Molecular data support the placement of the enigmatic Cheguevaria as a subfamily of Lampyridae (Insecta: Coleoptera)

Abstract

Since the description of the genus Cheguevaria as incertae sedis (Lampyridae), the placement of these beetles has been uncertain. This study is the first to address the placement of this genus based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis. We used three genes (18S rRNA, rrnl mitochondrial DNA and cox1 mitochondrial DNA) and a maximum likelihood approach with W-IQ-TREE to support Cheguevaria as a member of the Lampyridae and recognize it as the sole genus in the new subfamily Cheguevariinae stat. nov.