A preliminary phylogenetic analysis of the basal Cucujoidea

Using five mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, 18S, COI, & COII) as well as two nuclear genes (28S & H3) we tested the monophyly and sister-group relationships of ten different beetle families currently included in the superfamily Cucujoidea. This analysis included seventy Old and New World taxa spanning primarily Silvanidae, Laemophloeidae, Cucujidae, Phalacridae, Passandridae, Propalticidae, Phloeostichidae, Agapythidae, Priasilphidae, Myraboliidae, seven other basal cucujoid families, and nine tenebrionoid, cleroid, and Cerylonid Series outgroups. Laemophloeidae and Silvanidae were heavily sampled to further test internal relationships of each family. The data were analyzed with maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. Notably, Laemophloeidae was not found to be monophyletic if Propalticidae retains its family-level status. In addition, several traditional subfamilial and tribal classifications of Silvanidae were called into question.