Morphology of immature stages of Pyrearinus pumilus (Candèze, 1863 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Pyrophorini): the click beetle responsible for the luminous canga caves in the state of Pará, Brazil.

The Pyrearinus pumilus species group from South America includes luminescent click beetles (Agrypninae: Pyrophorini) associated with the phenomena of "luminescent termite mounds" and "luminous canga caves". The latter was recently reported in the state of Pará, Brazil. This group includes six species based on the morphology of adults, of which two have immature stages already described. In this work we present the morphology and biological aspects of mature larva and pupa of Pyrearinus pumilus (Candèze, 1863), from the canga caves. Moreover, we provide a key and illustrations for identification of male adults and the known larvae. Our study shows that: (1) morphological characters of immatures support the close relationship of P. pumilus with their allies in the P. pumilus species group; (2) the traits of the known larvae of the P. pumilus species group are reliable for species identification.

Author Correction: Hidden diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest: the discovery of Jurasaidae, a new beetle family (Coleoptera, Elateroidea) with neotenic females.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Hidden diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest: the discovery of Jurasaidae, a new beetle family (Coleoptera, Elateroidea) with neotenic females.

Beetles are the most species-rich animal radiation and are among the historically most intensively studied insect groups. Consequently, the vast majority of their higher-level taxa had already been described about a century ago. In the 21st century, thus far, only three beetle families have been described de novo based on newly collected material. Here, we report the discovery of a completely new lineage of soft-bodied neotenic beetles from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, which is one of the most diverse and also most endangered biomes on the planet. We identified three species in two genera, which differ in morphology of all life stages and exhibit different degrees of neoteny in females. We provide a formal description of this lineage for which we propose the new family Jurasaidae. Molecular phylogeny recovered Jurasaidae within the basal grade in Elateroidea, sister to the well-sclerotized rare click beetles, Cerophytidae. This placement is supported by several larval characters including the modified mouthparts. The discovery of a new beetle family, which is due to the limited dispersal capability and cryptic lifestyle of its wingless females bound to long-term stable habitats, highlights the importance of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest as a top priority area for nature conservation.

World catalogue of the genus-group names in Elateridae (Insecta, Coleoptera). Part I: Agrypninae, Campyloxeninae, Hemiopinae, Lissominae, Oestodinae, Parablacinae, Physodactylinae, Pityobiinae, Subprotelaterinae, Tetralobinae.

In this first part of the World catalogue of genus-group names in Elateridae, a nomenclatural review of the genera belonging to ten subfamilies is provided. All names are given with author name, year, and page of publication, type species, and type fixation. We list 132 valid genera in Agrypninae, 2 in Campyloxeninae, 4 in Hemiopinae, 11 in Lissominae, 2 in Oestodinae, 8 in Parablacinae, 2 in Physodactylinae, 2 in Pityobiinae, 1 in Subprotelaterinae, and 7 in Tetralobinae. Genera Anathesis Candèze, 1865, Antitypus Candèze, 1882, Chrostus Candèze, 1878, Dorygonus Candèze, 1859 (with subgenus Rygodonus Fleutiaux, 1932), and Macromalocera Hope, 1834 are tentatively placed as Agrypninaeincertae sedis. Paradrapetesvillosus Fleutiaux, 1895 is designated as the type species for Paradrapetes Fleutiaux, 1895. Two new genera are proposed based on species previously incorrectly used as type species for Abiphis Fleutiaux, 1926 and Lycoreus Candèze, 1857. These genera are Neoabiphis Kundrata & Bouchard, gen. n. (type species: Elaternobilis Illiger, 1800) and Neolycoreus Kundrata & Bouchard, gen. n. (type species: L.regalis Candèze, 1857), respectively. The following new combinations are proposed for species hitherto included in Abiphis Fleutiaux, 1926: Neoabiphiscandezei (Alluaud, 1896), comb. n., N.fairmairei (Fleutiaux, 1903), comb. n., N.goudoti (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n., N.insignis (Klug, 1833), comb. n., N.nobilis (Illiger, 1800), comb. n., and N.viettei (Girard, 1966), comb. n. The following new combinations are proposed for species hitherto included in Lycoreus Candèze, 1857: Neolycoreusalluaudi (Candèze, 1900), comb. n., N.corpulentus (Candèze, 1899), comb. n., N.cyclops (Candèze, 1865), comb. n., N.decorsei (Fleutiaux, 1903), comb. n., N.dux (Candèze, 1857), comb. n., N.goudotii (Laporte, 1838), comb. n., N.madagascariensis (Gory, 1832), comb. n., N.oculipennis (Fairmaire, 1903), comb. n., N.orbiculatus (Schwarz, 1901), comb. n., N.regalis (Candèze, 1857), comb. n., N.sicardi (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n., N.triangularis (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n., N.triocellatus (Laporte, 1838), comb. n., and N.vicinus (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n. The following new combinations are proposed for species hitherto incorrectly included in Plectrosternus Lacordaire, 1857: Legnarufa (Lacordaire, 1857), comb. n., L.convexa (Vats, 1991), comb. n., L.coolsi (Schimmel, 1996), comb. n., and L.foveata (Patwardhan & Athalye, 2012), comb. n. This research revealed a nomenclatural problem threatening the stability of the well-established valid genus name Adelocera Latreille, 1829. An application to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature will be necessary in this case to maintain stability. Additionally, we act here as First Revisers (ICZN 1999, Art. 24.2) in giving precedence to Lucarius Gistel, 1848 (Staphylinidae) over Lucarius Gistel, 1848 (Elateridae).

