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Undarobius gen. n., a new genus of cavernicolous weevils with two new species, U. howarthi sp. n. and U. irvini sp. n., is described from the Undara Lava Cave system in north-eastern Queensland, Australia. These are the first cavernicolous weevils to be described from Australia, and U. howarthi is a new addition to the rich arthropod fauna of Bayliss Cave. Undarobius weevils are relatively large in size (4.0–5.5 mm long), anophthalmic and apterous with a robust, flattened body and long legs. The genus has affinities with Leptopiini, but its placement in the tribe is uncertain. We also provide a list of the known anophthalmic and microphthalmic weevils in Australia, spanning 65 species classified in 20 genera, eight tribes and about seven subfamilies and found in diverse hypogean habitats, mainly leaf litter but also soil, beach sand, subterranean aquifers and mosses.

Coccinellini, the ‘true ladybirds’, is a large, cosmopolitan tribe of lady beetles with immense variability in colour and form that include many commonly recognized species and major biocontrol agents, as well as some ubiquitous invasive species. In this study, we performed phylogenetic analyses of molecular and morphological data. For the molecular analysis, we gathered DNA sequence data from 164 species in 57 genera (and outgroups) from five nuclear genes [CAD (two fragments), TOPO, WGL, 3059fin] and one mitochondrial (COI) gene. The morphological analyses comprised 301 terminals and 61 discrete characters that were analysed by parsimony (MP). Our phylogenetic analyses indicate a monophyletic Coccinellini (former Coccinellinae) containing previously recognized tribes [Coccinellini, Discotomini, Halyziini, Singhikaliini and Tytthaspidini (incl. Bulaeini)]. Coccinellini is further divided into four main clades as follows: the Coccinella group (Clade A; incl. former Tytthaspidini), the Cycloneda group (Clade B), the Hippodamia group (Clade C) and the Synonycha group (Clade D; incl. former Halyziini, Singhikaliini and Discotomini). The phylogenetic relationships between them are: (A, (B, (C, D))). Our analyses also indicate that several currently recognized genera of Coccinellini are para‐ or polyphyletic. Based on our phylogenetic results, new generic groups are defined for Coccinellini, and new generic amendments are proposed as follows: Micraspis Chevrolat sensu n. (Oriental and Australian species), Microcaria Crotch sensu n. (=Bothrocalvia Crotch) (incl. Coelophora Mulsant species) and Phrynocaria Timberlake sensu n. (incl. Coelophora species). Further possible synonyms are discussed, for example, Coccinella Linnaeus (incl. Lioadalia Crotch), Psyllobora Chevrolat (including Oxytella Weise) and Xanthadalia Crotch (incl. Declivitata Fursch and the African species of Micraspis). The large Clade D, the Synonycha group, with 26 predominant Old World genera, contains the two notable, large and non monophyletic genera Calvia Mulsant and Coelophora that confound the relationships throughout the clade. Additionally, we performed ancestral state reconstruction of selected morphological characters traditionally used in the classification of this group, revealing their homoplastic nature. We also found that the traditional synapomorphy of the tribe, that is, female colleterial glands, closely resemble structures used in symbiotic relationships in other beetles. We used the results of our phylogenetic inferences to estimate divergence times of the tribe and major clades of Coccinellini.

