Legacy molecular phylogenetics suggests restricting the concept of Melandryidae and resurrecting Osphyidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea)

The superfamily Tenebrionoidea is one of the most challenging clades in the beetle tree-of-life owing to its vast species richness and complex taxonomic history. Within this group, the family Melandryidae has long been overlooked and its systematics remains poorly known. Using available sequence data, we infer the most comprehensive phylogeny of Melandryidae to date. Our results support the polyphyly of Melandryidae with three independent clades spread across Tenebrionoidea. To accommodate these results, we restrict the status of Melandryidae and resurrect the family Osphyidae stat. rev . The third clade corresponding to the tribe Serropalpini pro parte is placed as incertae sedis within Tenebrionoidea pending further investigation and additional taxon sampling to resolve its phylogenetic placement.