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Phylogenomics‐based click‐beetle classification tackles multiple origins of phenotypic modifications.

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Title: Phylogenomics‐based click‐beetle classification tackles multiple origins of phenotypic modifications.
Authors: Motyka, Michal1 (AUTHOR), Kusy, Dominik1 (AUTHOR), Arias, Elizabeth T.2 (AUTHOR), Bocak, Ladislav1 (AUTHOR) ladislav.bocak@upol.cz
Source: Systematic Entomology. Jan2026, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p1-25. 25p.
Subjects: Classification, Beetles, Biological evolution, Morphology, Molecular phylogeny, Species diversity, Sexual dimorphism
Abstract (English): Click beetles (Elateridae) have garnered scientific interest due to their diversity, bioluminescence and ontogenetic modifications. However, their classification is still poorly resolved. Here, we explore the internal relationships by analysing 45 tribes and ~4200 orthologs. We classify elaterids into 17 subfamilies and 51 tribes. We propose new ranks for Protelaterinae stat. nov., Thylacosternini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Semiotina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini) and Aplastini stat. nov. (Elaterinae). We resurrect Drapetini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Pachyderini stat. nov. (Agrypninae) and Corymbitina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini) and synonymise Pomachiliini syn. nov. and Synaptini syn. nov. to Agriotini and Quasimusini syn. nov. to Negastriini. Hypnoidinae retains its subfamily rank, regardless of its documented affinities to Dendrometrinae. Our research provides a phylogenomic framework for understanding the evolution of morphological disparity. The non‐clicking forms have evolved repeatedly in separate groups since the early evolution of click beetles. Cebrionini, Pleonomini and Plastocerini represent soil‐dwelling click beetles living in seasonally arid areas. They exhibit high sexual dimorphism, but either both sexes are winged (Pleonomini, Plastocerini), or females have slightly shortened elytra (some Cebrionini). Omalisinae and Drilini (Agrypninae) have neotenic females with a modified thoracic morphology, vestigial to absent elytra and always absent wings. Aplastine females resemble Omalisinae but share biological traits with Cebrionini. We propose that genomic data suggest different relationships among clicking and non‐clicking elaterids than earlier morphology‐based hypotheses, which suggested the placement of some modified click beetles in Dascilloidea and Cantharoidea, respectively, within a cantharoid clade of Elateroidea. Future research should investigate the molecular background of ontogenetic modifications, concentrating on potential differences between slightly modified groups from seasonally arid regions (e.g., Cebrio spp.) and predators with highly modified neotenic females (e.g., Omalisus spp. and Drilus spp.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Abstract (Spanish): Resumen: Los elatéridos (escarabajos clic) han despertado un gran interés científico debido a su diversidad, exhibir el fenómeno de bioluminiscencia y por sus modificaciones ontogenéticas. No obstante, su clasificación aún no está del todo resuelta. En el presente trabajo, exploramos las relaciones internas mediante el estudio de 46 tribus y aproximadamente 4000 ortólogos. La clasificación de los elatéridos que proponemos consiste en 17 subfamilias, conformadas por 52 tribus. Así mismo, proponemos cambios de categorías para Protelaterinae stat. nov., Thylacosternini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Semiotina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini) y Aplastini stat. nov. (Elaterinae). Además, revalidamos Drapetini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Pachyderini stat. nov. (Agrypninae) y Corymbitina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini). Conjuntamente sinonimizamos Pomachiliini sin. nov. y Synaptini sin. nov. con Agriotini y Quasimusini sin. nov. con Negastriini. Además, conservamos la jerarquía de subfamilia de Hypnoidinae, independientemente de las afinidades documentadas con Dendrometrinae. Nuestra investigación proporciona un marco filogenómico para esclarecer el entendimiento de la evolución de las diferencias morfológicas. Las formas sin mecanismo clic, han evolucionado repetidamente en grupos separados, desde la evolución temprana de los elatéridos. Cebrionini, Pleonomini y Plastocerini representan formas de elatéridos que habitan en el suelo, en zonas estacionalmente áridas. Estos presentan un alto dimorfismo sexual, con ambos sexos alados (Pleonomini, Plastocerini), o bien las hembras tienen élitros ligeramente acortados (algunos Cebrionini). Omalisinae y Drilini (Agrypninae) tienen hembras neoténicas con tórax modificado, élitros vestigiales o ausentes y alas siempre ausentes. Las hembras de Aplastinae se asemejan a Omalisinae, pero comparten rasgos biológicos con Cebrionini. Proponemos que los datos genómicos sugieren relaciones diferentes entre los elatéridos con mecanismo clic y aquellos sin este mecanismo que las hipótesis anteriores basadas en la morfología, que sugerían la ubicación de algunos elatéridos con mecanismo de salto modificado en Dascilloidea, Cantharoidea o dentro de un clado cantaroide de Elateroidea. Los trabajos futuros deberían investigar el trasfondo molecular de las modificaciones ontogenéticas, concentrándose en las posibles diferencias entre grupos ligeramente modificados de regiones estacionalmente áridas (p. ej., Cebrio spp.) y depredadores con hembras neoténicas altamente modificadas (p. ej., Omalisus spp. y Drilus spp.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Systematic Entomology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Phylogenomics‐based click‐beetle classification tackles multiple origins of phenotypic modifications.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Systematic+Entomology%22">Systematic Entomology</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p1-25. 25p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classification%22">Classification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Beetles%22">Beetles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biological+evolution%22">Biological evolution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Morphology%22">Morphology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Molecular+phylogeny%22">Molecular phylogeny</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Species+diversity%22">Species diversity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+dimorphism%22">Sexual dimorphism</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract (English)
