Phylogenetic systematics of the genera Plochionocerus Dejean and Agrodes Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Xantholinini)

Abstract

A systematic revision of Plochionocerus Dejean, 1833 and Agrodes Nordmann, 1837 (Staphylinidae: Xantholinini) is conducted. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, the genus Agrodes, which includes A. conicicollis and A. elegans, and appears as the sister taxon to Plochionocerus, is revalidated. The genus Renda was found to be the sister taxon of Agrodes plus Plochionocerus. Plochionocerus leprieuri is transferred to Renda (comb. nov.). Plochionocerus (sensu stricto) is a monophyletic genus supported by six synapomorphies, but relationships of its species are not resolved because of the high proportion of homoplastic characters. Keys to the genera Renda, Plochionocerus and Agrodes, and to the species of the two latter genera are provided. Plochionocerus and Agrodes stat. rev. are redescribed, and diagnoses for their species are given. Eight new species of Plochionocerus are described: P. ashei, P. gracilis, P. hermani, P. modestus, P. newtonorum, P. pronotalis, P. reticularis and P. transversalis. Based on the study of type specimens, 17 new synonymies are proposed for species of Plochionocerus and Agrodes: Plochionocerus fulgens (Fabricius, 1793) = P. violaceus (Olivier, 1795) syn. n., = P. amazonicus (Sharp, 1876) syn. n., = P. carinatus (Bernhauer, 1916) syn. n., = P. auripennis (Bernhauer, 1927) syn. n.; P. janthinus (Erichson, 1847) = P. peruvianus (Bernhauer, 1907) syn. n.; P. simplicicollis (Waterhouse, 1879) = P. basalis (Sharp, 1885) syn. n., = P. mandibularis (Sharp, 1885) syn. n., = P. pollens (Sharp, 1885) syn. n., = P. nordmanni (Fauvel, 1901) syn. n.; P. discedens (Sharp, 1885) = P. nevermanni (Bernhauer, 1942) syn. n.; P. humeralis (Sharp, 1885) = P. kayseri (Bernhauer, 1927) syn. n.; P. puncticeps (Sharp, 1885) = P. lautus (Casey, 1906) syn. n.; P. impressipennis (Sharp, 1891) = P. punctipennis (Bernhauer, 1916) syn. n.; P. igneus (Fauvel, 1901) = P. magnificus (Bernhauer, 1911) syn. n.; Agrodes elegans Nordmann, 1837 = P. longicornis (Sharp, 1885) syn. n., = P. melancholicus (Schubert, 1911) syn. n.; A. conicicollis Sharp, 1876 = P. longiceps (Sharp, 1876) syn. n. Lectotypes are designated for P. humeralis, P. impressipennis and P. simplicicollis. Biological and distributional information is given, and 24 first country records are reported.

Nuevos ejemplos teratológicos en Staphylinidae neotropicales (Insecta: Coleoptera), con una compilación de registros teratológicos previos

“…Specimens studied were obtained on loan from the following collections: Museo de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, México, D. The anomalies studied herein, except these in Belonuchus apiciventris (Sharp, 1885), were detected when the systematic revision of the genus Plochionocerus Dejean, 1833 was undertaken, so we are using the classifi cation that resulted from that study and treat Agrodes Nordmann, 1837 and Plochionocerus Dejean, 1833 as distinct taxa (Asiain et al, 2007).…”

Revision of the genus Renda Blackwelder, 1952 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Xantholinini)

“…Measurements were taken with an ocular micrometer attached to a dissecting microscope, and are similar to the ones taken by Asiain et al (2007). A dichotomous key modified from Asiain et al (2007) is provided to distinguish Renda from Agrodes and Plochionocerus using distinct characters as previously documented. A key to identify all species of Renda is included as well.…”

“…30); eyes 0.22x as long as head; ventral surface of head with moderately dense umbilicate punctures separated by 2-3x their width (Fig. 23); apical area (from insertion of parameres to apex of median lobe, sensu Asiain et al 2007) of median lobe of aedeagus 0.3x as long as total length of median lobe, internal sac with weakly sclerotized structures (Fig. 70) Temple of head with inferior temporal carina and a moderately deep concave area (Fig.…”

“…Also, they showed that there were sufficient synapomorphies to support the monophyly of Agrodes and Plochionocerus, and it would be interesting to show that this is the case for Renda as well, because there is very little taxonomic and phylogenetic knowledge for the 13 known species ( Table 1). The taxonomic history of Renda is closely associated with that of Plochionocerus and Agrodes, and was reviewed by Asiain et al (2007).The objectives of this study were to provide a redescription of the genus and its known species (Table 1), describe twenty-one new species, and conduct a phylogenetic analysis in order to test the monophyly of the genus Renda and to obtain a hypothesis about the phylogenetic interrelationships of its spe-cies. For all species, distributions are summarized, diagnostic characters are illustrated, and a key for their recognition is provided.…”

“…BRA: Brazil, COL: Colombia, CR: Costa Rica, FG: French Guiana, GUA: Guatemala, GUY: Guayana, HON: Honduras, MEX: Mexico, PAN: Panama, PER: Peru, SUR: Surinam, TRI: Trinidad and VEN: Venezuela. ** Species transferred from Plochionocerus to Renda from Asiain et al (2007).…”