Molekulární fylogeneze podčeledi Silphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Ing. Karolina Mahlerová

Doctoral thesis

Abstract:

The tribe Nicrophorini, known for its unique biparental care among insects, has been extensively studied, whereas the globally distributed tribe Silphini has received comparatively less attention, particularly regarding molecular phylogeny. This doctoral thesis summarizes current knowledge on the phylogenetic relationships within Silphinae, with a specific emphasis on the tribe Silphini, and further expands our understanding of the group based on my results. The objectives of the thesis were reached by integrating newly generated molecular data from previously unsequenced species with previously published sequences. The structure of the thesis includes a general introduction to the focal group, followed by the methodology used throughout the chapters, individual chapters summarizing the partial results, and a general discussion. The overall objectives of the thesis were achieved through subobjectives presented in Chapters 1–4. Based on the presented results, the monophyly and generic relationships within the tribe Silphini were confirmed with a few exceptions. The paraphyly of the genus Silpha Linnaeus, 1758 was confirmed, the genus contains the subgenera Silpha (Silpha) Linnaeus, 1758, Silpha (Ablattaria) Reitter, 1885, and Silpha (Phosphuga) Leach, 1817, as well as the genera Aclypea Reitter, 1885, and Heterotemna Wollaston, 1864. As a result, the genus Heterotemna was synonymised with the subgenus Silpha (Silpha), and further investigation of the clade containing the genera Silpha and Aclypea is planned. This thesis also presents a detailed description of all three larval instars of Silpha tenuicornis Brullé, 1836 (formerly Heterotemna tenuicornis (Brullé, 1836)) and the molecularly supported association of the larvae with the adult. We further investigated and confirmed the validity of the two species of the genus Diamesus Hope, 1840 – D. bimaculats Portevin, 1914 and D. osculans (Vigors, 1825). As large carrion beetles are primarily associated with carrion and feeding on organic matter in general, improving our understanding of this subfamily, including the generation of molecular data, has practical implications not only in nature conservation but also in applied fields such as forensic entomology.

Keywords

Coleoptera, Silphidae, Silphinae, Molecular phylogeny, Taxonomy

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 4. 8. 2024

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 4. 9. 2024
• Supervisor: prof. Mgr. Jan Růžička, Ph.D.
• Reader: Jan Bezděk, Bc., externi, Jakub Prokop, externi, Maxwell V L Barclay, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Doctoral programme / field:
Ecology / Ecology