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  Data: Click beetles (Elateridae) have garnered scientific interest due to their diversity, bioluminescence and ontogenetic modifications. However, their classification is still poorly resolved. Here, we explore the internal relationships by analysing 45 tribes and ~4200 orthologs. We classify elaterids into 17 subfamilies and 51 tribes. We propose new ranks for Protelaterinae stat. nov., Thylacosternini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Semiotina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini) and Aplastini stat. nov. (Elaterinae). We resurrect Drapetini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Pachyderini stat. nov. (Agrypninae) and Corymbitina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini) and synonymise Pomachiliini syn. nov. and Synaptini syn. nov. to Agriotini and Quasimusini syn. nov. to Negastriini. Hypnoidinae retains its subfamily rank, regardless of its documented affinities to Dendrometrinae. Our research provides a phylogenomic framework for understanding the evolution of morphological disparity. The non‐clicking forms have evolved repeatedly in separate groups since the early evolution of click beetles. Cebrionini, Pleonomini and Plastocerini represent soil‐dwelling click beetles living in seasonally arid areas. They exhibit high sexual dimorphism, but either both sexes are winged (Pleonomini, Plastocerini), or females have slightly shortened elytra (some Cebrionini). Omalisinae and Drilini (Agrypninae) have neotenic females with a modified thoracic morphology, vestigial to absent elytra and always absent wings. Aplastine females resemble Omalisinae but share biological traits with Cebrionini. We propose that genomic data suggest different relationships among clicking and non‐clicking elaterids than earlier morphology‐based hypotheses, which suggested the placement of some modified click beetles in Dascilloidea and Cantharoidea, respectively, within a cantharoid clade of Elateroidea. Future research should investigate the molecular background of ontogenetic modifications, concentrating on potential differences between slightly modified groups from seasonally arid regions (e.g., Cebrio spp.) and predators with highly modified neotenic females (e.g., Omalisus spp. and Drilus spp.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract (Spanish)
  Group: Ab
  Data: Resumen: Los elatéridos (escarabajos clic) han despertado un gran interés científico debido a su diversidad, exhibir el fenómeno de bioluminiscencia y por sus modificaciones ontogenéticas. No obstante, su clasificación aún no está del todo resuelta. En el presente trabajo, exploramos las relaciones internas mediante el estudio de 46 tribus y aproximadamente 4000 ortólogos. La clasificación de los elatéridos que proponemos consiste en 17 subfamilias, conformadas por 52 tribus. Así mismo, proponemos cambios de categorías para Protelaterinae stat. nov., Thylacosternini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Semiotina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini) y Aplastini stat. nov. (Elaterinae). Además, revalidamos Drapetini stat. nov. (Lissominae), Pachyderini stat. nov. (Agrypninae) y Corymbitina stat. nov. (Dendrometrini). Conjuntamente sinonimizamos Pomachiliini sin. nov. y Synaptini sin. nov. con Agriotini y Quasimusini sin. nov. con Negastriini. Además, conservamos la jerarquía de subfamilia de Hypnoidinae, independientemente de las afinidades documentadas con Dendrometrinae. Nuestra investigación proporciona un marco filogenómico para esclarecer el entendimiento de la evolución de las diferencias morfológicas. Las formas sin mecanismo clic, han evolucionado repetidamente en grupos separados, desde la evolución temprana de los elatéridos. Cebrionini, Pleonomini y Plastocerini representan formas de elatéridos que habitan en el suelo, en zonas estacionalmente áridas. Estos presentan un alto dimorfismo sexual, con ambos sexos alados (Pleonomini, Plastocerini), o bien las hembras tienen élitros ligeramente acortados (algunos Cebrionini). Omalisinae y Drilini (Agrypninae) tienen hembras neoténicas con tórax modificado, élitros vestigiales o ausentes y alas siempre ausentes. Las hembras de Aplastinae se asemejan a Omalisinae, pero comparten rasgos biológicos con Cebrionini. Proponemos que los datos genómicos sugieren relaciones diferentes entre los elatéridos con mecanismo clic y aquellos sin este mecanismo que las hipótesis anteriores basadas en la morfología, que sugerían la ubicación de algunos elatéridos con mecanismo de salto modificado en Dascilloidea, Cantharoidea o dentro de un clado cantaroide de Elateroidea. Los trabajos futuros deberían investigar el trasfondo molecular de las modificaciones ontogenéticas, concentrándose en las posibles diferencias entre grupos ligeramente modificados de regiones estacionalmente áridas (p. ej., Cebrio spp.) y depredadores con hembras neoténicas altamente modificadas (p. ej., Omalisus spp. y Drilus spp.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Systematic Entomology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Text: English
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Beetles
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      – SubjectFull: Biological evolution
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      – SubjectFull: Morphology
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      – SubjectFull: Molecular phylogeny
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      – SubjectFull: Species diversity
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      – SubjectFull: Sexual dimorphism
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      – TitleFull: Phylogenomics‐based click‐beetle classification tackles multiple origins of phenotypic modifications.
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