Appreciating mergers for understanding the non-linear <i>M</i>bh–<i>M</i>*,spheroid and <i>M</i>bh–<i>M</i>*, galaxy relations, updated herein, and the implications for the (reduced) role of AGN feedback

We present revised (black hole mass)-(spheroid stellar mass) and mass)-(galaxy scaling relations based on colour-dependent mass-to-light ratios. Our 3.6 micron luminosities were obtained from multicomponent decompositions, which accounted for bulges, discs, bars, ansae, rings, nuclear components, etc. The lenticular galaxy bulges (not associated with recent mergers) follow a steep M_bh~M_{*,bulge}^{1.53+/-0.15} relation, offset by roughly an order of magnitude in black mass the M_bh~M_{*,ellip}^{1.64+/-0.17} relation defined elliptical (E) galaxies which, Darwinian terms, are shown to have evolved punctuated equilibrium rather than gradualism. use spheroid, i.e., bulge elliptical, size-mass reveal how disc-galaxy mergers explain this dramatically lower M_bh/M_{*,sph} ratios galaxies. popular but deceptive near-linear M_bh-M_{*,sph} `red sequence', followed neither population nor galaxies, is be artefact sample selection, combining disparate sequences. Moreover, both small `undermassive' holes big (including relic nuggets') `overmassive' - relative sequence no longer viewed as outliers. confirm M_bh~M_{*,bulge}^{2.25+/-0.39} spiral discuss numerous implications work, including mergers, (only) feedback active galactic nuclei, shaped high-mass end function. also why there may useful M_bh-M_{*,sph}-R_{e,sph} plane due M_{*,sph} nearly linearly R_{e,sph}.