Undarobius irvini Escalona & Oberprieler sp. n. (Figs. 11–13, 36) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 2BC48169-7DBE-4E82-94EB-1A72AD5116EB Diagnosis. Body length 4.0 mm. Elytral setae longer, apically narrow and acute. Body 1.8 × longer than wide, rostrum 1.9 × longer than wide. Prothorax and elytra 0.9 × and 1.2 × as long as wide, respectively. Spermatheca as in Fig. 36. Description. General appearance. Body length 4.0 mm, 1.8 × longer than wide. Squamae sparse on pronotal and elytral discs but denser laterally; scape, pronotum and elytra with long, apically narrow and acute setae. Punctures mostly fine, distance between them greater than puncture sizes. Head. Rostrum 1.9 × longer than wide and 1.6 × longer than head in lateral view, oval in cross-section. Position of eyes indicated by small glabrous area. Antennae. Scapes 0.8 × shorter than funicle and club. Funicles with segment 1 longer than 3. Thorax. Pronotum 0.9 × as long as wide with sparse fine punctures. Hypomera behind procoxae 1.5 × longer than coxal width. Elytra 1.2 × as long as wide, disc barely convex, setae long, apically narrow and acute. Legs. Metatibial apex with reduced mucro, visible at high magnification. Female genitalia. Spermatheca as in Fig. 36. Material examined (1 ex.). HOLOTYPE, ♀: AUSTRALIA: N E Qld / Mt. Garnet, Undara, 1000 m / 20 May 1985 / F. G. Howarth, D. Irvin // Yarramulla Sta / Taylor Cave // HOLOTYPE / Undarobius irvini / Escalona & Oberprieler 2021 (ANIC). Derivation of name. The species is named for the speleologist Douglas Irvin (Chillagoe Caving Club), collector of the only known specimen. Comments. This species is so far known from a single female, collected from the deep zone of Taylor Cave (Howarth 1988). It is noticeably smaller and narrower than the females of U. howarthi, and it can also be distinguished by its longer and sharp-pointed elytral setae. Its spermatheca is narrower and has a longer and more sharply angled cornu, although additional specimens will need to be studied to assess its variability., Published as part of Escalona, Hermes E. & Oberprieler, Rolf G., 2021, Undarobius, a new genus of cavernicolous weevils (Curculionidae: Entiminae Leptopiini) from the Undara Lava Caves in north-eastern Australia, with an overview of anophthalmic and microphthalmic Australian Curculionidae, pp. 207-222 in Zootaxa 5023 (2) on pages 211-215, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/5225800, {"references":["Howarth, F. G. (1988) Environmental ecology of North Queensland caves: or why there are so many troglobites in Australia. In: Pearson, L. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 17 th Biennial (Tropicon) Conference. Australian Speleological Federation, Cairns, pp. 76 - 84."]}

Key to the species of Undarobius 1. Elytral setae short, apically widened and truncate; spermatheca as in Fig. 35........................ U. howarthi sp. n. - Elytral setae longer, apically narrow and acute; spermatheca as in Fig. 36............................. U. irvini sp. n., Published as part of Escalona, Hermes E. & Oberprieler, Rolf G., 2021, Undarobius, a new genus of cavernicolous weevils (Curculionidae: Entiminae Leptopiini) from the Undara Lava Caves in north-eastern Australia, with an overview of anophthalmic and microphthalmic Australian Curculionidae, pp. 207-222 in Zootaxa 5023 (2) on page 210, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/5225800

Undarobius Escalona & Oberprieler gen. n. (Figs. 9–36) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 442F6299-8BD7-4FB4-8DF4-B9EFF52B5EED Type species, by present designation: Undarobius howarthi Escalona & Oberprieler sp. n. Diagnosis. Body longer than wide, length 4.0– 5.5 mm, somewhat flattened, covered with sparse to dense, appressed, fluted squamae and sparse, short, erect to semi-erect setae. Eyes absent (Fig. 19). Rostrum dorsally not separated from head by groove (sulcus); frons indistinct; epistome short, apical margin bisinuate (Fig. 21). Antennal scrobes broadly open and poorly defined (Fig. 19). Scapes long, reaching apical third of prothorax in repose. Prothorax with anterior margin laterally without