Natalignathus, gen. nov. and larvae of Atanygnathus: a missing phylogenetic link between subtribes Quediina and Tanygnathinina (Coleoptera : Staphylinidae : Staphylininae : Staphylinini)
A. Yu. SolodovnikovField Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Illinois 60605, USA. Email: asolodovnikov@fieldmuseum.org
Invertebrate Systematics 19(1) 75-98 https://doi.org/10.1071/IS04031
Submitted: 5 October 2004 Accepted: 17 February 2005 Published: 6 May 2005
Abstract
Discovery of adults and a larva of Natalignathus, a new South African endemic genus, and examination of previously undescribed larvae of Atanygnathus Jakobson shed light on the phylogenetic relationships of the puzzling rove beetle subtribe Tanygnathinina (Staphylinidae : Staphylininae : Staphylinini). Based on plesiomorphic states for many characters of Natalignathus, gen. nov., inferred on the basis of comparison of the new genus with Atanygnathus, various Quediina and other Staphylinini, Natalignathus can be considered either a relatively plesiomorphy-rich member of Tanygnathinina, or a derived genus of Quediina, essentially linking these two subtribes together. Based on morphological and distributional data, it is preliminarily assumed that Atanygnathus evolved from some lineage of southern Quediina, which currently are very poorly known. Comparative study of the adults of Natalignathus and Atanygnathus allows correction of earlier misinterpretations of the structure of the aedeagus and head capsule ridges of Atanygnathus. Detailed morphological descriptions are provided for adults and a larva of Natalignathus and for the larvae of two species of Atanygnathus, A. bicolor (Casey) and A. sp. 1. Special appendages of unknown function are present on the mesothoracic spiracles of the examined larvae of Atanygnathus. No similar structures are known in any other group of Staphylinidae or Coleoptera. Based on the new findings, a review of the state of knowledge of the subtribes Quediina and Tanygnathinina and an updated diagnosis of the latter are provided.
Acknowledgments
I am very much obliged to James Harrison, Ruth Müller (TMP, Pretoria) and Marc De Meyer (MRAC, Tervuren), for making the material available for this study both during my visits to these institutions and by loans. Great thanks are due to Betty Strack from the Field Museum, who introduced me to SEM techniques and helped very much during the SEM sessions. Bernard Staniec (Lublin, Poland) kindly allowed me to cite his yet unpublished paper on the life cycle and immature stages of Atanygnathus terminalis (Er.). Input of Field Museum colleagues, Al Newton and Margaret Thayer, to this project (in the form of shared valuable material, literature, databases, advice, review of earlier drafts of the manuscript, and indeed the organisation of the field trip to South Africa) was invaluable and is here greatly acknowledged. I am delighted to dedicate a new taxon to my family and in particular acknowledge Natalia and Olga’s patience about my long absences during collecting trips. Finally, two reviews of the manuscript: one anonymous, and the other from Aleš Smetana (Ottawa, Canada) with the subsequent discussion of the taxonomic placement of the new genus, led to improvement of the paper. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0118749.
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