Phylogenomics‐based click‐beetle classification tackles multiple origins of phenotypic modifications

Abstract Click beetles (Elateridae) have garnered scientific interest due to their diversity, bioluminescence and ontogenetic modifications. However, their classification is still poorly resolved. Here, we explore the internal relationships by analysing 45 tribes and ~4200 orthologs. We classify elaterids into 17 subfamilies and 51 tribes. We propose new ranks for Protelaterinae stat. nov ., Thylacosternini stat. nov . (Lissominae), Semiotina stat. nov . (Dendrometrini) and Aplastini stat. nov . (Elaterinae). We resurrect Drapetini stat. nov . (Lissominae), Pachyderini stat. nov . (Agrypninae) and Corymbitina stat. nov . (Dendrometrini) and synonymise Pomachiliini syn. nov . and Synaptini syn. nov . to Agriotini and Quasimusini syn. nov . to Negastriini. Hypnoidinae retains its subfamily rank, regardless of its documented affinities to Dendrometrinae. Our research provides a phylogenomic framework for understanding the evolution of morphological disparity. The non‐clicking forms have evolved repeatedly in separate groups since the early evolution of click beetles. Cebrionini, Pleonomini and Plastocerini represent soil‐dwelling click beetles living in seasonally arid areas. They exhibit high sexual dimorphism, but either both sexes are winged (Pleonomini, Plastocerini), or females have slightly shortened elytra (some Cebrionini). Omalisinae and Drilini (Agrypninae) have neotenic females with a modified thoracic morphology, vestigial to absent elytra and always absent wings. Aplastine females resemble Omalisinae but share biological traits with Cebrionini. We propose that genomic data suggest different relationships among clicking and non‐clicking elaterids than earlier morphology‐based hypotheses, which suggested the placement of some modified click beetles in Dascilloidea and Cantharoidea, respectively, within a cantharoid clade of Elateroidea. Future research should investigate the molecular background of ontogenetic modifications, concentrating on potential differences between slightly modified groups from seasonally arid regions (e.g., Cebrio spp.) and predators with highly modified neotenic females (e.g., Omalisus spp. and Drilus spp.).