An Online Database of the Immatures of Coleoptera (Arthopoda, Insecta) Described from Brazil.

BACKGROUND: An online database of the described immature beetles from Brazil is presented for the first time based on published literature. The main purpose of this online database is to ensure accessibility to data associated with the described immature Coleoptera from Brazil, which will be useful for future biological, ecological, conservational and biogeographical studies. NEW INFORMATION: More than 9,486 specimens of 248 genera, 282 species and 4 subspecies of 76 Coleoptera families from 15 states and the Federal District of Brazil were found. Taxonomical and ecological information about each species, when available, are given. The dataset of Immatures of Coleoptera described from Brazil are available and can be accessed through the portals of GBIF at http://www.gbif.org/dataset/8e0e9330-e1b2-475a-9891-4fa8e5c6f57f and the SiBBr at http://ipt.sibbr.gov.br/sibbr/resource?r=coleoptera_immature_of_brazil.

A description of the Larva of Metapteron xanthomelas (Lucas, 1857) from the Restinga Forest of Southeastern Brazil (Coleoptera: Lycidae, Calopterini).

The last instar larva of Metapteron xanthomelas (Lucas, 1857) is described. This is the first description of a larva for the genus. Two live larvae collected in the Brazilian Atlantic coast Restinga Forest of Itanhaém, São Paulo, were reared, one to adult and one was fixed in the last instar. This larva differs from the known Calopterini larvae by the absence of urogomphi, the dorsal abdominal segments undivided and strongly alveolate ornamentation on the head. 

Description of a new genus and species of Cerophytidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) from Africa with a cladistic analysis of the family.

The family Cerophytidae is revised to include Afrocerophytum vix gen. nov. and sp. nov., from the tropical rainforest of western Africa. Afrocerophytum and A. vix (type locality: Ivory Coast, Tai Region, neighborhood of Gouleako village) are described and illustrated. A key to the Cerophytidae genera is provided. The new genus is distinguished by four autapomorphies: anterior edge of phallobase rounded and not emarginate, base of tergite IX not fused at middle with the base of sternite IX, basal region of penis weakly constricted, and coxites divided into proximal and distal lobes. A cladistic analysis was conducted including all 22 species of known Cerophytidae and using representatives of the families Eucnemidae, Throscidae, Brachypsectridae and Elateridae as outgroups. The strict consensus cladogram produced from the resulting eighteen most parsimonious trees is (Cerophytum (Afrocerophytum (Brachycerophytum, Phytocerum))). Cerophytum, the Holarctic clade, is the sister group of the Gondwanian clade (Afrocerophytum (Brachycerophytum, Phytocerum)); the Ethiopian clade Afrocerophytum is the sister group of the Neotropical clade (Brachycerophytum, Phytocerum).

Mechanisms of karyotype differentiation in Cassidinae sensu lato (Coleoptera, Polyphaga, Chrysomelidae) based on seven species of the Brazilian fauna and an overview of the cytogenetic data.

Among the subfamilies of Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae sensu lato (s.l.) includes 6000 species distributed in 43 tribes. Approximately 100 of these species were cytogenetically analyzed and most of them presented 2n=18=16+Xy(p), which was smaller than 2n=20=18+Xy(p) considered basal for Polyphaga. However, some groups of species presented maintenance of the basal diploid number and others showed increase in this number. Certain species of the latter group also exhibited variation in the type of sex chromosome system (SCS). Considering the recent taxonomic revision accomplished for the Cassidinae s.l. species, the existence of phylogenetic relationship for some species of this subfamily, the high diversity of species of this group in the Neotropical region, and the low number of Cassidinae s.l. species karyotyped so far, the aim of the present work was to establish the main mechanisms involved in the karyotype evolution of this subfamily through the study of seven species of the Brazilian fauna and overview of the cytogenetic data. The individuals were collected in southeast and south of Brazil. The chromosomal preparations obtained from embryo and testes of adult males were stained with Giemsa solution. The species Agroiconota inedita (2n=42=40+Xy(p)), Charidotella (s.str.) immaculata (2n=22=20+Xy(p)), Charidotella (s.str.) sexpunctata (2n=22=20+Xy(p)), and Stolas chalybaea (2n=24=22+Xy(p)) revealed diploid number higher than that established as basal for Polyphaga and biarmed chromosomes. The karyotype of Cteisella confusa, Deloyala cruciata, and Metriona elatior showed the chromosomal formulae 2n=18=16+Xy(p) considered modal for Cassidinae s.l. and biarmed chromosomes. The seven species exhibited easily identified sex chromosomes due to their size and/or morphology. The analysis of meiotic cells of all the species showed pachytenes with a positively heteropycnotic block probably corresponding to the sex chromosomes; diplotenes with a high number of bivalents with two chiasmata and sex chromosomes in a parachute configuration, and metaphases II that confirmed the chromosomal morphology, the type of SCS, and the regular segregation of all chromosomes. The data regarding to the number and morphology of the chromosomes, their behaviour during meiosis, and type of SCS were inedit for the majority of these species. In relation to the all Cassidinae s.l. species that presented SCS of the Xy(p) type, A. inedita was that with the highest diploid number. Furthermore, this work reported for the first time the cytogenetic information of representatives of the genera Cteisella and Metriona. Taking into account the phylogenetic and cytogenetic data of Cassidinae s.l. species, the karyotype differentiation of this group seems to have occurred from the basal karyotype of Polyphaga by decrease in the chromosome number and subsequent increase in this number. Pericentric inversion, centric fusion and fission seem to have been the main mechanisms that promoted the evolution of the autosomes. However, in the sex chromosome evolution, the mechanisms involved were centric fission and/or chromosomal translocation.

