The 24 members of the Euro‐Asiatic genus Thymogethes are highly specialized pollen beetles associated as larvae with flowers of Lamiaceae Nepetoideae. All members of the genus were analysed in within the framework of an integrative taxonomy approach, which was aimed to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships, as well as the possible pattern of evolution of their larval‐host‐plant association. Evidence from multiple molecular markers [COI; 16S; H3], combined with an estimation of divergence times using an average rate of 0.0177 substitutions/site/My among branches, placed the origin of the genus at a minimum of 9–10 Mya. This date of origin approximates the known evolution of the host plants in Euro‐Mediterranean areas. Evidence from combined molecular and cladistic morphological analyses resulted in suitable agreement with the previously established morphology‐based systematics of the genus, although members of the exilis species‐group were split into three clades. The only disagreement between results of this new combined phylogeny and previous classification is in the exclusion of “Thymogethes” grenieri. This species is herein positioned outside the genus, based on molecular evidence. Our analysis depicts several Thymogethes species differentiating in the last few Mys, specifically those included in the T. lugubris species‐group. Combined evidence from DNA, morphology and ancestral state parsimony reconstruction of larval‐host‐plant associations suggests that subtribe Menthinae likely represents the ancestral host plants, with a series of independent host shifts during the radiation of the clade, in association first with Menthinae and subsequently with Lavandulinae and Nepetinae. Steno‐oligophagy is the most frequent (86%) condition, while strictly monophagous species are less numerous (14%).

中文翻译：

---

Thymogethes 花粉甲虫（鞘翅目）的分子系统发育和宿主植物利用（唇形科）

欧亚属 Thymogethes 的 24 个成员是高度特化的花粉甲虫，它们是唇形科 Nepetoideae 花的幼虫。该属的所有成员都在综合分类法的框架内进行了分析，该方法旨在重建系统发育关系，以及其幼虫-宿主-植物关联的可能进化模式。来自多个分子标记的证据 [COI; 16S；H3]，结合使用分支间平均 0.0177 个替换/位点/My 率的发散时间估计，将该属的起源置于至少 9-10 Mya。这个起源日期近似于已知的欧洲-地中海地区寄主植物的进化。尽管流亡物种组的成员被分为三个进化枝，但来自分子和进化枝形态学分析的证据与先前建立的基于形态学的该属系统学具有适当的一致性。这种新的组合系统发育的结果与以前的分类结果之间的唯一分歧是排除了“Thymogethes” grenieri。根据分子证据，该物种在本文中位于属外。我们的分析描述了在最后几个 Mys 中分化的几种 Thymogethes 物种，特别是那些包含在 T. lugubris 物种组中的物种。幼虫-宿主-植物关联的 DNA、形态学和祖先状态简约重建的综合证据表明，亚部落 Menthinae 可能代表祖先宿主植物，在进化枝的辐射过程中发生了一系列独立的宿主变化，首先与薄荷亚科相关，随后与薰衣草亚科和荆芥亚科相关。Steno-oligophagy 是最常见的 (86%) 条件，而严格的单食性物种数量较少 (14%)。