Opsin evolution is revealed by anchored hybrid enrichment phylogeny in cucujoid beetles

Recent phylogenomic efforts have failed to recover a monophyletic Cucujoidea. Those efforts have argued for the establishment of two new superfamilies, one being the Nitiduloidea. Here, we present the largest genomic-scale phylogenetic estimate for Nitiduloidea to date, including four of four families, 12 of 14 subfamilies, and 192 total taxa. Anchored Hybrid Enrichment probes were specifically designed for the superfamily based on available genomes and transcriptomes. These probes were also designed to capture opsin genes, allowing us to characterize the tremendous variation in opsin gene copy number across the group. These data, in conjunction with relative eye size measurements, and feeding strategy information can be used to assess the intersection between genetics, sensory morphology, and feeding behavior.