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Taxonomy, phylogeny and phylogeografy of selected groups of aquatic beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae, Hydraenidae) of the Caribbean region
Deler-Hernández, Albert ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Ribera, Ignacio (referee) ; Archangelsky, Miguel (referee)
This thesis is focused in the representatives of beetle families Hydrophilidae and Hydraenidae of West Indies and adjacent regions. It consists of two parts, the phylogenetic part and the systematic part. The phylogenetic part focuses on the hydrophilid genera Phaenonotum and Crenitulus of Greater Antilles: beetles were sampled in all four main islands (Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Jamaica) and analyzed using the combination of molecular and morphological data. The genus Phaenonotum contains four single-island endemics, of which those from Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola are wingless and form a clade that diversified ca. 46 million years ago (Ma) and likely colonized the Caribbean via the GAARlandia land bridge. In contrast, the Puerto Rican endemic and the two remaining non-endemic species colonized the Greater Antilles by over- water dispersal during the Oligocene-Miocene. The analysis of the genus Crenitulus revealed that Greater Antillean species belong to two separate clades: the Crenitulus yunque clade endemic for Cuba and Hispaniola, and the Crenitulus suturalis clade containing specimens from Greater Antilles and from northern America. A detailed revision of the Crenitulus yunque clade using morphology and molecular-based species delimitation recognized 11 species locally endemic for...
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Habitat shifts to aquatic environment and back to dry land in the evolution of Coleoptera
Sýkora, Vít ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Král, David (referee)
The order Coleoptera (beetles) includes both terrestrial and aquatic species. The whole order as well as for all suborders (Archostemata, Myxophaga, Adephaga and Polyphaga) in ancetrally terrestrial. Habitat shifts occured in all suborders except Archostemata. A single shift to aquatic environment is probable in Myxophaga and Adephaga, multiple independent shifts from aquatic to terrestrial environments took place in Polyphaga. Multiple secondary habitat transitions back to terrestrial life style occured in Adephaga, Myxophaga and Polyphaga. However, phylogenetic relationships and/or detailed habitat requirements of adults and larvae are still unknown for many groups. That is why a reliable reconstruction of the evolution of habitat transitions between aquatic and terrestrial environment is still impossible in many cases. Key words: Coleoptera, habitat shifts, aquatic environment, terrestrial environment, evolution, phylogeny, biodiversity, morphology, adaptation
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Evolution of histeroid beetles (Coleoptera: Histeroidea): phylogenetics, fossil record and life histories
Simon Pražák, Jan ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Lackner, Tomáš (referee)
Histeroid beetles (Coleoptera: Staphyliformia: Histeroidea) represent an important lineage of beetles, known for a rich diversity of body forms and inhabited environments. In this thesis, I summarize available information about their position in the beetle tree of life and the available information about their ecology and biology. I specifically address current ideas about the evolution of the four histeroid families (Histeridae, Cretohisteridae, Synteliidae and Sphaeritidae) and the internal phylogeny of the Histeridae. To understand the available data about the past diversity of the group, I provide a summary of all described fossil species. The group has undergone numerous habitat shifts, often connected with apparent morphological and behavioural adaptations, some of which likely increased the diversification rate of respective lineages. This thesis aims to connect the available phylogenetic, fossil and ecological data to provide a summary of the evolutionary history of the lineage.
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Understanding the biodiversity boom in terrestrial hydrophilid beetles
Arriaga Varela, Emmanuel ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Beutel, Rolf (referee) ; Bocák, Ladislav (referee)
The research contained in this thesis explores the phylogenetic systematics, taxonomy, evolution and biogeography of tribe Megasternini (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Sphaeridiinae). Megasternines are an oustandingly diverse group of terrestrial water scavenger beetles with almost 600 described species and probably up to 1,000 species in total. Its species can be found in a wide array of habitats with abundant decaying material like humid leaf litter, dung, rotten cacti, beach wrack, flowers, etc. The specific and ecological diversity as well as their global distribution makes Megasternini an interesting model group for the understanding of processes underlying the diversification, biogeography and evolution of beetles. The scientific part of the thesis contains seven papers: three published, one accepted, one submitted and two manuscripts. Chapters 1-4 are focused on the taxonomy of selected groups. These chapters aim to cover a variety of cases in terms of biogeography (the Greater Antilles, northern Neotropics, Africa and Southeast Asia), ecology (species associated with leaf litter, dung, flower and rotten cacti) and different taxonomic scenarios. One new extant genus and eight new extant species are described in these chapters. Chapter 5 is a revision of all known hydrophilid fossils from Baltic...
