Members of the genus Pocadius Erichson (Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae) comprise a cosmopolitan taxon with species known from every continent. The greatest diversity of Pocadius is contained in the Western Hemisphere, more specifically within the Neotropics. A sytematic study of the New World Pocadius was undertaken to (1) determine whether this biogeographic region contained a single monophyletic Pocadius clade, and (2) to assess which other biogeographical area these spceies were most closely allied. Newly described species from Mexico, the Carribean, and South America are included in this study to identify their affinities to other taxa within the New World. Outgroups were chosen from Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. This study is the first systematic attempt to understand the distribution and speciation patterns of a global nitiduline genus.
Species 1: Coleoptera Nitidulidae Pocadius
Keywords: taxonomy, systematics
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