A first broad-scale molecular phylogeny of Prionoceridae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea) provides insight into taxonomy, biogeography and life history evolution

Based on partial sequences of three mitochondrial (cox1, cox2, trnL) and two nuclear genes(18S and 28S) we conducted a molecular phylogeneticanalysis of Prionoceridaerepresented by all three valid genera, 34 species and a large number of informal species groupsfrom the Palaearctic, Afrotropical and Oriental regions. Analyses indicate the split of Prionoceridaein two main clades, Lobonychinae and Prionocerinae. Lobonychinae includes the genus Lobonyx Jacquelin du Val, 1859 and some species currently placed in Idgia Laporte de Castelnau, 1838. Prionocerinae includes a large paraphyletic grade of Idgia and monophyletic Prionocerus Perty, 1831, with Idgia viridescens Gorham, 1895 identified as a sister groupto Prionocerus. Idgia consists of seven clades, with their basal relationships weakly resolved. Two clades– Idgia oculata and Idgia pallidicolor species groups– are well supported by molecular data and morphological characters. Species identifications based on morphology are consistent with tree topology recovered from molecular dataset, with one possible exception (Idgia inapicalis). Sequence divergence in cox1 varies from 3.7 to 16% between species and from 0 to 4.9% within species of Prionoceridae. The reconstruction of diurnal and nocturnallife histories suggests a single origin of nocturnality, and multiple transitions from nocturnalto diurnal life style within Prionoceridae. The African and the Arabian species represent two lineages, both having their origin in tropical Asia. Based on partial sequences of three mitochondrial (cox1, cox2, trnL) and two nuclear genes(18S and 28S) we conducted a molecularphylogenetic analysis of Prionoceridaerepresented by all three valid genera, 34 species and a large number of informal species groupsfrom the Palaearctic, Afrotropical and Oriental regions. Analyses indicate the split of Prionoceridaein two main clades, Lobonychinae andPrionocerinae. Lobonychinae includes the genus Lobonyx Jacquelin du Val, 1859 and some species currently placed in Idgia Laporte deCastelnau, 1838. Prionocerinae includes a large paraphyletic grade of Idgia and monophyletic Prionocerus Perty, 1831, with Idgia viridescensGorham, 1895 identified as a sister groupto Prionocerus. Idgia consists of seven clades, with their basal relationships weakly resolved.Two clades– Idgia oculata and Idgia pallidicolor species groups– are well supported by molecular data and morphological characters. Speciesidentifications based on morphology are consistent with tree topology recovered from molecular dataset, with one possible exception(Idgia inapicalis). Sequence divergence in cox1 varies from 3.7 to 16% between species and from 0 to 4.9% within species of Prionoceridae.The reconstruction of diurnal and nocturnallife histories suggests a single origin of nocturnality, and multiple transitions from nocturnaltodiurnal life style within Prionoceridae. The African and the Arabian species represent two lineages, both having their origin in tropical Asia.