ocular lobes or vibrissae. Wingless. Tibiae mucronate; metatibiae without corbels or bevels. Tarsal claws free. Description. General appearance. Body longer than wide, length 4.0– 5.5 mm, compact, robust, broad, flattened, surface without ridges, tubercles or spines (Figs. 9–13). Rostrum and legs relatively long. Integument pale ferrugineous (reddish-brown) to dark brown, sparsely to densely covered with appressed, pale yellowish-brown, fluted squamae (scales) and sparse, short, erect to suberect, truncate or acute setae. Head. Rostrum (Fig. 19) ca. 3 × longer than head, oval in cross-section. Epistome slightly projecting, short, apex asymmetrically emarginate medially, base with two epistomal setae. Frons (Fig. 19) indistinct, slightly domed, triangular, surface with microsculpture near apex, otherwise smooth. Epifrons (Fig. 21) with indistinct but deep median groove in anterior third (between antennal sockets), asulcate in basal two thirds. Antennal sockets (Figs. 21) large, not reaching rostral apex, closed laterally and open dorsally. Scrobes (Fig. 19) lateral, shallow, broad, short (not extending to base of rostrum), borders poorly demarcated. Eyes absent, location marked by small glabrous area (Fig. 19). Antennae (Fig. 22) long, inserted near rostral apex; scapes slightly shorter than funicle and club; funicles 7-segmented, segment 1 shorter than 2, expanded apicad, 3–7 subequal, moniliform. Mouthparts imperfectly adelognathous, with maxillary stipites exposed next to base of prementum (Fig. 20); mandibles (Fig. 15) robust, externally paucisetose, with four long and two smaller setae, small subtriangular scar of deciduous cusp present in ventral position; maxillae (Fig. 16) with single apical lobe and 3-segmented palpus, segments 1 and 2 transverse, 2 half as long as 1, 3 conical and surrounded by digitiform sensilla; prementum (Figs. 14, 20) slightly enlarged, subhexagonal, flat, asetose, labial palpi 2-segmented, ligula absent. Thorax. Prothorax (Fig. 24) about as long as wide, narrowing apicad from apical third, apically slightly constricted, forming a slight ring ventrally, anterolateral margins without ocular lobe or fringe of fine setae; pronotum slightly convex. Procoxal cavities (Fig. 23) circular, medially contiguous, broadly interrupting prosternal process. Mesocoxal cavities circular (Fig. 26), laterally closed by meso- and metaventrites, separated by about 0.7 × their width. Mesanepisterna and mesepimera fused but suture between them distinct. Elytra slightly longer than their joint width, medially fused but suture visible, fine, sides evenly rounded, with 10 complete striae of small, widely spaced punctures; interstriae flat, with single row of sparse, erect, spatulate setae. Metanepisterna fused to metaventrite but metanepisternal suture present as deep groove through most of their length; metepimera not exposed. Scutellar shield small, triangular, slightly convex, denuded. Wingless. Legs. Coxae with conspicuous, long stiff seta directed ventrad; procoxae (Fig. 23) globular, medially contiguous. Trochanters obliquely truncate, without single long seta. Femora (Figs. 28–30) slender, subcylindrical, conspicuously inflated in distal third. Tibiae long, terete, subcylindrical; protibiae (Fig. 28) slightly bent inwards apically, meso- and metatibiae (Figs. 29–30) straight; tibial apex with small mucro surrounded by scattered setae, without spurs, without bevel or corbel; tarsi with segment 1 longer than wide, enlarged apicad, 2 moniliform, 3 deeply lobed, claws simple, free, divergent. Abdomen. Ventrites (Fig. 27) jointly subtriangular, 1 and 2 connate but suture between them distinct, arcuate, 3–5 free; 1 in middle ca. 1.6 × longer than 2, with broad, subtruncate intercoxal process, 2 ca. 2 × longer than 3 and 4, these subequal in length, 5 longer than 3 and 4; sexual dimorphism slight, in male ventrites 1 and 2 less convex and 5 shorter, more broadly rounded. Male terminalia. Aedeagus (Figs. 31–32) of pedal type; penis tubular, narrowing apicad, apex roundly acuminate, temones (apodemes) shorter than body, attached to its base in dorsal position; tegmen without parameres; endophallus