Mimicry is a hot spot of evolutionary research, but de novo origins of aposematic patterns, the persistence of multiple patterns in Müllerian communities, and the persistence of imperfect mimics still need to be investigated. Local mimetic assemblages can contain up to a hundred of species, their structure can be a result of multiple dispersal events, and the gradual build-up of the communities. Here, we investigate the structure of lowland and mountain mimetic communities of net-winged beetles by sampling the Crocker Range in north-eastern Borneo and neighbouring regions. The local endemics evolved from the Bornean lowland fauna which is highly endemic at the species level. We inferred that metriorrhynchine net-winged beetles evolved in high elevations yellow/black and reticulate aposematic high-contrast signals from a widespread low-contrast brown/black pattern. As the mountain range is ~ 6 million years old, and these patterns do not occur elsewhere, we assume their in situ origins. We demonstrate that a signal with increased internal contrast can evolve de novo in a mimetic community and can persist despite its low frequency. Additionally, a similar aposematic signal evolves from different structures and its similarity is imperfect. The community with multiple patterns sets conditions for the evolution of aposematic sexual dimorphism as demonstrated by the yellow/black male and reticulate female pattern of Micronychus pardus. These insights elucidate the complex character of the evolution of mimetic signalling in the dynamically diversifying biota of high tropical mountains.
- MeSH
- barva MeSH
- biologická evoluce * MeSH
- brouci anatomie a histologie fyziologie MeSH
- křídla zvířecí anatomie a histologie fyziologie MeSH
- mimikry * MeSH
- pohlavní dimorfismus * MeSH
- rozšíření zvířat MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Borneo MeSH
In a recent issue of Zootaxa, Kovalev et al. (2019) reported the description of a new drilid genus Drilorhinus Kovalev, Kirejtshuk et Shapovalov, 2019 and they discuss at length the relationships and systematic classification of the drilid lineage. Although they did not formally propose a new status for Drilidae Blanchard, 1845 [not Lacordaire, 1857, as cited in their study] in the sense of the Code (ICZN 1999), they in fact resurrected the traditional concept of Drilidae as a separate 'cantharoid' family and rejected Drilini in Elateridae: Agrypninae of Kundrata Bocak (2011). The authors strongly defended the historical classification of the genera Selasia Laporte, 1838, Malacogaster Bassi, 1834, Drilus Olivier, 1790, Drilorhinus, and putatively also their relatives (Kundrata et al. 2017), as a separate 'cantharoid' family in the sense proposed in 19th century and held until recently by some traditional morphologists (Blanchard 1845; Crowson 1955, 1972; Lawrence Newton 1982, 1995; Branham Wenzel 2003; Lawrence et al. 2011; Kazantsev 2013; Lawrence Ślipiński 2013; Lawrence 2016). Although no new data were presented or methodological flaws of earlier analyses identified by Kovalev et al., the authors argued that the present evidence is insufficient for the placement of the Drilini in Elateridae, Agrypninae. Unfortunately, they did not take into account recent molecular analyses suggesting multiple origins of soft-bodied elateroid families, i.e., the polyphyly of the historical cantharoid group of families, and the relationships of drilids and agrypnine click beetles (Bocakova et al. 2007; Hunt et al., 2007; Timmermans et al. 2010, 2016; Kundrata et al. 2014; McKenna et al. 2015; Bocak et al. 2016; Kusy et al. 2018a, b; Linard et al. 2018; Zhang et al. 2018). They only discussed a single molecular analysis by Kundrata Bocak (2011).
