Abstract The cactus fly family Neriidae (Diptera: Schizophora: Nerioidea) is a small group of morphologically distinctive acalyptrate flies characterized by a slender body, anteriorly projected antennae, and distinctly elongate legs. Current understanding of the higher-level classification, phylogeny, and evolution of Neriidae is limited, and molecular phylogenetic studies of the family are lacking. In the present study, we generated molecular datasets comprising 15 mitochondrial (13 protein-coding genes, 16S, and 12S) and 2 nuclear (18S and 28S) genes, and reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of Neriidae using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods. Our results support Neriidae as a monophyletic family closely related to Cypselosomatidae and Pseudopomyzidae. The 2 previously proposed subfamilies, Neriinae and Telostylinae, are recovered as paraphyletic. Teloneria Aczél is supported as a genus distinct from Chaetonerius Hendel. Molecular dating indicates an Eocene origin of Neriidae at ca. 48.47 Ma, with diversification of its crown group beginning around 37.84 Ma. In combination of morphological evidence, the monotypic genus Nipponerius Cresson, syn. nov. is considered a junior synonym of Stypocladius Enderlein, the latter being recognizable by its well-developed and glabrous antennal base, complete transverse suture on the mesonotum, and presence of 5 dorsocentral setae. Furthermore, we propose Paranerius continentalis Hennig, syn. nov. as a junior synonym of Stypocladius femoratus (Coquillett), comb. nov.
Abstract For decades, biologists have debated the extent to which extrinsic vs. intrinsic forces drive diversification in various clades. Since the most obvious traits an organism possesses are its intrinsic morphological characters, extrinsic correlates of diversification are often not the focus of model-based evolutionary analyses. However, the environment plays a major role in shaping species turnover, and model-based analyses of the relationships between species turnover and species’ niche characteristics can be conducted just as readily as with intrinsic traits. Here, we examine the connections between bioclimatic variables and diversification in the bee genus Melissodes (Apidae: Eucerini) in a biogeographic context. The evolutionary history of the genus Melissodes is currently not well understood, but it was likely molded by interactions with the environment across its wide distribution. We find that changes in diversification rates over time correlate most strongly with the mean diurnal range and precipitation seasonality in habitats lineages occupy. Interestingly, the subgenera Eumelissodes and Melissodes sensu stricto are the only 2 clades to have high diversification rates near the tips. The remaining 3 subgenera exhibit consistently lower rates since approximately 10 million years ago, possibly due to range contractions. Our study sheds light on relationships between species turnover and external traits in an ecologically and economically important group of pollinators.
Abstract Fossils are essential for understanding the evolutionary history of ancient lineages. Extant members and previously documented fossils of Atypoidea are largely confined to the Holarctic, except for a few southern-living taxa. Here, we describe 2 new fossils from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, which represent the first Atypoidea fossil records from a Gondwana-derived terrane. Our phylogenetic analyses, covering all extant genera and fossil records of this superfamily, show that the 2 new fossils belong to Antrodiaetidae. Moreover, most previously reported atypoid fossils are not placed within the phylogenetic positions originally proposed for them. Divergence time and ancestral range estimations indicate that Atypoidea likely originated in northern Pangea during the Permian and subsequently spread to the Southern Hemisphere at least 3 times. These findings suggest that the ancestor of Antrodiaetidae may have dispersed southward into Gondwana prior to the breakup of Pangea, uncovering a previously hidden historical biogeography of Atypoidea.
Abstract Bioluminescence serves a wide range of biological functions, including aposematism, mitigation of oxidative stress, and both interspecific and intraspecific communication. In this study, we describe a new bioluminescent firefly, Burmoluciola lesleyae Zhao, s´lipin´ski, Kundrata and Ren gen. et sp. nov., from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber that exhibits distinctive features like serrate antennomeres 3–5, a luminous organ occupying the entire abdominal ventrite 5, and a small semicircular central area near the anterior margin on the ventrite 6. We present a comprehensive morphological phylogenetic analysis integrating extant and Mesozoic fireflies to resolve the phylogenetic placement of the fossil taxa. Our results place the earlier described Flammarionella (Cai et al.) as a sister to all sampled representatives of Luciolinae, while the new genus is nested more deeply within the subfamily. These findings enhance our understanding of the diversification of Mesozoic bioluminescent fireflies.
Abstract The subfamily Chlamydopsinae (Coleoptera: Histeridae) represents one of the most specialized groups of ant-associated beetles, yet the function and evolutionary pattern of their elaborate cuticular modifications remain poorly known. Here, we describe a new species of the genus Ceratohisteropsis, collected from Tetramorium ant nests in Fujian, China. Field and laboratory natural history observations demonstrate that the beetle’s trident‑shaped pronotal carinae and associated ridges on the pronotum function as “handles,” facilitating passive transport by host workers. To place these findings in a broader evolutionary context, we present the first mitogenome-based phylogeny of the Histeridae. Our analyses yield an unstable placement of Chlamydopsinae within Histeridae, but with Saprininae frequently emerging as the sister group. The scattered distribution of myrmecophily across Histeridae, combined with the phylogenetic distances between obligate myrmecophilous lineages, suggests multiple independent origins of this lifestyle. Furthermore, revised morphology-based phylogenies indicate that the pronotal modifications found in Ceratohisteropsis are likely convergent adaptations in diverse forms across Chlamydopsinae. Our findings provide direct evidence that the characteristic surface relief of chlamydopsines, at least partly or in some cases, serves as a mechanical adaptation for ant‑mediated transport, offering new insight into the evolutionary mechanisms of beetle–ant symbiosis.
