The integripennis species group of Geocharidius Jeannel, 1963 (Carabidae, Bembidiini, Anillina) from Nuclear Central America: a taxonomic review with notes about biogeography and speciation

Fourteen new species of the genus Nesamblyops Jeannel (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Anillini) from the South Island of New Zealand with redescription of the genus and description of a new subtribe

Fourteen new species of flightless litter ground beetles of the tribe Anillini, genus Nesamblyops, from the South Island of New Zealand, are described. The only hitherto described species from the South Island, Nesamblyops subcaecus (Broun), is similar to the new species from Southland, N. viator n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Fiordland, Resolution Island), based on the structure of male genitalia. The species assembly inhabiting the northwest corner of the South Island comprises two partly sympatric groups composed of three related allopatric species each. The first group includes N. canaanensis n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, Canaan area), N. hobbit n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Kahurangi National Park, Mt Domett), and N. ovipennis n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Kahurangi National Park, Mt Arthur). The second group represents another lineage and contains N. rotundicollis n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Kahurangi National Park, Onekaka area), N. solitarius n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, West Coast, western foothills of Victoria Range, Capleston area), and N. subrufus n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, West Coast, Upper Buller Gorge, Dublin Terrace). Three additional species known from the northwest corner of the South Island, based on the structure of male genitalia, are unrelated to each other and remaining species of the region. These are N. karamea n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, West Coast, Kahurangi National Park, the Karamea River Gorge area), N. montanus n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Kahurangi National Park, Lake Sylvester area), and N. kuscheli n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Kahurangi National Park, Mt Arthur). The latter species is presumably closely related to the species from the central parts of the West Coast, N. moorei n. sp., (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, West Coast, Ngahere area, Mawhera Forest). Additionally, the central part of the West Coast is inhabited by a small group of two species, N. disjunctus n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, West Coast, E slope of the Paparoa Range, Fletcher Creek area), and N. victoriae n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, West Coast, Victoria Range, Capleston area). According to the structure of the male genitalia, this group represents a separate lineage within the genus. The most unusual structure of male genitalia belongs to a species without eyes, a trait previously unknown in Nesamblyops, N. magnificus n. sp. (type locality: New Zealand, South Island, Coastal Otago, Allison Conservation Area) that inhabits the southeast corner of the South Island. Digital images of habitus, body parts, drawings of genitalia, as well as distribution maps are provided for all described species. Morphological evidence of the isolated position of Nesamblyops within the tribe Anillini is discussed, with a focus on the morphological comparison of Nesamblyops with the members of Anillini, Tachyini, Bembidiini, Zolini, and Sinozolini, and on the data of published molecular analyses. A new subtribe for the representatives of the genus, Nesamblyopina, n. subtr., is proposed; the newly discovered morphological characters have been incorporated in the redescription of the genus.

Two new cavernicolous species of Anillinus Casey (Carabidae, Trechinae, Anillini) from Texas with a revised key to Texas species

Two new species of blind cavernicolous ground beetles in the genus Anillinus Casey are described from Texas. Based on the structure of the male genitalia, Anillinus reddellisp. nov. (type locality: SW Bypass Cave, Williamson County, Texas) is closely related to A. forthoodensis Sokolov and Reddell from the neighboring Bell County. Based on the structure of the male genitalia, Anillinus bexarensissp. nov. (type locality: Up the Creek Cave, Bexar County, Texas) is closely related to A. weismanensis Sokolov and Kavanaugh from Hays and Bell Counties. Both new species are illustrated with images of the habitus, body parts, and male and female genitalia. Based on morphological data a new grouping of the Texas species is proposed and discussed.

A new subterranean species of Anillinus Casey (Carabidae, Trechinae, Anillini) from Florida

A new species of blind subterranean ground beetle in the genus Anillinus Casey is described from Florida. Anillinus albrittonorumsp. nov. (type locality: 6 miles NW High Springs, Columbia County, Florida) has a unique structure of female genitalia and occupies an isolated position within the genus. This new species is illustrated with images of the habitus, body parts, and male and female genitalia. Relationships of A. albrittonorum to other members of the genus are discussed.

Two new species of the genus Anillinus Casey (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Anillini) from the southern United States

Two new species of blind ground beetles are described from the southern United States. One species, Anillinusrelictussp. nov. (type locality: E of Oneonta, Blount County, Alabama), based on the structure of male genitalia, is similar to Texan Anillinus, in particular to the endogean A.sinuatus Jeannel. The second species, A.felicianussp. nov. (type locality: 4 mi SW Jackson, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana), is superficially similar to the endogean A.sinuaticollis Jeannel from Roane County, Tennessee, and represents the first record of the genus for the state of Louisiana. All species are illustrated with digital images of habitus, body parts, and male and female genitalia. Biogeographical and evolutionary implications of the new findings are discussed.

Current status of dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) diversity and conservation in Natural Protected Areas in Chiapas (Mexico)

Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) are consider adequate tools for biodiversity conservation. Currently in Mexico there are 182 federal NPAs classified according to their management objectives. Chiapas is the Mexican state with the highest number of decreed NPAs and also allocates one of the largest territorial extensions for its protection. Unlike other taxa, and despite their proven ability to respond to ecosystem changes, the study of dung beetles within Mexican NPAs has been underestimated, as they are not considered as a priority group within their management and conservation programs. Based on the review of information available in publications and database on dung beetles, a list of 112 species and seven subspecies recorded in 16 of the 19 federal NPAs established in Chiapas is presented. The species recorded by each NPA show a significant correlation with the number of publications, but a low percentage of them correspond to studies with systematic samplings and most of the species reported in several of the NPAs come from sporadic records, which prevents the study of several basic and applied aspects of dung beetles in the region. Therefore, studies that extensively analyze the communities of arthropod groups, such as the Scarabaeinae, are necessary to understand their response to changes in the ecosystem at local and regional scale. It is advisable that these insects be included in the previous justifying studies for the designation or establishment of NPAs and, in turn, considered in the biological monitoring programs of these areas for their capacity as a bioindicator group.

