Changes to the genera of Cardiophorinae (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Citation

Douglas H, Kundrata R, Savard K (2018) Changes to the genera of Cardiophorinae (Coleoptera: Elateridae). Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia, Joint Annual Meeting. Vancouver. Oral Presentation.

Plain language summary

The classification of the elaterid subfamily, containing pests including the sand wireworm (Horistonotus uhlerri) is in flux. This makes genus identifications and biological prediction based on classification difficult and impossible. Progress shared here improves the classification of Cardiophorina, solving some of these problems (later published in a scientific journal, publication 45765).

Abstract

Recent classifications consistently rank the Cardiophorinae as subfamily. Conversely, generic limits and relationships remain unstable. Here, we use a two nuclear (18S, 28S) and three mitochondrial markers (rrnL, cox1-3', cox1-5') to test phylogenetic hypotheses for the Cardiophorinae. We investigate the positions of Paracardiophorus buettikeri Chassain from the Arabian Peninsula and a simple-clawed Horistonotus Candèze species from Argentina, neither of which match the diagnoses of their genera. Additionally, we test the monophyly of the widely defined Cardiophorus Eschscholtz by including representatives of the nominate subgenus, of subgenus Coptostethus Wollaston and former subgenus Zygocardiophorus Iablokoff-Khnzorian and Mardjanian. Our molecular analyses recovered three clades, which are also supported by morphological traits. Using inferred relationships we propose three new genera, Arandelater Douglas and Kundrata gen. nov., Chassainphorus Douglas and Kundrata gen. nov., and Huarpelater Douglas and Kundrata gen. nov. to accommodate Horistonotus canescens Steinheil, P. buettikeri, and an undescribed species perhaps historically mistaken for H. canescens. Horistonotus tumidicollis Schwarz is synonymized under H. canescens Steinheil. Coptostethus is raised from subgenus of Cardiophorus to genus level and its definition revised. Eighteen Cardiophorus (Cardiophorus) and Dicronychus Brullé species are newly assigned to Coptostethus. Huarpelater cordobae Douglas and Kundrata sp. nov. is described, and Horistonotus quillu Aranda is transferred to Huarpelater gen. nov. The replacement name Coptostethus cobosi nom. nov. and comb. nov. is proposed for Cardiophorus inflatus Cobos. We provide diagnoses, descriptions, and figures of diagnostic characters for the new genera and their types.

Publication date

2018-11-13

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