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)

The genera studied The history of the genera and their hypothesized relationships were explained roughly in the previous chapters. The break-up of the tribe Coprophilini into Deleasterini, Coprophilini and Thinobiini by NEWTON & THAYER (1992a) and the establishment of the sister-group relationship between Bledius and Eppelsheimius were the last major landmarks in the classification of the subfamily. Within the tribe Thinobiini, the Thinobius group {Thinobius, Neoxus and Sciotrogus) stood separate from the Carpelimus group since HERMAN'S (1970) generic revision. The Carpelimus group in the present sense consists of the genera Blediotrogus, Pareiobledius, Teropalpus, Ochthephilus, Thinodromus, Trogactus, Xerophygus and Carpelimus. The phylogenetic reletionships among these genera were originally thought to be quite important for the phylogeny of the whole subfamily (giving resolution to most of the poorly defined clades). Later I realized that the inclusion of representative taxa of all the major clades within the former tribe Thinobiini (genera like Manda, Planeustomus, Crassodemus, Aploderus and representatives of the tribe Blediini) is necessary to properly reconstruct relationships. Therefore the range of taxa in the outgroup was expanded to include all the above listed taxa in the hope that they will provide information determining the relatedness and paraphyly of the former Thinobiini to Oxytelini. The range of the ingroup taxa was not changed even after the analysis revealed that they in fact do not form a monophyletic group. In the references section, only those publications are listed that introduced names hereby changing their status (and their currently valid names). For the rest of the synonyms, please refer to HERMAN (2001), who adequately details their taxonomic history. In the descriptions of genera, the character states are followed by their character number used in the analysis. This helps finding them in the character matrix (Table 1) and comparing their distribution among the treated taxa. The figures illustrating the previously unused characters are referenced in the character list. Blediotrogus SHARP, 1900 Blediotrogus SHARP, 1900 (type species: Blediotrogus guttiger SHARP, 1900) Description - Medium-sized (3.0^4.5 mm), usually dark brown, but some species reddish or yellowish brown. Head and pronotum usually more weakly pubescent than the elytra and especially the abdomen. Elytra parallel-sided, a large spot at the postero-apical corners either lighter or darker than the rest of the elytra; the size and distinctness of this spot varies greatly. Temples distinct, abdomen broadest at (or around) the 6th segment. Tibia with spines. The difference between sexes in the formation of sternum VIII is often very small, sexes are hard to recognize (males usually have