Psammodes has been revised:
Female terminalia morphology and cladistic relations among Tok-Tok beetles (Tenebrionidae: Sepidiini)
Marcin J. Kamiński, Olivia M. Gearner, Marcin Raś, Elliot T. Hunsinger, Amelia L. Smith, et al. 2022
https://doi.org/10.1111/cla.12510 Cladistics 38: 623-648
Abstract:
Tok-tokkies are one of the most iconic lineages within Tenebrionidae. In addition to containing some of the largest darkling beetles, this tribe is recognized for its remarkable form of sexual communication known as substrate tapping. Nevertheless, the phylogenetic relationships within the group remain poorly understood. This study investigates the usefulness of female terminalia morphology for delimiting Sepidiini and reconstructing relationships among it.
Data on the structure of the ovipositors, genital tubes and spicula ventrali have been generated for >200 species representing 28 Pimeliinae tribes. This dataset was used in a comparative analysis at the subfamilial level, which resulted in recognition of several unique features of tok-tokkie terminalia.
Additionally, new features linking phenotypically challenging tribes also were recovered (Cryptochilini + Idisiini + Pimeliini).
Secondly, 23 characters linked to the structure of female terminalia were defined for tok-tok beetles. Cladistic analysis demonstrates the non-monophyletic nature of most of the recognized subtribes. The morphological dataset was analysed separately and in combination with available molecular data (CAD, Wg, cox1, cox2, 28S). All obtained topologies were largely congruent, supporting the following changes:
153 species and subspecies previously classified within Psammodes are distributed over three separate genera: Mariazofia, Piesomera & Psammodes.
Psammodes sklodowskae Kamiński & Gearner sp.n. is described. Preliminary investigation of the ovipositor of Mariazofia basuto (Koch) comb.n. was carried out with the application of microcomputed tomography, illuminating the muscular system as a reliable reference point for recognizing homologous elements in highly modified ovipositors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That has led to this proposed swap:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/113803
& this discussion:
https://www.inaturalist.org/flags/584700
So, in short, most of our IDs on iNat are out of date as Psammodes, but have not been fixed because doing so will change over 500 Mariazofia IDs (as intended by anyone using the local field guides) to Subtribe Molurina - which will require a monumental effort to get back to Mariazofia (basically hundreds of people will have to redo their IDs).
Please help us resolve this issue by tackling some of he problems below.
Comments
Please help.
Here is a list of your identifications that are an issue above. This is probably because it is in your curated pile, and so it does not show up.
Please note: no need to worry about those that are identified as Mariazophia, as they will automatically correct. It is your observations that have a Psammodes ID for what are now other genera (Chiliarchum, Moluris, Ocnodes, Psammodes, Toktokkus) where if the above swap were committed, it would change your ID to Mariazophia which would not be correct (at least not formally).
[[This is not a very good tool and is not quite what I want, but the best that I can do at present - sorry - I will play more]]
If you have not yet joined the project, why not join: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tenebrionidae-darkling-beetles-of-southern-africa?tab=identifiers
• @rjpretor https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=334694¤t=false&user_id=rjpretor
• @beetledude https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=334694¤t=false&user_id=beetledude
• @borisb https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=334694¤t=false&user_id=borisb
• @traianbertau - all clear
• @colin25 https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=334694¤t=false&user_id=colin25
• @alexdreyer https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=334694¤t=false&user_id=alexdreyer
• @fubr https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=334694¤t=false&user_id=fubr
• @riana60 https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=334694¤t=false&user_id=riana60
If you know or suspect of a better way of doing this, please tell me.
This works better, please try this rather:
- all are cleared
• @rjpretor - - please fix yours here
• @beetledude - - please fix yours here
• @borisb - - please fix yours here
• @traianbertau - - please fix yours here
• @colin25 - - please fix yours here
• @alexdreyer - - please fix yours here
• @fubr - - please fix yours here
• @riana60 - - please fix yours here
here is a full listing of all instances:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?reviewed=any&quality_grade=any¤t=false&ident_taxon_id_exclusive=334694
Some diagnostics:
Mariazofia
is closest to Moluris by having confined abdominal setal patches in males . Both genera also share similar structure of female terminalia.
Mariazofia has a prognathous head (hypognathous in Moluris) and nonconvex pronotal disc.
Piesomera
unique in this combination of characters: basal pronotal margination complete, prosternal process deflated, epipleuron with a distinct groove in median part, male setal patch large - covering several ventrites, and elytral surface covered with microtubercles.
Psammodes
(with Argenticrinis, and Bombocnodulus): elongated 3rd coxite lobe, strongly sclerotized (with noticeable inner branching) baculus of the basal plate (7:1) and elongated basal coxites (c1 + c2) [cf Mariazofia].
eyes prominent eyes.
From Argenticrinis - not having pronotal and elytral surfaces covered with very dense, long, silver-coloured setae; elevated edges of the pronotal disc.
From Bombocnodulus - having rounded prosternal apophysis (in lateral view) - flat and sunk between procoxae, not following the curvature of procoxa (cf Bombocnodulus).
Add a Comment