Phylogenetic placement of the enigmatic longhorned beetle Vesperoctenus flohri Bates (Vesperidae) and a first description of its female internal structures

Taxonomic placement of the enigmatic monotypic Mexican longhorned beetle genus Vesperoctenus Bates is examined through inclusion in and reanalysis dataset Haddad et al. (2018, Systematic Entomology 43: 68–89). We describe discuss phylogenetic significance internal structures a recently collected V. flohri female from Sierra de la Laguna mountain range Mexico, same specimen which phylogenomic data was generated. Our analyses (469 genes) recovered with maximal statistical support within cerambyciform family Vesperidae, sister to Vesperus Dejean (Vesperinae). + were Philinae, collectively form clade Anoplodermatinae. Thus, we place Vesperidae: Vesperinae: Vesperoctenini based on large-scale data. Finally, propose that conservation status merits assessment.