- MeSH
- brouci * MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Almost all net-winged beetles are members of Müllerian complexes and their similarity due to phenotypic coevolution sometimes complicates species identification and generic placement. Therefore, large specimen series, detailed exhaustive examination of morphological characters and molecular data are needed to clarify the taxonomic placement. Using mitochondrial DNA sequences, I investigated the sexual dimorphism and generic placement of the recently described species Calochromus pardus Kazantsev, 2018. I found that the species does not belong in Calochromus Guérin-Méneville, 1833 and all morphological characters and molecular analyses point to its placement in Micronychus Motschulsky, 1861. Therefore, Micronychus pardus (Kazantsev, 2018), comb. nov. is proposed. Additionally, the male is described here for the first time showing the sexual dimorphism in the species. Unlike the females, the males do not superficially resemble members of Xylobanus Waterhouse, 1879 with bright coloured elytral costae and black background, but mimics the sympatrically occurring yellow and black lycids in the genus Cautires Waterhouse, 1879.
- MeSH
- barva MeSH
- brouci * MeSH
- pohlavní dimorfismus MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Plastoceridae Crowson, 1972, Drilidae Blanchard, 1845 and Omalisidae Lacordaire, 1857 (Elateroidea) are families of the Coleoptera with obscure phylogenetic relationships and modified morphology showing neotenic traits such as soft bodies, reduced wing cases and larviform females. We shotgun sequenced genomes of Plastocerus, Drilus and Omalisus and incorporated them into data matrices of 66 and 4202 single-copy nuclear genes representing Elateroidea. Phylogenetic analyses indicate their terminal positions within the broadly defined well-sclerotized and fully metamorphosed Elateridae and thus Omalisidae should now be considered as Omalisinae stat. nov. in Elateridae Leach, 1815. The results support multiple independent origins of incomplete metamorphosis in Elateridae and indicate the parallel evolution of morphological and ecological traits. Unlike other neotenic elateroids derived from the supposedly pre-adapted aposematically coloured and unpalatable soft-bodied elateroids, such as fireflies (Lampyridae) and net-winged beetles (Lycidae), omalisids and drilids evolved from well-sclerotized click beetles. These findings suggest sudden morphological shifts through incomplete metamorphosis, with important implications for macroevolution, including reduced speciation rate and high extinction risk in unstable habitats. Precise phylogenetic placement is necessary for studies of the molecular mechanisms of ontogenetic shifts leading to profoundly changed morphology.
- MeSH
- anotace sekvence MeSH
- brouci klasifikace genetika MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- genom hmyzu * MeSH
- hmyzí proteiny genetika MeSH
- křídla zvířecí anatomie a histologie metabolismus MeSH
- regulace genové exprese * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Calochromini is a net-winged beetle lineage with seven genera and world-wide distribution. The recently collected morphologically divergent Calochromus amabilis Lea, 1899 was sequenced to recover its relationships and a three-marker DNA dataset was assembled from 27 Calochromini from GenBank and new data for C. amabilis. The phylogenetic analysis recovered C. amabilis nested deep within Calochromus s. l. in a sister-position to Calochromus s. str. C. amabilis represents an early diversified and morphologically distinct species, for which the subgenus Escalonius subgen. nov. is erected. In contrast with its phylogenetic relationships, Escalonius subgen. nov. differs from other morphologically uniform Calochromus subgenera. Calochromus (Escalonius) amabilis has a small body, serrate antennae, the pronotum with concave lateral margins, and the long phallus surpassing the apices of parameres. The results demonstrate the unlinked morphological and molecular evolution of Calochromini. The key to world genera and subgenera is presented and all diagnostic characters are illustrated.
