This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Hu, Fang-Shuo, Solodovnikov, Alexey, Fikáček, Martin (2025): The larva of the genus Tolmerinus Bernhauer described: does it help to reveal a sister-group for the rove beetle subtribe Anisolinina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae)? Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 83: 369-389, DOI: 10.3897/asp.83.e151555

Abstract

We provide a taxonomic description of the larva of the rove beetle Tolmerinus fratrumelliotorum Rougemont, 2017, identified through DNA barcoding. This is the first larval description for Anisolinina, the only subtribe whose sister group within the tribe Staphylinini remains unclear. While most phylogenetic hypotheses, especially molecular-based, suggest sister group relationships between Anisolinina and Staphylinina, conflicts remain, particularly when adult morphology is used for phylogeny reconstruction. Our attempt to use larval morphology for phylogeny reconstruction neither revealed a sister group for Anisolinina, nor unique synapomorphies for this subtribe. However, by mapping larval characters on the reference tree of Staphylinini, i. e., a phylogeny firmly established by phylogenomics in agreement with the adult morphology, we found unique larval synapomorphies to support the tribe Staphylinini and informal clade Staphylinini propria. We review all phylogenetic hypotheses ever proposed for a sister group of Anisolinina and discuss potential reasons for the poor phylogenetic signal in the larval characters alone. We stress some opportunities and challenges of using larval characters in phylogeny reconstructions.

GBIF url: https://www.gbif.org/dataset/244f7390-cb74-472f-955f-dd792cef21db
Homepage: https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/summary/D06B56F7209B59B29A3714D61D3468B2
Citation: Hu F, Solodovnikov A, Fikáček M, pensoft (2025). The larva of the genus Tolmerinus Bernhauer described: does it help to reveal a sister-group for the rove beetle subtribe Anisolinina (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae)?. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/rp3jy9 accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-02-12.