without flagellum or internal sclerite; sternite VIII with hemisternites forming one plate, sternite IX with basal plate divided and subtriangular, with long apodeme (spiculum gastrale). Female terminalia. Ovipositor (Fig. 34) short, weakly sclerotised, without baculi (rods); distal gonocoxites cylindrical, with apical third setose, apex with short setose stylus; spermatheca (Fig. 35) sclerotised, hook-shaped, without distinct nodulus, ramus or collum, spermathecal gland sac-like, about as long as spermatheca, duct short; sternite VIII (Fig. 33) with broad, spatulate plate and long thin spiculum ventrale. Derivation of name. The name of the genus is derived from the locality of the two known species, the Undara Volcanic National Park, and the Greek noun bios, meaning life; its gender is masculine. The name Undara is an Ewamian Aboriginal word meaning ‘long way’. Comments. Elwood Zimmerman (1912–2004) deemed these weevils to be a new genus of the former subfamily ‘Rhytirhininae’ (Howarth 1988, Howarth & Stone 1990, Stone 2010, Stone et al. 2012), but their possession of deciduous mandibular cusps (the break planes clearly visible as flat scars) and adelognathous mouthparts (albeit imperfectly) demonstrates that they belong in the subfamily Entiminae (sensu Marvaldi et al. 2014) rather than Cyclominae (sensu Oberprieler 2010, 2014), in which the Rhythirrinini are now included as a tribe. In the key to the tribes of Australian Entiminae of Oberprieler & Zimmerman (2020), Undarobius runs to the large and poorly constituted tribe Leptopiini, but it shares no obvious characters with any known leptopiine genus in Australia and appears to occupy an isolated position in this tribe. No other anophthalmic leptopiines are known from Australia, although reduced eyes occur in the small genus Howeocis Lea (a relative of the large terricolous genus Mandalotus Erichson) and in several other similar leaf-litter species. Undarobius currently comprises two species, but others may yet be discovered in other caves of the Undara Lava Cave system and perhaps in other cave systems in northern Queensland. Undarobius has a most unusual shape for a cavernicolous weevil, being broad and flat with long legs, almost spider-like. Other anophthalmic cave weevils, in particular entimines such as the various Palaearctic Otiorhynchini (see, e.g., Osella & Zuppa 1998, Hlavac 2011, Hlavac & Skuhrovec 2016, Bello et al. 2021) and Laparocerini (e.g., Machado 2011a –b, Machado et al. 2017) are usually shaped like their epigean relatives or narrow and elongate with normal-sized legs. The peculiar shape of Undarobius suggests a specialised life style, possibly of crawling along the walls and even roofs of caves or among the root tresses hanging from the cave roofs, but no observations of the habits of the species are available so far., Published as part of Escalona, Hermes E. & Oberprieler, Rolf G., 2021, Undarobius, a new genus of cavernicolous weevils (Curculionidae: Entiminae Leptopiini) from the Undara Lava Caves in north-eastern Australia, with an overview of anophthalmic and microphthalmic Australian Curculionidae, pp. 207-222 in Zootaxa 5023 (2) on pages 208-209, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/5225800, {"references":["Howarth, F. G. (1988) Environmental ecology of North Queensland caves: or why there are so many troglobites in Australia. In: Pearson, L. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 17 th Biennial (Tropicon) Conference. Australian Speleological Federation, Cairns, pp. 76 - 84.","Howarth, F. G. & Stone, F. D. (1990) Elevated carbon dioxide levels in Bayliss Cave, Australia: implications for the evolution of obligate cave species. Pacific Science, 44 (3), 207 - 218.","Stone, F. D. (2010) Bayliss Lava Tube and the discovery of a rich cave fauna in tropical Australia. In: Middleton, G. J. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 14 th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology. Organising Group, 14 th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology, 2010, pp. 47 - 58.","Stone, F. D., Howarth, F. G., Hoch, H. & Ashe, M. (2012) Root communities in lava tubes. In: White, W. B. & Culver, D. C. