Under Construction

pterostichite grade

Kipling Will
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P.(H.) lama
taxon links [up-->]Chaetodactylini [up-->]Morionini [up-->]Cratocerini [up-->]Cnemalobini [up-->]Pterostichini [up-->]Gondwanalox clade [up-->]Drimostomatini [up-->]Melanchitonini [up-->]Microcheilini [up-->]Zabrini Not MonophyleticMonophyly UncertainMonophyly UncertainMonophyly Uncertain[down<--]Harpalinae Interpreting the tree
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The root of the current tree connects the organisms featured in this tree to their containing group and the rest of the Tree of Life. The basal branching point in the tree represents the ancestor of the other groups in the tree. This ancestor diversified over time into several descendent subgroups, which are represented as internal nodes and terminal taxa to the right.

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Containing group: Harpalinae

Introduction

Historically these taxa have generally been placed together. Most studies suggest that the included taxa are close relatives, but it is unlikely that this is a monophyletic group relative to other Harpalinae.

Characteristics

There is no clear set of synapomorhies for the group, and so members are Harpalinae that lack the derived features of other groups in the subfamily. Typically, they are medium to large species, very rarely under 4mm in length, often heavy to massively built. Most have two supraorbital setae and a prominently developed and externally visible elytral plica (but there are many exceptions). For most species the female reproductive tract has glabrous gonocoxites or gonocoxites that have relatively few rather large setae.

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

As noted above this is not likely a monophyletic group, and there is no clear, prefered set of relationships among its members. Cnemalobini is probably related to some or all Morionini (Roig-Juñent & Flores 1995; Liebherr & Will 1998), and some structures of the female reproductive tract and external morphology suggest Chaetodactylini are likely to be related to Morionini (Will 2003) as well. However, other structures of the female reproductive tract suggest that Chaetodactylini and Michrocheilini may be sister-taxa, though the external morphology is strikingly different in the two groups. Drimostomatini + Cratocerini probably form a clade, and this could be sister to the Gondwanalox clade. Melanchitonini and Zabrini are likely to be related to taxa within Pterostichini, which probably is a grade rather than a clade, in Harpalinae.

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Myas coracinus
Identified By K.Will
Life Cycle Stage Adult
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © Kipling Will
P.(H.) lama
Scientific Name Pterostichus (Hypherpes) lama
Location California, Sierra Co.
Comments Image taken by A. Seago
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Identified By Kipling Will
Sex Male
Life Cycle Stage Adult
View Dorsal
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © Kipling Will
Scientific Name Abropus carnifex
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
Identified By K.Will
Life Cycle Stage Adult
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © Kipling Will
About This Page

Kipling Will
University of California, Berkeley, California, USA

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Kipling Will at

Page: Tree of Life pterostichite grade. Authored by Kipling Will. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Will, Kipling. 2006. pterostichite grade. Version 07 July 2006 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/pterostichite_grade/51493/2006.07.07 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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For a more detailed explanation of the different ToL page types, have a look at the Structure of the Tree of Life page.

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