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Evolutionary history, systematics and biogeography of Southern Hemisphere hydrophilid beetles (Coleoptera)
Seidel, Matthias ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Gomez-Zurita, Jesus (referee) ; Gimmel, Matthew L. (referee)
The research presented in my PhD thesis consists of phylogenetic, biogeographic, taxonomic and ecological research of Southern Hemisphere water scavenger beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) with a special emphasis on New Zealand. The introductory chapter provides a brief outline on the break-up of Gondwana and geological processes that shaped New Zealand and its fauna. Furthermore, the diversity of New Zealand Hydrophilidae and worldwide diversity of the hydrophilid subfamily Cylominae and its taxonomic history are illustrated. The scientific part of the thesis contains 4 published papers and 2 manuscripts. The first study recalibrates the Coleoptera time tree, providing new age estimates for the Hydrophiloidea, among others. The new age estimate is implemented in the second study, a phylogenetic study that reconstructs the biogeography of the 'Gondwanan' Cylominae beetles. The Cylominae, whose name was reinstated through nomenclatural priority over Rygmodinae in a separate paper, are found to consist of two tribes, Andotypini and Cylomini. The disjunct distribution of Cylominae is shown to be partly the result of vicariance and partly of long-distance oversea dispersal. The most remarkable long-distance dispersal is that of the only African representative of the subfamily which reached Africa from...
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Evolution, biogeography and systematics of moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)
Damaška, Albert ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Bezděk, Jan (referee)
Flea beetles (Alticini) are a highly diversified group of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) with about 8 000 known species from about 560 genera distributed worldwide except Antarctica. The major life strategy of flea beetles is external feeding on vascular plants, similarly to other leaf beetles. However, studies published during last years revealed existence of numerous different flea beetle genera feeding on mosses. Moss-inhabiting flea beetles are usually highly specialized and share similar morphological characteristics, including flightlessness, compact body shape and modified antennae. However, their phylogenetic position remained unknown. In this study, I performed a phylogenetic analysis of 14 known moss- and leaf litter inhabiting flea beetle genera, included into a large dataset of various genera of flea beetles. I sequenced 2 mitochondrial and 2 nuclear genes previously used for phylogenetic analyses of Alticini. I also added numerous Neotropical external feeding alticine genera, because taxon samples from previous studies (Ge et al. 2012; Nie et al. 2017) consisted mainly of Oriental genera. Although deep divergences and phylogenetic positions of several genera were not resolved, the analysis revealed a multiple origin of moss- and leaf litter inhabitance among flea beetles. The morphologically...
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Taxonomy, phylogeny and phylogeografy of selected groups of aquatic beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae, Hydraenidae) of the Caribbean region
Deler-Hernández, Albert ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Ribera, Ignacio (referee) ; Archangelsky, Miguel (referee)
This thesis is focused in the representatives of beetle families Hydrophilidae and Hydraenidae of West Indies and adjacent regions. It consists of two parts, the phylogenetic part and the systematic part. The phylogenetic part focuses on the hydrophilid genera Phaenonotum and Crenitulus of Greater Antilles: beetles were sampled in all four main islands (Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Jamaica) and analyzed using the combination of molecular and morphological data. The genus Phaenonotum contains four single-island endemics, of which those from Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola are wingless and form a clade that diversified ca. 46 million years ago (Ma) and likely colonized the Caribbean via the GAARlandia land bridge. In contrast, the Puerto Rican endemic and the two remaining non-endemic species colonized the Greater Antilles by over- water dispersal during the Oligocene-Miocene. The analysis of the genus Crenitulus revealed that Greater Antillean species belong to two separate clades: the Crenitulus yunque clade endemic for Cuba and Hispaniola, and the Crenitulus suturalis clade containing specimens from Greater Antilles and from northern America. A detailed revision of the Crenitulus yunque clade using morphology and molecular-based species delimitation recognized 11 species locally endemic for...
