Disentangling the southern connections between the Australian and the Neotropical bioregions: biodiversity, phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships of the megadiverse stink bug family Pentatomidae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

Abstract

The Pentatomidae is a megadiverse family that comprises >5,000 described species and includes many species that are pests of food staples such as corn, wheat and vegetables. Research on their phylogenetic and biogeographic history is limited, and there are no studies on the connection of the Australia and South America stink bug faunas. The current classification includes 9 subfamilies, about 50 tribes and 900 genera on a worldwide basis. The number of tribes is exaggerated and is indicative of a classification that has not been synthesized or tested. It is at the tribal level that biogeographic connections between Australia and South America are expected, but presently only the tribe Strachiini is shared between the two biogeographic regions, yet almost 1/3 of global species of pentatomids are found in Australia and South America. The goal of the project is to seek new perspectives on the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of the Pentatomidae of Australian and Neotropical regions, and the biogeographic connections between them, through research on the following questions: 1) What are the main phylogenetic lineages of Pentatomidae shared between the Australian and Neotropical biogeographic regions? 2) Are the Pentatomidae lineages identified in 1) biogegraphically related? (AU)