Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 98. (Budapest 2006)

Makranczy, Gy.: Systematics and phylogenetic relationships of the genera in the Carpelimus group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae)

weak support, no taxonomic action is proposed, pending additional phylogenetic analysis with different suites of characters, possibly molecular data or larval characters. Apart from the homoplasious characters and lack of unique synapomorphies for the clades, the genera in the current sense can be unambiguously characterized by combinations of character states: Carpelimus (three segmented tarsi with compressed basal segments and tarsal lobes), Trogactus (densely pubescent last tarsomere, extremely elongated antennae), Thinodromus (five segmented tarsi with compressed basal segments and presence of sternite IX in males), Xerophygus (pump and flagellum in aedeagi and the unique combination of rhomboid fusion between tergites IX and X plus presence of fully developed sternite IX in males), Teropalpus (five segmented tarsi with tarsal lobes, narrowly separated gular sutures), Blediotrogus (frontally separated gular sutures, five segmented tarsi), Pareiobledius (four segmented tarsi with tarsal lobes), Ochthephilus (five segmented tarsi with tarsal lobes and presence of first sternite embedded in the basal membrane of the second sternite), Mimopaederus (five segmented tarsi with tarsal lobes, highly elongated, conical pronotum with margins dorsally invisible). Based on this information, the continued recognition of Trogactus and Carpelimus is suggested. However, former genera Apocellagria and Bledioschema are synonymized with Thinodromus and Aploderus

, respectively. This conclusion is based on the almost total agreement with the generic characters of the senior taxa and the high variability in the characters that were used to delimit the 2 former genera. In case of Aploderus and Bledioschema, not only the adult characters, but also the larval ones agree in all important details (the larva of Bledioschema is described in LÖBL & KODADA 1996). In recent years, micropterous, microphthalmous Aploderus species were found on multiple occasions. The issues with the generic limits in the Oxytelus and Anotylus groups are discussed in a separate chapter and not repeated here, since these were not investigated in detail by cladistic analysis. The target of the study, the Carpelimus group does not appear to be monophyletic. The Thinobius group of genera resides within a clade with some members of the Carpelimus group. Since the Thinobius group itself was not the target of the study and was not sampled adequately for answering such a question, the exact relationships between these two groups of genera cannot be hypothesized from the results of the outlined analysis alone. Further investigation of the Thinobius group is needed. One conclusion, however, cannot be avoided: the genus Neoxus is likely a derived lineage within Thinobius, therefore the monophyly of the latter is at least questionable. The genus Ochthephilus is very challenging, for possessing a series of ancestral character states (undivided labrum, fully developed female genital appendages, sac-like unsclerotized spermatheca) together with fairly derived ones (tarsal lobes, compressed basal tarsomeres). The phylogenetic position of this group is still dubi-