Data from whole genome sequences help resolve the subordinal phylogeny of beetles (order Coleoptera)

There are four extant suborders of beetles: Adephaga (ground beetles, tiger beetles, whirligigs, wrinkled bark beetles, and others), Archostemata (reticulated beetles, telephone-pole beetles, and others), Myxophaga (minute bog beetles, ski beetles, and others), and Polyphaga (checkered beetles, click beetles, fireflies, ladybird beetles, leaf beetles, long-horn beetles, metallic wood-boring beetles, rove beetles, scarabs, soldier beetles, weevils, and others). Despite extensive study using DNA sequences, morphology and other data, the subordinal relationships of beetles remain controversial. Using orthologous genes from both publicly-available and unpublished insect genomes, including the first genomes from the beetle suborders Adephaga, Archostemata, and Myxophaga (all emerging genomes from the exemplar beetle genomes project), we reconstructed the subordinal relationships of beetles.