Evolution, adaptation and speciation in Anthroherpon Reitter, a genus of subterranean Coleoptera

Abstract

The PhD research project focus on the study of evolution, adaptation, and speciation in the subterranean environment using troglobitic Coleoptera of the genus Anthroherpon as a model organism. Genus Anthroherpon belongs to the tribe Leptodirini (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae), a group that has undergone extensive diversification in the subterranean environment. All species of this genus have developed typical troglomorphic modifications: complete anophthalmy, apterism, extreme elongation of appendages, head, and pronotum, and physogastric elytra. To understand the evolutionary history of this group, the troglomorphic adaptations need to be studied in a phylogenetic framework. The thesis provide a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of the Anthroherpon radiation, using a dated molecular phylogeny as a framework for understanding Anthroherpon diversification, reconstructing the ancestral range, and exploring troglomorphic diversity. In light of these findings, a new taxonomical organisation of the group has been proposed.

Doktorska disertacija predstavlja studiju evolucije, adaptacije i specijacije u podzemnim staništima troglobiontnih tvrdokrilaca roda Anthroherpon. Pomenuti rod pripada tribusu Leptodirini (Leiodidae, Cholevinae), grupi koja je prošla intenzivnu diverzifikaciju u uslovima podzemnih staništa. Sve vrste pomenutog roda poseduju tipične troglomorfne osobine, kao što su: anoftalmija, apterizam, ekstremno izduženi telesni nastavci, glava i pronotum, i fizogastrija. Radi razumevanja evolucione istorije grupe, troglomorfne adaptacije su studirane u filogenetskom kontekstu. U analizi evolutivne radijacije roda Anthroherpon korišćena je datirana molekularna filogenija kao okvir za razumevanje diverzifikacije roda, evolucije troglomorfnih karaktera i rekonstrukciju predačkog areala. U svetlu novih nalaza predložena je nova taksonomska organizacija grupe.