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Caves. 2 nd Edition. Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 658 - 664. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / B 978 - 0 - 12 - 383832 - 2.00097 - 9","Marvaldi, A. E., Lanteri, A. A., del Rio, M. G. & Oberprieler, R. G. (2014) 3.7. 5 Entiminae Schoenherr, 1823. In: Leschen, R. A. B. & Beutel, R. G. (Eds.), Handbook of Zoology. Arthropoda: Insecta. Coleoptera, Beetles. Vol. 3. Morphology and Systematics (Phytophaga). Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / Boston, pp. 503 - 522.","Oberprieler, R. G. (2010) A reclassification of the weevil subfamily Cyclominae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Zootaxa, 2515 (1), 1 - 35. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 2515.1.1","Oberprieler, R. G. & Zimmerman, E. C. (2020) Australian Weevils. Vol. IV. Obituary: Elwood Curtin Zimmerman, 1912 - 2004; Curculionidae: Entiminae. Part I. Literature Consulted II. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, xiv + 664 pp.","Osella, G. & Zuppa, A. M. (1998) Coleoptera Curculionoidea. In: Juberthie, C. & Decu, V. (Eds.), Encyclopaedia Biospeleologica. Tome II. Socieitei de Biospeiologie, Moulis-Bucharest, pp. 1123 - 1130.","Hlavac, P. (2011) Endogean and cavernicolous Coleoptera of the Balkans. XI. Revision of the subgenus Troglorhynchus Reitter of the genus Otiorhynchus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae). Natura Croatica, 20 (1), 189 - 200.","Hlavac, P. & Skuhrovec, J. (2016) Endogean and cavernicolous Coleoptera of the Balkans. XV. A new species of the genus Ioniorhynchus Magrini, Meoli & Abbazzi, 2005 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) from Greece. Zootaxa, 4092 (2), 129 - 138. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4092.1.8","Bello, C., Colonnelli, E., Forbicioni, L., Osella, G. & Ruzzier, E. (2021) A new genus and species of anophthalmous Otiorhynchini from Greece, with a new synonymy and new combinations (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Entiminae). Zootaxa, 4938 (1), 69 - 84. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4938.1.3","Machado, A. (2011 a) Nuevos taxones de Laparocerus Schoenherr, 1834 de El Hierro y La Gomera, islas Canarias (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminiae). Graellsia, 67 (1), 57 - 90. https: // doi. org / 10.3989 / graellsia. 2011. v 67.043","Machado, A., Rodriguez-Exposito, E., Lopez, M. & Hernandez, M. (2017) Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Laparocerus, with comments on colonisation and diversification in Macaronesia (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae). ZooKeys, 651, 1 - 77. https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / zookeys. 651.10097"]}

Additional file 1: Figure S1-S9, Tables S1-S7. Figure S1. Flanking genes of the eukaryotic cwh genes predicted from five high-quality genomes. Figure S2. Guanine-Cytosine contents of cwh coding sequences of the ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Figure S3. Spatial expression of ladybird cwh genes. Figure S4. Temporal expression of ladybird cwh genes. Figure S5. Expression of ladybird cwh genes in response to bacterial infection. Figure S6. Phylogenetic tree of eukaryotic cwh genes identified from NCBI whole genome shotgun assemblies. Figure S7. Phylogenetic tree of Coccinellidae and their Coleoptera outgroups. Figure S8. Divergence time of Coccinellidae and their Coleoptera outgroups. Figure S9. Number of immunity-related genes in the published Coleoptera genomes. Table S1. Experimental design of cwh genes from ladybird genomes or transcriptomes. Table S2. Primers for ladybird cwh genes used for quantitative PCR. Table S3. Transcriptome data used in this study. Table S4. Information of the putative eukaryotic cwh genes detected from NCBI whole genome shotgun assemblies. Table S5. Estimation of selection pressures of cwh1 and cwh2 across Coccinellinae. Table S6. Primers for ladybird cwh used for cloning. Table S7. Primers for constructing cwh-RNAi strains of the ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri.

