Phylogenetic relations and biogeography of the genera of Pseudomorphinae (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

  • M. Baehr
Chapter
Part of the Series Entomologica book series (SENT, volume 51)

Summary

Based on external and genitalic character states, the relationships of the 6 known pseudomorphine genera Sphallomorpha, Pseudomorpha, Adelotopus, Cainogenion, Paussotropus, and Cryptocephalomorpha are investigated. Adelotopus, Cainogenion, and Paussotropus form a monophyletic unit, Adelotopus being the sister group of both other genera. Cryptocephalomorpha is the most highly evolved genus and is next related to the Adelotopus-lineage. Pseudomorpha is very primitive, though related to the Adelotopus-Cryptocephalomorpha-lineage,while Sphallomorpha is the sister group of all the other genera.

Cladistic analysis reveals that Pseudomorphinae originated in the southern continents, or perhaps even in Australia, presumably before the final breakup of Gondwanaland. Species of Pseudomorpha spread later to North America, and a few species of Adelotopus and Cryptocephalomorpha to southeast Asia as far west as Java and Thailand.

The high degree of morphological and ecological adaptation, and the high structural diversity of Pseudomorphinae are evidence of their long history, but, at the same time, obscure their true relationships. Though being an old group, Pseudomorphinae went through a period of marked radiation during Pleistocene. In Australia, this was supported by the radiation of eucalypts (and perhaps ants as well) during the same period.

Keywords

Sister Group Ground Beetle Carabid Beetle Junk Publisher Australian Species 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1994

Authors and Affiliations

  • M. Baehr
    • 1
  1. 1.Zoologische StaatssammlungMünchenGermany

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