Michael A. Ivie

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.

ESTIMATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FURTHER SAMPLING INSPECIES INVENTORIES

Estimators of the number of additional species expected in the next An samples offer a potentially important tool for improving cost-effectiveness of species in- ventories but are largely untested. We used Monte Carlo methods to compare 11 such estimators, across a range of community structures and sampling regimes, and validated our results, where possible, using empirical data from vascular plant and beetle inventories from Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. We found that B. Efron and R. Thisteds 1976 negative binomial estimator was most robust to differences in community structure and that it was among the most accurate estimators when sampling was from model communities with structures resembling the large, heterogeneous communities that are the likely targets of major inventory efforts. Other estimators may be preferred under specific conditions, however. For example, when sampling was from model communities with highly even species-abundance distributions, estimates based on the Michaelis-Menten model were most accurate; when sampling was from moderately even model communities with S = 10 species or communities with highly uneven species-abundance distributions, estimates based on Gleasons (1922) species-area model were most accurate. We suggest that use of such methods in species inventories can help improve cost-effectiveness by providing an ob- jective basis for redirecting sampling to more-productive sites, methods, or time periods as the expectation of detecting additional species becomes unacceptably low.

Effects of Volcanic Ash on the Forest Canopy Insects of Montserrat, West Indies

Abstract The impact of ash deposition levels on canopy arthropods was studied on the West Indian island of Montserrat, the site of an ongoing volcanic eruption since 1995. Many of the island’s natural habitats have been buried by volcanic debris, and remaining forests regularly receive volcanic ash deposition. To test the effect of ash on canopy arthropods, four study sites were sampled over a 15-mo period. Arthropod samples were obtained using canopy fogging, and ash samples were taken from leaf surfaces. Volcanic ash has had a significant negative impact on canopy arthropod populations, but the decline is not shared equally by all taxa present, and total population variation is within the variance attributed to other aboitic and biotic factors. The affected populations do not differ greatly from those of the neighboring island of St. Kitts, which has not been subject to recent volcanic activity. This indicates that observed effects on Montserrat’s arthropod fauna have a short-term acute response to recent ash deposition rather than a chronic depression caused by repeated exposure to ash over the last decade.

Beetle Fauna of the United States and Canada

Abstract Data on the size of the beetle fauna of North America north of Mexico are summarized from the newly published volumes of American Beetles. As currently recorded, this fauna contains 25,160 species in 3,526 genera and 129 families. Five families together contain over 50% of the species, 13 families together more than 75%, and 29 together over 90%. Sixteen families that have been fully revised or reviewed showed an average increase in species diversity of 21% since 1963 (range −20% to +116%). The total number of species reported from North America is expected to continue to increase to nearly 28,000 species, as reports of known undescribed species currently number in the several hundreds.

DNA barcoding to improve the species-level management of wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae).

ABSTRACT Economically important species of wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) were successfully associated with adults using cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcoding, proving the usefulness of this technique to associate life stages in taxonomically difficult pest groups. Previously unrecognized and morphologically difficult, even indistinguishable, pest larvae were shown to be identifiable using this technique. This is a critical step toward discovering effective species-based integrated pest management strategies for this resurgent pest group following the loss of Lindane seed treatments. Three new adult—larval associations were discovered for Hadromorphus callidus (Brown), Hemicrepidius carbonatus (LeConte) and Metanomus insidiosus (LeConte). Hypnoidus bicolor (Eschscholtz) was shown to comprise multiple divergent lineages at a level usually considered different species, indicating that the population structure of some pest species requires more investigation. The status of the prairie grain wireworm, Selatosomus destructor (Brown), as a full species or as a subspecies of Selatosomus aeripennis (Kirby) is called into question.

Field-Based Evaluation of Biopesticide Impacts on Native Biodiversity: Malagasy Coleoptera and Anti-Locust Entomopathogenic Fungi

Abstract A community of 225 species of Coleoptera was used as a surrogate to evaluate nontarget effects of entomopathogenic fungi under development as biopesticides for use against the Malagasy migratory locust Locusta migratoria capito Saussure (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Evaluation of a standard chemical treatment of fenitrothion + esfenvalerate, two indigenous isolates of Metarhizium flavoviride Gams & Roszsypol (SP3 and SP9), and an indigenous isolate of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (SP16) against an untreated control in a replicated field trial in southern Madagascar showed that one of the isolates of M. flavoviride (SP3) and fenitrothion + esfenvalerate had distinct effects on nontarget beetle communities that were similar to each other. The other two isolates had no detectable effects compared with the untreated control. Based on an evaluation of the species affected, the similar effects of SP3 and the chemical pesticide are hypothesized to be the result of a perturbation of predator-prey relationships, with a distinct tendency to be manifested via predators. The data indicate that use of SP9 and SP16 would have minimal detrimental effects on the biodiversity of nontarget beetles, but that SP3 needs further testing.

The Methiini of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) with notes on the circum-Caribbean species

The Methiini of the West Indies are revised. Cyanomethia pseudothonalmus, new genus, new species and Methia jamaicensis new species are described. Methia pusilla, M. constricticollis, M. impressicollis, M. insularum, M. pallida, M. pulchra, M. punctata, and M. rhizophorae are new synonyms of M. necydalea. Keys to genera of Methiini and species of Methia in the West Indies are given and the biology and morphological variation of the genus Methia discussed. A phylogenetic analysis of the Methiini is conducted to determine relationships among the genera, and the zoogeographic patterns of species found in the West Indies is included.

The Familial Placement and Specific Membership of Escalerina Bolívar Y Pieltain and Paulusiella Löbl (Coleoptera: Elateridae, Dascillidae, Drilidae), with New Synonymies

ABSTRACT The familial placement of the often-confused genera Escalerina Bolívar y Pieltain and Paulusiella Löbl are established to be Dascillidae: Karumiinae and Elateridae incertae sedis, respectively. Escalerina is placed in synonymy with Karumia Escalera, new synonymy, as are Drilocephalus Pic, new synonymy, and Zarudniola Semenov and Martynov. Selasia sweihana Geisthardt is transferred to Paulusiella Löbl as Paulusiella sweihana (Geisthardt), new combination. The membership and history of the genera are reviewed.

A Checklist of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) of Montana, USA, with Distribution Maps

ABSTRACT One hundred fifty-one species of Cerambycidae are recorded from Montana, an increase of 55 in the published literature. Distribution within Montana is reported by county, with 1,156 individual county records. The Chao 1 estimator mean predicts another 29 species remain to be discovered in the state.

Anthicidae (Coleoptera) of the Virgin Islands

Eight species in two subfamilies of Anthicidae are known from the Virgin Islands: Neoeurygenius portoricensis Abdullah (Eurygeniinae); Anthicus antilleorum Werner, A. crinitus LaFerte-Senectere, A. floralis (Linneaus), A. tobias Marseul, Vacusus vicinus (LaFerte-Senectere), Sapintus teapensis (Champion), and Acanthinus trifasciatus (Fabricius) (Anthicinae).In addition to a key to these species, each is diagnosed and illustrated, and the Virgin Islands distribution given. The biogeographical composition of the fauna is discussed. A key to the subfamilies and tribes of West Indian anthicids is provided.