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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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