- MeSH
- brouci * MeSH
- databáze nukleových kyselin MeSH
- fylogeneze * MeSH
- molekulární evoluce MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The relationships of the monogeneric family Plastoceridae Crowson, 1972 (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) have remained contentious due to its modified morphology, incorrect information on incomplete metamorphosis of females and the absence of molecular data. We produced the sequences for P. angulosus (Germar, 1844) (the type-species of Plastocerus Schaum, 1852) and performed molecular phylogenetic analyses to estimate its position. The analyses of Elateroidea (186 spp.) and Elateridae (110 spp.) molecular datasets of two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments repeatedly placed Plastocerus Schaum, 1852 in relationships with the elaterid genera Oxynopterus Hope, 1842 and Pectocera Hope, 1842. Alternative topologies were rejected by likelihood tests. Therefore, Plastoceridae Crowson, 1972 are down-ranked to the subfamily Plastocerinae in Elateridae Leach, 1815. We suggest that the morphology-based placement and high rank for some elateroid lineages were inferred from the presence of homoplasies which evolved due to incomplete sclerotization. Distantly related soft-bodied elateroids share freely movable and transverse coxae, a shortened prosternum, and a weakly sclerotized abdomen with free ventrites. Importantly, the apomorphic structures characteristic for their closest relatives, such as the prosternal process, mesoventral cavity, and intercoxal keel in the first abdominal ventrite are regularly absent. Consequently, morphology-based phylogenetic analyses suggest deeply rooted positions for lineages without expressed apomorphic character states. Molecular data represent an independent character system that is not affected by the convergent morphological evolution, and therefore molecular phylogenies can elucidate the relationships of incompletely sclerotized lineages.
Multiple patterns and intraspecific polymorphism should not persist in mutualistic Müllerian systems due to purifying and frequency-dependent selection, but they are commonly identified in nature. We analysed molecular phylogeny and reconstructed dispersal history of 58 species of Dilophotes (Coleoptera: Lycidae) in Asia. Dilophotes colonized the Great Sundas and Malay Peninsula where they joined extensive mimetic communities of net-winged beetles. We identified the brightly bi-coloured males and females which adverged on five occasions to different autochthonous models. This is the first described case of Müllerian sexual dimorphism based on sex-specific body size. We propose that the constraint, i.e. the conservative sexual size dimorphism, forced the unprofitable prey to such complex adaptation in a multi-pattern environment. Although mimetic sexual dimorphism has frequently evolved in Dilophotes, a single pattern has been maintained by both sexes in multiple closely related, sympatrically occurring species. Some patterns may be suboptimal because they are rare, crudely resemble co-mimics, or are newly evolved, but they persist in Müllerian communities for a long time. We assume that failure to closely resemble the most common model can increase the diversity of large Müllerian communities and produce mimetic dimorphism.
The adults of Calochromini with male flabellate antennae were studied. Two new Calochromus Guérin-Méneville, 1833 species with flabellate antennae, C. kelantanensis spec. nov. and C. harauensis spec. nov. are described. Dumbrellia Lea, 1909 (Calochromini) is proposed as a new junior synonym of Plateros Bourgeois, 1879 (Lycinae: Platerodini). Flabellochromus Pic, 1925 is transferred to Calochromus from synonymy with Dumbrellia based on the similar shape of the pronotum. Consequently, Calochromus lamellatus Kleine, 1926, comb. nov. from Sarawak and Flabellochromus pallidus Pic, 1925, comb. nov. (=Calochromus (Flabellochromus) pallidus Pic, 1925) from Luzon are returned to Calochromus. New combinations are proposed for three Australian species previously classified in Dumbrellia: Plateros brevicornis (Lea, 1898), comb. nov. (=Calochromus brevicornis Lea, 1898), P. pilosicornis (Lea, 1898), comb. nov. (=C. pilosicornis Lea, 1898) and P. melancholica (Lea, 1921), comb. nov. Plateros barronensis nom. nov. is proposed to replace Plateros pilosicornis (Lea, 1898), a junior secondary homonym of P. pilosicornis (Blanchard, 1853) (=Lycus pilosicornis Blanchard, 1853).
- MeSH
- anatomické struktury zvířat anatomie a histologie růst a vývoj MeSH
- brouci anatomie a histologie klasifikace růst a vývoj MeSH
- rozšíření zvířat MeSH
- velikost orgánu MeSH
- velikost těla MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Austrálie MeSH
- jihovýchodní Asie MeSH
