Untangling the spider beetle web: redefining generic groups based on morphology

The spider beetles are a diverse family consisting of a variety of body forms that have often led to different classification schemes. Previous authors have attempted to define several generic groups within the family. A morphological analysis was conducted to determine whether these generic groups are monophyletic. Consensus of multiple trees indicates that there is very little to now support for the majority of generic groups, which brings to question how spider beetles should be defined for future work. Results are presented with a discussion of morphological trends within the family.