Higher-level phylogeny of Endomychidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) based on larval and pupal morphology: Importance of immatures in interpreting evolution in a mycophagous beetle family

Phylogenetic analyses of the Handsome Fungus Beetles (Coleoptera: Endomychidae) have primarily focused on adult morphological characters. However, larvae and pupae have been largely overlooked as independent, valuable sources of morphological data, despite providing unique character systems that may be phylogenetically-informative for developing an overall evolutionary hypothesis for the family. A new phylogenetic hypothesis based on larval and pupal morphological characters is presented and discussed in light of previous alternative hypotheses based solely on adult morphology and more recent hypotheses developed using molecular sequence data. The evolution of mycophagy in Endomychidae is reviewed in the context of this new hypothesis.