Revision and phylogeny of the genus Pselaphomorphus Motschulsky, 1855 (Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae: Jubini).

Abstract

The Neotropical genus Pselaphomorphus Motschulsky, 1855 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Jubini Raffray) is revised, including the redescription of P. sculpturatus Motshulsky, 1855 (Panama), P. longiceps Raffray, 1890 (Brazil) and P. microphthalmus Raffray, 1890 (Venezuela) and description of 19 new species: P. breviantennis, sp.n (Bolivia), P. macrommatus, sp.n (Ecuador), P.difficilis, sp.n (Costa Rica), P. parkensis, sp.n (Costa Rica), P. chandleri, sp.n (Panama), P. incarum, sp.n (Peru), P. azuayensis, sp.n (Ecuador), P. raffrayi, sp.n (Peru), P. agametopus, sp.n (Colombia), P. longissimus, sp.n (Panamá), P. iguazuensis, sp.n (Argentina), P. santaecrucis, sp.n (Bolivia), P. melanosus, sp.n (Costa Rica), P. veracruzanus, sp.n (Mexico), P. wagneri, sp.n (Mexico), P. mayarum, sp.n (Honduras and Belize), P. carenobothrus, sp.n (Ecuador and Peru), P. acutispinosus, sp.n (Peru) and P. carltoni, sp.n (Ecuador). A key to species and illustrations of external and internal structures of males is provided. Pselaphomorphus is characterized as a monophyletic group by two unreversed synapomorphies: the presence of an antennal tuberculum chordate basally and the head longitudinal sulcus complete, not bifurcated; additionally it can be recognized by the combination of diagnostic features as lateral pronotal lobes, the complete transversal sulcus and the presence of the basal discal foveae and the sutural fovea in the elytra. A phylogenetic reconstruction of 29 taxa (6 outgroup, 23 ingroup) and 33 morphological characters resulted in two equally parsimonious trees, from which the strict consensus tree is presented (L=76 steps, CI=44, RI=79) with the ingroup topology (P. breviantennis, P. longiceps (P. macrommatus, (P. difficilis (P. parkensis, (P. chandleri, P. incarum)))), (P.microphthalmus, ((P. azuayensis, P. raffrayi), (((P. agametopus, P. longissimus), (P. iguazuensis, (P. brevipennis, P. santaecrucis))), (P. melanosus, (P. veracruzanus, ((P. karenobothrous, P. acutispinosus), ((P. mayarum, P. wagneri), (P. carltoni, P. sculpturatus)))))))))). The phylogeny indicates that Phasmisus Aubé (Pselaphinae: Jubini) is the most closely related sister genus for Pselaphomorphus. The altitudinal distributions of the species groups formed in the phylogenetic analysis suggest their potential use in biogeographical studies. However, many hypotheses remain to be tested in relation to the ecology and natural history of this group of Neotropical Pselaphines.

Se revisa el género Neotropical Pselaphomorphus Motschulsky, 1855 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Jubini Raffray) incluyendo redescripciones de P. sculpturatus Motshulsky, 1855 (Panamá), P. longiceps Raffray, 1890 (Brazil) y P. microphthalmus Raffray, 1890 (Venezuela), y descripciones de 19 nuevas especies: P. breviantennis, sp.n (Bolivia), P. macrommatus, sp.n (Ecuador), P.difficilis, sp.n (Costa Rica), P. parkensis, sp.n (Costa Rica), P. chandleri, sp.n (Panamá), P. incarum, sp.n (Peru), P. azuayensis, sp.n (Ecuador), P. raffrayi, sp.n (Peru), P. agametopus, sp.n (Colombia), P. longissimus, sp.n (Panamá), P. iguazuensis, sp.n (Argentina), P. santaecrucis, sp.n (Bolivia), P. melanosus, sp.n (Costa Rica), P. veracruzanus, sp.n (México), P. wagneri, sp.n (México), P. mayarum, sp.n (Honduras y Belize), P. carenobothrus, sp.n (Ecuador and Perú), P. acutispinosus, sp.n (Perú) y P. carltoni, sp.n (Ecuador). Se provee una clave de las especies e ilustraciones de estructuras externas e internas de los machos. Pselaphomorphus se caracteriza como un grupo monifilético por dos sinapomorfias sin reversión: la presencia de un tubérculo antenal cordado basalmente y el sulco longitudinal de la cabeza completo, no bifurcado; además puede ser reconocido por la combinación de características diagnósticas como los lóbulos laterales del pronoto el sulco basal del pronoto completo y la presencia de las fóveas basal discal y sutural de los élitros. Una reconstrucción filogenética de 29 taxa (6 outgroup, 23 ingroup) y 33 caracteres morfológicos produjeron dos árboles filogenéticos igualmente parsimoniosos, a partir de ellos se presenta un árbol de consenso estricto (L=76 pasos, CI=44, RI=79) con la topología del ingroup (P. breviantennis, P. longiceps (P. macrommatus, (P. difficilis (P. parkensis, (P. chandleri, P. incarum)))), (P.microphthalmus, ((P. azuayensis, P. raffrayi), (((P. agametopus, P. longissimus), (P. iguazuensis, (P. brevipennis, P. santaecrucis))), (P. melanosus, (P. veracruzanus, ((P. karenobothrous, P. acutispinosus), ((P. mayarum, P. wagneri), (P. carltoni, P. sculpturatus)))))))))). La filogenia indica que Phasmisus Aubé (Pselaphinae: Jubini), es el género más cercanamente relacionado con Pselaphomorphus. Las distribuciones altitudinales de los grupos de especies formados en el análisis filogenético sugieren su uso potencial en estudios biogeográficos, sin embargo, muchas hipótesis sobre la ecología e historia natural del grupo permanecen desconocidas.