Metapyrophorus pharolim a new genus and species of Pyrophorini (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae) / Metapyrophorus pharolim, gênero e espécie novos de Pyrophorini (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae)

Metapyrophorus, a new monotypic genus, is erected based on M. pharolim, new species from Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. The genus is characterized mainly by its pair of convex pronotal bioluminescent organs, equidistant between the median line and the lateral margin.

O gênero monotípico Metapyrophorus é erigido com base na nova espécie M. pharolim, de Trinidad e Tobago e Venezuela. O gênero é caracterizado principalmente por um par de órgãos bioluminescentes convexos, localizados próximos da margem posterior do pronoto, eqüidistantes à linha mediana e à margem lateral.

Strategies of karyotype differentiation in Elateridae (Coleoptera, Polyphaga).

The chromosome study of five species of the family Elateridae, belonging to the subfamilies Agrypninae and Elaterinae, and the analysis of the cytogenetic data previously recorded for this family permitted the establishment of the main strategies of karyotypic differentiation that has occurred in the elaterids. In Agrypninae, the three species studied (Conoderus fuscofasciatus, Conoderus rufidens, and Conoderus sp.) showed the male karyotype 2n=16+X0. This karyotypic uniformity detected in these Conoderus species has also been shared with other species of the same genus, differing considerably from chromosomal heterogeneity verified in the subfamily Agrypninae. The use of the C-banding technique in C. fuscofasciatus and Conoderus sp. revealed constitutive heterochromatin in the pericentromeric region of the majority of the chromosomes. In C. fuscofasciatus, additional constitutive heterochromatin were also observed in the long arm terminal region of almost all chromosomes. Among the representatives of Elaterinae, the karyotype 2n=18+Xy(p) of Pomachilius sp.2 was similar to that verified in the majority of the Coleoptera species, contrasting with the chromosomal formula 2n=18+X0 detected in Cardiorhinus rufilateris, which is most common in the species of Elaterinae. In the majority of the elaterids, the chromosomal differentiation has frequently been driven by reduction of the diploid number; but, among the four cytogenetically examined subfamilies, there are some differences in relation to the trends of karyotypic evolution.

Evolutionary chromosomal differentiation among four species of Conoderus Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae, Conoderini) detected by standard staining, C-banding, silver nitrate impregnation, and CMA3/DA/DAPI staining.

The speciose Brazilian Elateridae fauna is characterized by high karyotypic diversity, including one species (Chalcolepidius zonatus Eschscholtz, 1829) with the lowest diploid number within any Coleoptera order. Cytogenetic analysis of Conoderus dimidiatus Germar, 1839, C. scalaris (Germar, 1824,) C. ternarius Germar, 1839, and C. stigmosus Germar, 1839 by standard and differential staining was performed with the aim of establishing mechanisms of karyotypic differentiation in these species. Conoderus dimidiatus, C. scalaris, and C. ternarius have diploid numbers of 2n(male) = 17 and 2n(female) = 18, and a X0/XX sex determination system, similar to that encountered in the majority of Conoderini species. The karyotype of C. stigmosus was characterized by a diploid number of 2n = 16 and a neoXY/neoXX sex determination system that was highly differentiated from other species of the genus. Some features of the mitotic and meiotic chromosomes suggest an autosome/ancestral X chromosome fusion as the cause of the neoXY system origin in C. stigmosus. C-banding and silver impregnation techniques showed that the four Conoderus species possess similar chromosomal characteristics to those registered in most Polyphaga species, including pericentromeric C band and autosomal NORs. Triple staining techniques including CMA3/DA/DAPI also provided useful information for differentiating these Conoderus species. These techniques revealed unique GC-rich heterochromatin associated with NORs in C. scalaris and C. stigmosus and CMA3-heteromorphism in C. scalaris and C. ternarius.