Rove beetles of the tribe Quediini are abundant predators in humid microhabitats of forested, open, synanthropic or subterranean ecosystems, with just over 800 species distributed across the temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Previous molecular phylogenies included only a limited representation of this diversity but have already indicated that Quedius, containing the majority of Quediini species, is polyphyletic. Six genera, historically associated with Quediini but now Staphylininae incertae sedis, are known only from few pinned specimens and have never been sequenced. Recent synergy between target enrichment phylogenomics, low-input sequencing of dry, pinned insect specimens and advances in alpha taxonomic knowledge have made comprehensive sampling of Quediini tractable. Here we developed a novel probe set specialized for anchored hybrid enrichment of 1229 single-copy orthologous loci in Staphylinidae. In one of the largest target enrichment phylogenies of insects to-date, we sequenced 201 ingroup taxa to clearly delimit monophyletic Quediini within Staphylininae and resolve relationships within this tribe, with 46% of sampled taxa derived from pinned specimens (0–45 years old). Maximum likelihood and coalescent phylogenetic analyses produced well-resolved, congruent topologies that will serve as a framework for further exploration of this radiation and its necessary generic revision. The inclusion of nearly all remaining Staphylininae incertae sedis genera, all known only from pinned specimens, resulted in the creation of Quelaestrygonini Brunke, trib. n. and revised concepts for Cyrtoquediini and Indoquediini. Quediini was resolved as monophyletic with the transfer of Q. elevatus and Q. nigropolitus to other tribes but Quedius and its subgenera Microsaurus, Distichalius and Raphirus were shown to be para- or polyphyletic. Based on the results of our analyses, Velleiopsis Fairmaire, 1882 syn. n. and Megaquedius Casey, 1915 syn. n. are synonymized with Microsaurus Dejean, 1833 resulting in: Q. (Microsaurus) marginiventris (Fairmaire) comb. n., Q. (M.) varendorffi (Reitter) comb.n. Several species of Quedius were transferred from Microsaurus to Distichalius (Q. aethiops Smetana, Q. biann Smetana, Q. cingulatus Smetana and Q. taruni Smetana), Distichalius to Raphirus (Q. fagelianus Scheerpeltz) and Microsaurus to Raphirus (Q. mixtus Eppelsheim and Q. persicus Korge).

The wasp family Chrysididae (cuckoo wasps, gold wasps) comprises exclusively parasitoid and kleptoparasitic species, many of which feature a stunning iridescent coloration and phenotypic adaptations to their parasitic life style. Previous attempts to infer phylogenetic relationships among the family’s major lineages (subfamilies, tribes, genera) based on Sanger sequence data were insufficient to statistically resolve the monophyly and the phylogenetic position of the subfamily Amiseginae and the phylogenetic relationships among the tribes Allocoeliini, Chrysidini, Elampini, and Parnopini (Chrysidinae). Here, we present a phylogeny inferred from nucleotide sequence data of 492 nuclear single-copy genes (230,915 aligned amino acid sites) from 94 species of Chrysidoidea (representing Bethylidae, Chrysididae, Dryinidae, Plumariidae) and 45 outgroup species by combining RNA-seq and DNA target enrichment data. We find support for Amiseginae being more closely related to Cleptinae than to Chrysidinae. Furthermore, we find strong support for Allocoeliini being the sister lineage of all remaining Chrysidinae, whereas Elampini represent the sister lineage of Chrysidini and Parnopini. Our study corroborates results from a recent phylogenomic investigation, which revealed Chrysidoidea as likely paraphyletic.

Background Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has been documented in many herbivorous insects, conferring the ability to digest plant material and promoting their remarkable ecological diversification. Previous reports suggest HGT of antibacterial enzymes may have contributed to the insect immune response and limit bacterial growth. Carnivorous insects also display many evolutionary successful lineages, but in contrast to the plant feeders, the potential role of HGTs has been less well-studied. Results Using genomic and transcriptomic data from 38 species of ladybird beetles, we identified a set of bacterial cell wall hydrolase (cwh) genes acquired by this group of beetles. Infection with Bacillus subtilis led to upregulated expression of these ladybird cwh genes, and their recombinantly produced proteins limited bacterial proliferation. Moreover, RNAi-mediated cwh knockdown led to downregulation of other antibacterial genes, indicating a role in antibacterial immune defense. cwh genes are rare in eukaryotes, but have been maintained in all tested Coccinellinae species, suggesting that this putative immune-related HGT event played a role in the evolution of this speciose subfamily of predominant predatory ladybirds. Conclusion Our work demonstrates that, in a manner analogous to HGT-facilitated plant feeding, enhanced immunity through HGT might have played a key role in the prey adaptation and niche expansion that promoted the diversification of carnivorous beetle lineages. We believe that this represents the first example of immune-related HGT in carnivorous insects with an association with a subsequent successful species radiation.

Ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are one of the most diverse groups of beetles and globally comprise over 6000 species. Despite their scientific and economic significance, the taxonomy of Coccinellidae remains unstable, and we still know little about their evolutionary history. By using a small number of genes, previous phylogenetic analyses have not reliably resolved the relationships among major ladybird lineages. In this study, we sequenced 94 nuclear protein-coding genes for 214 species of Coccinellidae and 14 outgroups, covering 90 genera and 35 tribes. We found that nucleotide compositional heterogeneity is present among ladybird tribes so that phylogenetic inference at the amino acid level is more reliable than at the DNA level. Based on the maximum likelihood analyses of the amino acid dataset, we recognize three subfamilies in Coccinellidae: Microweiseinae, Monocoryninae stat. nov., and Coccinellinae. The subfamily relationships are strongly supported as (Microweiseinae, (Monocoryninae stat. nov., Coccinellinae)). The tribes of ladybirds are mostly monophyletic, except Ortaliini, Sticholotidini, Scymnini, and Coccidulini. The phylogenetic relationships among tribes of Coccinellinae are still not well resolved, with many nodes weakly supported. Our divergence time analysis suggests that the crown group of extant lady beetles arose in the Early Cretaceous ~ 143 million years ago (Mya) and experienced a rapid diversification during the Late Cretaceous (120–70 Mya). We hypothesize that the boom of angiosperms in the Late Cretaceous promoted the diversification of herbivorous Sternorrhyncha insects, especially aphids, which in turn drove the rapid radiation of predatory lady beetles. In summary, our work provides a comprehensive time-calibrated phylogeny of Coccinellidae that provides a sound framework for revising their classification and understanding the origin of their biodiversity.

espanolEl objetivo de este estudio es dar a conocer el rango de potencia relacionado con la dosificacion del ISRS (inhibicion selectiva de la recaptacion de serotonina) fluoxetina y su mecanismo de accion como agente capaz de inducir efecto analgesico y ansiolitico en raton hembra cepa CD-1 (25-39 kg). Los datos obtenidos mostraron que las dosis antidepresivas 16, 32, 64 mg/kg (i.p.) presentan efecto analgesico y una respuesta ansiolitica, sin resultado significativo en el modelo de memoria espacial, pero con una disminucion en la actividad realizada en la memoria de trabajo para la dosis de 64 mg/kg (i.p.). Esto evidencia que fluoxetina puede orientar mayor eficacia a dosis con efecto antidepresivo e indica un efecto analgesico y ansiolitico sin producir cambio en la actividad motora del raton. La dosis maxima investigada provoco variacion en su actividad motora lo cual permite concluir que ISRS “fluoxetina” tiene un posible efecto sedativo. EnglishThe main objective of this paper is to establish the potency range and the action mechanism of selective serotonin reuptake inhibition (SSRI) fluoxetine on female CD-1 mice (25-39 kg). Our results indicated that fluoxetine´s antidepressant doses of 16 mg/kg (i.p.), 32 mg/kg (i.p.), and 64 mg/kg (i.p.) had an analgesic and anxiolytic effect without significant results on the spatial memory test. Reduced activity on memory work on specific activities was only observed with a dose of 64 mg/kg (i.p.). This is evidence to suggest that fluoxetine can be more effective with doses that showed an antidepressant effect. It also indicates that fluoxetine can have an analgesic and anxiolytic effect without reducing motor activity on mice. The maximum dose tested on this study showed variations on motor activity of mice suggesting that SSRI fluoxetine can have sedative effects