Hidden biodiversity: total evidence phylogenetics and evolution of morphological traits in a highly diverse lineage of endogean ground beetles, Typhlocharis Dieck, 1869 (Carabidae, Trechinae, Anillini)

Typhlocharis is the most diverse eyeless endogean ground beetle genus known to date, with 62 species all endemic to the West Mediterranean region. The lineage is characterized by a conservative and singular body plan within Carabidae that contrasts with a high morphological diversity in many traits. We provide an exhaustive phylogeny of the lineage through the study of 92 morphological characters from all 62 described species and 45 potential new species from 70 additional populations, and the combination of morphological and available molecular data, in the first total evidence phylogenetic approach for a highly diverse endogean lineage. We tracked the evolution of morphological traits over the obtained phylogenies. Results suggest eight morphologically distinct clades, which do not correspond to the species groups proposed formerly. Ancestral state reconstructions and phylogenetic signal analyses of morphological traits revealed that some of the previously key characters to the classification of Typhlocharis, such as the umbilicate series or the apical denticles of elytra, are highly homoplasic, whereas other characters show stronger phylogenetic signal, including structures in the antennae, gula, pronotum and last abdominal ventrite. This evidence supports the split of Typhlocharis into three genera: Lusotyphlus gen. nov.; Typhlocharis Dieck, 1869 and Microcharidius Coiffait, 1969 (revalidated), forming the subtribe Typhlocharina Jeanne, 1973.

Phylogenetics of Ogyges Kaup and the biogeography of Nuclear Central America (Coleoptera, Passalidae)

A phylogenetic morphological analysis of the genus Ogyges Kaup, distributed in Nuclear Central America, from Chiapas, Mexico, to northwestern Nicaragua was undertaken. Five species of Proculejus Kaup, distributed north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico, were selected as outgroup. Ogyges was recovered as monophyletic with three species groups: championi, laevissimus, and crassulus. Each species group shows a distinct, generally allopatric distribution. The O. championi species group, with ten species, is distributed in the Maya block, more specifically in the mountainous system north of the Motozintla-Comaltitlán fault in Chiapas, and north of the dry valleys of the Cuilco and Motagua rivers in Guatemala. The two remaining species groups are distributed in the Chortis block. The O. laevissimus species group, including seven species, ranges mostly along the Pacific Volcanic Chain from Guatemala to El Salvador, and from southeastern Honduras to the northwestern area of Nicaragua. The O. crassulus species group, with ten species, is distributed from northeastern Guatemala (Merendón) to northern Honduras. The Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico, the Motagua-Cuilco and Motozintla-Comaltitlán sutures zones in Chiapas and Guatemala, the lowland valleys of Colón and Comalí rivers between Nicaragua and Honduras (or, perhaps, the northern suture of the Siuna Terrane in Nicaragua), the Guayape fault system in Honduras, and the intricate dry valleys of Ulúa-Chamelecón-Olancho in Honduras, are hypothesized to have acted as barriers that affected the geographical distribution of Ogyges, as well as probably other montane organisms.

Origins and biogeography of the Anolis crassulus subgroup (Squamata: Dactyloidae) in the highlands of Nuclear Central America

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have begun to reveal the complex evolutionary and biogeographic histories of mainland anoles in Central America, but the origins and relationships of many taxa remain poorly understood. One such group is the Anolis (Norops) crassulus species subgroup, which contains ten morphologically similar highland taxa, the majority of which have restricted distributions. The nominal taxon A. crassulus has a disjunct distribution from Chiapas, Mexico, through Guatemala, in the highlands of El Salvador, and in the Chortís Highlands of Honduras. We test the relationships of these species using multiple mitochondrial and nuclear loci in concatenated and multispecies coalescent frameworks, in an effort to both resolve long-standing taxonomic confusion and present new insights into the evolution and biogeography of these taxa.

RESULTS

Sequences of multiple mitochondrial and nuclear loci were generated for eight of the ten species of the Anolis crassulus species subgroup. We analyzed phylogenetic relationships and estimated divergence times and ancestral ranges of the subgroup, recovering a monophyletic subgroup within Anolis. Within the nominal taxon Anolis crassulus, we recovered multiple genetically distinct lineages corresponding to allopatric populations, and show that the Chortís Highland lineage split from the others over 13 MYA. Additionally, distinct mitochondrial lineages are present within the taxa A. heteropholidotus and A. morazani, and importantly, samples of A. crassulus and A. sminthus previously used in major anole phylogenetic analyses are not recovered as conspecific with those taxa. We infer a Chortís Highland origin for the ancestor of this subgroup, and estimate cladogenesis of this subgroup began approximately 22 MYA.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide new insights into the evolution, biogeography, and timing of diversification of the Anolis crassulus species subgroup. The disjunctly distributed Anolis crassulus sensu lato represents several morphologically conserved, molecularly distinct anoles, and several other species in the subgroup contain multiple isolated lineages.