Diversity and evolution of New Caledonian endemic Taophila subgenus Lapita Gómez-Zurita et Cardoso (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae). MtDNA phylogeny of Taophila (Lapita)

New Caledonia is one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world, with numerous plant and animal groups showing high levels of species diversity and endemicity, as well as important risks for their survival, given the multiple threats to their habitats. Leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae illustrate this pattern, with species estimates well above the number of described taxa and ranges usually consistent with microendemicity. In this study, we increase the knowledge about this group by focusing on the subgenus Lapita Gómez-Zurita et Cardoso of the endemic genus Taophila Heller, for which three species were known. Here, we describe eight new species of Lapita bringing up the total species number to eleven, together with information on their distribution, which fits the pattern of microendemicity, with most species known from a single or nearby localities. The new species are T. atlantis sp. nov., T. hermes sp. nov., T. kronos sp. nov., T. oceanica sp. nov., T. olympica sp. nov., T. ouranos sp. nov., T. riberai sp. nov., and T. tridentata sp. nov. Moreover, we infer the evolutionary history of the group with support of mtDNA markers (cox1 and rrnS). The phylogeny and distribution of species help putting forwards a model of evolution of this lineage in the context of historical climatic and geological changes of the major island.