First insights into the phylogeny of tok-tokkie beetles (Tenebrionidae: Molurina, Phanerotomeina) and examination of the status of the Psammodes vialis species-group

Abstract

Abstract The first molecular phylogeny of the tribe Sepidiini is inferred from analyses of DNA sequence data from the following five loci (CAD, wg, COI, COII, 28S rRNA). Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses were performed on a dataset containing 41 taxa, of which a majority represent Molurina (27) and Phanerotomeina (6). The resulting topologies were used to discuss phylogenetic placement and diagnostic characters of all of the genera representing Molurina. Within the subtribe, the results revealed paraphyly of the genus Psammodes. The P. vialis species-group, currently classified within Psammodes, was recovered as sister to all other Molurina genera. Based on this topology and morphological investigations, a new genus named Toktokkus gen. nov. is established. Within Phanerotomeina, Ocnodes is paraphyletic with regard to Tarsocnodes. In order to restore the monophyly of Ocnodes, the subgenus Chiliarchum stat. nov. is elevated to generic level. Finally, as the homology of female terminalia structures has never been fully assessed for Sepidiini, a comparative study of ovipositor morphology was conducted. As a result, this paper presents the first fully annotated ovipositors for tok-tokkie beetles.