Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Corotoca, with description of a new genus and species from Brazil (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae)

Corotoca is a strictly Neotropical genus of termitophilous beetles associated with termites of genus Constrictotermes. A cladistic analysis based on 13 terminal taxa and 60 characters (57 morphological and three behavioral) was conducted. The exhaustive search with equally weighted characters resulted in two most parsimonious trees with 95 steps. Spirachtha is proposed to be the sister group of the monophyletic “subgroup Corotocae” (Corotoca + Cavifonexus gen. nov.), based on eleven synapomorhphies (ten exclusive and one homoplastic). The monophyly of Corotoca is supported here, including six species associated with Constrictotermes cyphergaster: (Corotoca hitchensi sp. nov + (C. melantho + C. pseudomelantho sp. nov.) + ((C. fontesi + (C. phylo + C. araujoi)). A new genus, Cavifronexus gen. nov., is proposed to two species associated with Constrictotermes cavifrons (Holmgren, 1910): Cavifronexus guyanae comb. nov., from Guyana and Brazil, previously described as Corotoca; and a new species, Cavifronexus papaveroi sp. nov., from Brazil. This work also includes descriptions, redescriptions, and illustrations for all species and genera. Keys for genera and species identification in “subgroup Corotocae” are also provided.