The evolutionary history of whirligig beetles inferred from UCEs

The evolutionary history of whirligig beetles (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae) is inferred from ultraconserved elements (UCEs). The Adephaga 2.9kv1 probe set tailored for use across Adephaga was deployed and found effective for phylogenetic inference in Gyrinidae. Taxon sampling comprised all known extant genera. A 50% complete data matrix comprising 733 loci and a 70% complete matrix of 251 loci were subjected to Bayesian, maximum likelihood, and coalescent-based analyses. The results of the phylogenetic analyses strongly support the monophyly of all currently recognized subfamilies and tribes. Relationships among subfamilies and tribes were strongly supported and consistent with findings from prior total-evidence approaches. Phylogenomic inference provided strong resolution for the relationships among the genera of Orectochilini a long-standing problem in whirligig beetle phylogenetics. Finally, a node-calibration approach is taken using divergence estimates from tip-dating to provide an estimate for the timing of the diversification of the Gyrinidae.