A molecular phylogenetic study of C ucujidae s.l. ( C oleoptera: C ucujoidea)

Of all the superfamilies within the megadiverse order C oleoptera ( I nsecta), C ucujoidea ( C ucujiformia) is arguably the most problematic taxonomically. The families comprising C ucujidae s.l. ( S ilvanidae, L aemophloeidae, P assandridae and C ucujidae s.s. represent a large portion of cucujoid diversity. Herein we present the results of a rigorous molecular phylogenetic analysis of C ucujidae s.l. using maximum‐likelihood and B ayesian analyses of seven genes. Representatives of over half of the families of C ucujoidea (excluding the cerylonid series), as well as a broad sampling of S ilvanidae and L aemophloeidae, were analysed. The monophyly of C ucujidae s.l. is rejected but a subgrouping of taxa that may form the core of a natural cucujoid lineage is recovered. This clade consists of two large monophyletic groups including several families each. Relationships among these smaller cucujoid groups are discussed, including several novel phylogenetic hypotheses, whereas morphological characters considered significant for classification in C ucujidae s.l. are evaluated in light of these phylogenetic hypotheses. Silvaninae, T elephanini, B rontini and B rontinae are recovered as monophyletic in the B ayesian analysis, but the former two are recovered as paraphyletic in the maximum‐likelihood analysis. Our results support the placement of Psammoecus L atreille within T elephanini and also recover a paraphyletic Telephanus E richson. Silvaninae is divided into three lineages, each representing a potential tribal lineage. Laemophloeidae is rendered paraphyletic in all analyses by P ropalticidae and the latter is herein formally transferred to L aemophloeidae stat.n . Several suprageneric laemophloeid clades are recovered and discussed as potential higher‐level groups. Laemophloeus D ejean is not recovered as monophyletic.