The limits of Quediini at last (Staphylinidae: Staphylininae): a rove beetle mega‐radiation resolved by comprehensive sampling and anchored phylogenomics

Rove beetles of the tribe Quediini are abundant predators in humid microhabitats forested, open, synanthropic or subterranean ecosystems, with just over 800 species distributed across temperate and subtropical regions Northern Hemisphere. Previous molecular phylogenies included only a limited representation this diversity but have already indicated that Quedius, containing majority species, is polyphyletic. Six genera, historically associated now Staphylininae incertae sedis, known from few pinned specimens never been sequenced. Recent synergy between target enrichment phylogenomics, low-input sequencing dry, insect advances alpha taxonomic knowledge made comprehensive sampling tractable. Here we developed novel probe set specialized for anchored hybrid 1229 single-copy orthologous loci Staphylinidae. In one largest insects to-date, sequenced 201 ingroup taxa to clearly delimit monophyletic within resolve relationships tribe, 46% sampled derived (0–45 years old). Maximum likelihood coalescent phylogenetic analyses produced well-resolved, congruent topologies will serve as framework further exploration radiation its necessary generic revision. The inclusion nearly all remaining sedis specimens, resulted creation Quelaestrygonini Brunke, trib. n. revised concepts Cyrtoquediini Indoquediini. was resolved transfer Q. elevatus nigropolitus other tribes Quedius subgenera Microsaurus, Distichalius Raphirus were shown be para- Based on results our analyses, Velleiopsis Fairmaire, 1882 syn. Megaquedius Casey, 1915 synonymized Microsaurus Dejean, 1833 resulting in: (Microsaurus) marginiventris (Fairmaire) comb. n., (M.) varendorffi (Reitter) comb.n. Several transferred (Q. aethiops Smetana, biann cingulatus Smetana taruni Smetana), fagelianus Scheerpeltz) mixtus Eppelsheim persicus Korge).