seven species: B. angustus (Philippi and Philippi), B. germaini (Ohaus) new combination, B. marginatus Germain, B. olivaceus Philippi and Philippi, B. patagoniensis Jameson and Smith new species, B. prasinus Guérin-Méneville, and B. spectabilis Erichson. The following species names are new synonyms of B. prasinus: B. vicinus Guérin-Méneville, B. sinuatifrons Germain, B. pubescens Germain, B. viridis Germain, B. dilatatus Germain, B. viridipes Ohaus, and B. hirtus Ohaus. The following species names are new synonyms of B. olivaceus: B. chloris Philippi and Philippi, B. riverae Germain, B. herbaceus Germain, and B. araucanicus Ohaus. The following names were incorrect: “B. viridis Guérin-Méneville” (lapsus calami), “B. viridis Laporte” (lapsus calami), “B. viridis Solier” (incorrect author), and “B. fulvescens Germain” (misapplication). Lectotypes are designated for the following names: B. araucanicus Ohaus, B. chloris Philippi and Philippi, B. dilitatus Germain, B. fulvipes Guérin-Méneville, B. hirtus Ohaus, B. marginatus Germain, B. obscurus Philippi and Philippi, B. olivaceus Philippi and Philippi, B. philippii Germain, B. pubescens Germain, B. riverae Germain, B. spectabilis Erichson, B. vicinus Guérin-Méneville, B. viridipes Ohaus, and B. viridis Germain. Neotypes are designated for B. germaini (Ohaus) and B. prasinus Guérin-Méneville. Keys to adults, diagnostic characters, descriptions, and distributions are presented.

Aroid scarabs in the genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae): key to species and new distributional data

Abstract The southeast Asian scarab beetle genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae, Cyclocephalini) is reviewed. New country records for Peltonotus morio Burmeister (Myanmar and Vietnam), Peltonotus nasutus Arrow (southern China and Cambodia), and Peltonotus favonius Jameson and Wada (Myanmar) are reported, including a new record in the Palearctic/Sino-Japanese biogeographic region. The first female specimen of Peltonotus favonius is described. Biological associations with aroid inflorescences are reviewed, and human consumption of Peltonotus beetles is reported. A key to all species, paralectotype designations for Peltonotus nasutus, diagnoses, and distributions using dynamic mapping tools are included.