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Student 10-Minute Paper

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Student Competition

Student

Grad Competition SysEB: Morphology 1

Revision of extinct and extant roller dung beetles endemic to Mauritius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae: Sisyphini) using computational taxonomy and molecular data

Monday, November 6, 2023
8:36 AM – 8:48 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Chesapeake 6
In-Person Student Competition

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Federica Losacco

    Research Trainee
    Finnish Museum of Natural History
    Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

    • Co-Author(s)

  • NP

    Nicholas Porch

    Deakin University
    Burwood, Victoria, Australia

  • MR

    Michele Rossini

    University of Padova
    Padova, Veneto, Italy

  • GD

    Gimo M. Daniel

    Principal Museum Scientist
    The National Museum
    Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

  • FK

    Frank Krell

    Denver Museum of Nature & Science
    Denver, Colorado

  • FL

    Fernando Lopes

    Finnish Museum of Natural History
    Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

  • ST

    Sergei Tarasov

    Finnish Museum of Natural History
    Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Mauritius island harbors a high level of species richness and endemism, representing a valuable biodiversity hotspot. Dung beetles are among this wide variety of locally adapted organisms that bear witness to the island's unique evolutionary history. Five indigenous species of Scarabaeinae are known from the island, belonging to the monotypic genus Nesovinsonia Martinez & Pereira, 1958 and Nesosisyphus Vinson, 1946. Prior to this study, the latter genus has been represented by four distinct species, N. regnardi (Alluaud, 1839), N. vicinus (Vinson, 1939), N. rotundatus Vinson, 1946 and N. pygmaeus Vinson, 1946. An interesting paleontological research conducted in Mare Aux Songes (southwest Mauritius) led to the discovery of a new 4000 yr old subfossil species which is described in the present study. Moreover, a first molecular phylogeny of the genus is provided supporting its reclassification as subgenera Sisyphus (Nesosisyphus Vinson) stat. rev. Updated keys, illustrations and unpublished distribution data are also presented. To facilitate and propose a new perspective on how to integrate taxonomy, the Phenoscript package was used to build a semantic description of the five mauritian species of Sisyphines. This new ontology-based tool aims to give a significant contribute to expand the potential of biodiversity research and can improve our ability to accurately compare and understand the diversity of life on Earth.