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Evolution and biogeography of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini)
Damaška, Albert ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Skuhrovec, Jiří (referee)
Leaf beetles belong to most diverse groups of insects and the biggest diversity inside this group is among flea beetles. This work summarizes existing hypotheses about their relationships with other groups of leaf beetles (especially galerucines) and compares various hypotheses about their phylogenetic position and suprageneric systematics. I also rewiev known fossils of flea beeltes and discuss their systematic position and evolutionary or biogeographic significance. The success of flea beetles is likely caused among others by their specific characters, (e. g. their jumping ability), and also their ability to reach dozens of various strategies and ecological adaptations. I discuss both morphological and ecological specifics of flea beetles and especially, I focus on apparently marginal life strategies - terrestrial and moss inhabitance, because in these ecological niches, an interestingly big diversity of flea beetles is uncovered recently. Moss-inhabiting flea beetles are also a very interesting model for ecological, evolutionary and biogeographical studies, because of their high endemism and low dispersal abilities. I also discuss extant distribution of flea beetles in the work and I concern questions about the origins and dynamics of their distributional ranges. I propose theories on possible...
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Phylogeny and evolution of habitat preferences of the subfamilies Rygmodinae and Sphaeridiinae (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)
Sýkora, Vít ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Zrzavý, Jan (referee)
Subfamilies Rygmodinae and Sphaeridiinae together form approximately one third of the extant diversity within the family Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera: Polyphaga). Members of both these subfamilies inhabit wide spectrum of aquatic and terrestrial environments including specialized habitats such as phytotelmata, carrion or termite nests. So far, habitat shifts within these subfamilies have been only tested with a limited amount of taxa at the family level. Using a broader sampling and Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods, genus-level molecular phylogenetic analysis and divergence dating were performed. The dataset included 96 taxa, representing all major clades (genus groups) in both subfamilies, sequenced for two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes. A single shift from the aquatic to terrestrial environment in the Middle Jurassic was suggested, thus revealing both subfamilies and all tribes as ancestrally inhabiting decaying plant material and leaf litter. Secondary returns to aquatic habitats were suggested for two lineages of the Rygmodinae and several lineages belonging to tribes Coelostomatini and Megasternini. A single shift to flowers was revealed in the subfamily Rygmodinae. Similarly, single independent shifts to the inquiline lifestyle in tribes Omicrini and Megasternini were revealed. In...
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Habitat shifts to aquatic environment and back to dry land in the evolution of Coleoptera
Sýkora, Vít ; Fikáček, Martin (advisor) ; Král, David (referee)
The order Coleoptera (beetles) includes both terrestrial and aquatic species. The whole order as well as for all suborders (Archostemata, Myxophaga, Adephaga and Polyphaga) in ancetrally terrestrial. Habitat shifts occured in all suborders except Archostemata. A single shift to aquatic environment is probable in Myxophaga and Adephaga, multiple independent shifts from aquatic to terrestrial environments took place in Polyphaga. Multiple secondary habitat transitions back to terrestrial life style occured in Adephaga, Myxophaga and Polyphaga. However, phylogenetic relationships and/or detailed habitat requirements of adults and larvae are still unknown for many groups. That is why a reliable reconstruction of the evolution of habitat transitions between aquatic and terrestrial environment is still impossible in many cases. Key words: Coleoptera, habitat shifts, aquatic environment, terrestrial environment, evolution, phylogeny, biodiversity, morphology, adaptation
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