The Omalisinae (formerly family Omalisidae)[1] are a small subfamily of morphologically derived elaterid beetles. The Omalisinae were long considered an independent family in the deprecated family Cantharoidea (more closely related to soft-bodied beetles like fireflies, than click beetles), and later a family in the Elateroidea, but molecular phylogenies have demonstrated the morphological similarity of Omalisinae to other soft bodied beetles is a case of parallel evolution (homoplasy) of their soft bodies, rather than an apomorphy. Members of this beetle subfamily have been reported to have bioluminescent organs on the larvae,[2] although no recent publications have confirmed this. Some recent evidence indicated they were the sister group to a clade comprising the families Rhagophthalmidae and Phengodidae (glowworm beetles),[3] however a more comprehensive phylogenetic analysis based on genome sequences strongly supported the Omalisinae as being contained within the Elateridae.[1]

Omalisinae
Omalisus fontisbellaquaei
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Elateridae
Subfamily: Omalisinae
Lacordaire, 1857

Species

edit

References

edit
Citations
  1. ^ a b Kusy, Dominik; Motyka, Michal; Bocek, Matej; Vogler, Alfried P.; Bocak, Ladislav (2018-11-20). "Genome sequences identify three families of Coleoptera as morphologically derived click beetles (Elateridae)". Scientific Reports. 8 (1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 17084. Bibcode:2018NatSR...817084K. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-35328-0. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 6244081. PMID 30459416.
  2. ^ M.A. Branham, J.W. Wenzel (2001) The evolution of bioluminescence in cantharoids (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) The Florida Entomologist 84(4):565-586.
  3. ^ L. Bocak, M. Motyka, M. Bocek, M. Bocakova (2018) Incomplete sclerotization and phylogeny: The phylogenetic classification of Plastocerus (Coleoptera: Elateroidea). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0194026
Bibliography

Omalisidae Species List at Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog. Texas A&M University. Retrieved on 15 Jul 2011.