Phylogeny and classification of <scp>C</scp> ucujoidea and the recognition of a new superfamily <scp>C</scp> occinelloidea ( <scp>C</scp> oleoptera: <scp>C</scp> ucujiformia)

Abstract A large‐scale phylogenetic study is presented for C ucujoidea ( C oleoptera), a diverse superfamily of beetles that historically has been taxonomically difficult. This study is the most comprehensive analysis of cucujoid taxa to date, with DNA sequence data sampled from eight genes (four nuclear, four mitochondrial) for 384 coleopteran taxa, including exemplars of 35 (of 37) families and 289 genera of C ucujoidea. Maximum‐likelihood analyses of these data present many significant relationships, some proposed previously and some novel. Tenebrionoidea and L ymexyloidea are recovered together and C leroidea forms the sister group to this clade. Chrysomeloidea and C urculionoidea are recovered as sister taxa and this clade ( P hytophaga) forms the sister group to the core C ucujoidea ( C ucujoidea s.n .). The nitidulid series is recovered as the earliest‐diverging core cucujoid lineage, although the earliest divergences among core C ucujoidea are only weakly supported. The cerylonid series ( CS ) is recovered as monophyletic and is supported as a major C ucujiform clade, sister group to the remaining superfamilies of C ucujiformia. Currently recognized taxa that were not recovered as monophyletic include C ucujoidea, E ndomychidae, C erylonidae and B othrideridae. Biphyllidae and B yturidae were recovered in C leroidea. The remaining C ucujoidea were recovered in two disparate major clades: one comprising the nitidulid series + erotylid series + B oganiidae and H obartiidae + cucujid series, and the other comprising the cerylonid series. Propalticidae are recovered within L aemophloeidae. The cerylonid series includes two major clades, the bothriderid group and the coccinellid group. Akalyptoischiidae are recovered as a separate clade from L atridiidae. Eupsilobiinae are recovered as the sister taxon to C occinellidae. In light of these findings, many formal changes to cucujiform beetle classification are proposed. Biphyllidae and B yturidae are transferred to C leroidea. The cerylonid series is formally recognized as a new superfamily, Coccinelloidea stat.n. Current subfamilies elevated (or re‐elevated) to family status include: M urmidiidae stat.n. , T eredidae stat.n. , E uxestidae stat.n. , A namorphidae stat.rev. , E upsilobiidae stat.n. , and M ycetaeidae stat.n. The following taxa are redefined and characterized: C leroidea s.n. , C ucujoidea s.n. , C erylonidae s.n. , B othrideridae s.n. , E ndomychidae s.n. A new subfamily, C yclotominae stat.n. , is described. Stenotarsinae syn.n. is formally subsumed within a new concept of E ndomychinae s.n.