Pupal morphology in the subfamily Paussinae (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Pupae of the Ozaenini lineage (Pachyteles vignai Deuve, 2000, P. digiulioiDeuve, 2000 and Physea setosa Chaudoir, 1868) and the Paussini lineage(Platyrhopalopsis melleii (Westwood, 1833) and Paussus kannegieteriWasmann, 1896), are described and shown in figures, and compared withother adephagan taxa. In contrast to the customary assumption that pupalcharacters are uninformative with regard to systematics, this analysis showsthe importance of pupal characters for phylogenetic reconstruction atdifferent levels. Differences between basal and derived Paussinae occur inthe arrangement of setae and in the folding of gonothecae, while somecharacters, like the microsculpture, the inversion of the last abdominal segmentsand perhaps the reduction of the 7th abdominal spiracle, supportPaussinae monophyly. The extent of pubescence is a morphocline amongAdephaga, with reduction in several unrelated taxa. Finally, the possibilityof recognising distinct abdominal segments and antennal articles at thepupal stage, in taxa where they appear fused at the adult stage, may providean ontogenetic basis for elucidating phylogenetic relationships