A phylogeny of Nearctic acmaeoderini (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) reveals new higher-level relationships within

The jewel beetle tribe Acmaeoderini (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an extremely diverse group, containing more than 700 species across 14 genera. The members of the tribe are morphologically similar and possess extreme levels of intraspecific variation. Historically, the acmaederines from Afro-Eurasia have received thorough morphological treatment and nearly all species from these areas have been (through morphology) phylogenetically separated into various genus and subgenus groupings. Contrastingly, past studies in the Americas have been mostly restricted to alpha-level taxonomic descriptions, and only a very small percentage of species are placed into any formal group, with the relationships of the majority of the species unknown. Furthermore, no major molecular work has been conducted on the tribe. Here, we present our results from the first molecular phylogeny of a wide sampling of species within the Nearctic Acmaeoderini. The placement of the genera Acmaeoderopsis and Anambodera are evaluated, as well as the validity of the subgenus Squamodera. In addition, new potential taxonomic groups are recognized and suggested. We hope that our results serve to establish an added molecular basis for genus- and subgenus-level groupings in such a large and unwieldy group.