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Hycleus is a hyper-diverse genus of blister beetles including ~500 species widely distributed in the Old World, currently divided into three "sections" and into 45 "phenetic" species groups according to morphological characters. Recently the monophyly of Hycleus was questioned pointing out its paraphyly with respect to the genera Ceroctis and Paractenodia. In this study, we built a time-calibrated phylogenetic tree based on DNA sequence data from mitochondrial and nuclear genes obtained from 125 species, to understand the phylogenetic relationships among the species of this genus, to infer the biogeographic processes behind their diversification, and to assess their taxonomy and classification. Our results identified four main lineages one of which included the species belonging to Ceroctis and Paractenodia; therefore, both taxa are now referred to Hycleus as new synonyms. The three described sections of Hycleus resulted polyphyletic and are rejected, whereas several species groups represented well supported clades. Hycleus likely originated in Africa during the Early Miocene (~20 Mya), and subsequently spread in Europe and western Asia. Later, in the Late Miocene (~6 Mya) a Saharo-Sindian group branched off from the Palaearctic lineage, whereas the Oriental Region was colonized following a dispersal event through the Arabian Peninsula from the Afrotropical Region (~5 Mya).

The genus Hycleus Latreille, 1829, included in the tribe Mylabrini (Coleoptera: Meloidae) is represented by five species in the Iberian Peninsula. We revise and actualize the Iberian geographic range of each species and discuss the variability of elytral pattern, based upon the revision of 1148 specimens, mostly from the entomological collection of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC). Hycleus brevicollis (Baudi, 1878) is an African species with a single record in southeastern Iberia. Hycleus dufourii (Graells, 1849) is an Iberian endemism with scattered records in central and northern Spain and Portugal. The geographic range of Hycleus duodecimpunctatus (Olivier, 1811) is limited to western Europe, being widely distributed throughout the Mediterranenan area of the Iberian Peninsula. Hycleus polymorphus (Pallas, 1771) has a wide geographic Eurasian range and it is present in mountain areas of eastern Spain, mainly on limestone substrates. Hycleus scutellatus (Rosenhauer, 1856) is an Iberian species widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula.El género Hycleus Latreille, 1829, incluido en la tribu Mylabrini (Coleoptera: Meloidae), se encuentra representado en la Península Ibérica por cinco especies. A partir del examen de 1148 ejemplares ibéricos del género, procedentes en su mayoría de la colección entomológica del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), se revisa y actualiza la distribución geográfica de cada especie y se presentan datos sobre la variabilidad de su diseño elitral. Hycleus brevicollis (Baudi, 1878) es una especie norteafricana con una única cita ibérica en el extremo sureste peninsular. Hycleus dufourii (Graells, 1849) es un endemismo ibérico con citas escasas, dispersas por el centro y norte de la Península. La distribución de Hycleus duodecimpunctatus (Olivier, 1811) se limita al occidente europeo y está ampliamente distribuido por toda la región mediterránea ibérica. Hycleus polymorphus (Pallas, 1771), especie de amplia distribución euroasiática, está presente en regiones montañosas del oriente peninsular, predominantemente sobre substratos calizos. Hycleus scutellatus (Rosenhauer, 1856) es una especie ibérica ampliamente distribuida por la mayor parte de las regiones mediterráneas peninsulares.

The blister beetle genus Lydoceras Marseul, 1870, tribe Mylabrini, is revised. Its four species are redescribed and figured. Faunistic and ecological records of each species also are summarized. Results of a morphology-based cladistic analysis show Lydoceras lictor (Gerstäcker, 1885) and L. fasciatus (Fabricius, 1775) as most closely related. These two species and L. flavosellatus (Fairmaire, 1887) are placed in the nominate subgenus. The group occurs in eastern Africa and western Arabian Peninsula. The highly distinctive L. stanleyanus (Duvivier, 1890), endemic to central Africa, is placed in the resurrected subgenus Denierus Pic.

The genus Hycleus Latreille, 1829, included in the tribe Mylabrini (Coleoptera: Meloidae) is represented by five species in the Iberian Peninsula. We revise and actualize the Iberian geographic range of each species and discuss the variability of elytral pattern, based upon the revision of 1148 specimens, mostly from the entomological collection of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC). Hycleus brevicollis (Baudi, 1878) is an African species with a single record in southeastern Iberia. Hycleus dufourii (Graells, 1849) is an Iberian endemism with scattered records in central and northern Spain and Portugal. The geographic range of Hycleus duodecimpunctatus (Olivier, 1811) is limited to western Europe, being widely distributed throughout the Mediterranenan area of the Iberian Peninsula. Hycleus polymorphus (Pallas, 1771) has a wide geographic Eurasian range and it is present in mountain areas of eastern Spain, mainly on limestone substrates. Hycleus scutellatus (Rosenhauer, 1856) is an Iberian species widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula. El género Hycleus Latreille, 1829, incluido en la tribu Mylabrini (Coleoptera: Meloidae), se encuentra representado en la Península Ibérica por cinco especies. A partir del examen de 1148 ejemplares ibéricos del género, procedentes en su mayoría de la colección entomológica del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), se revisa y actualiza la distribución geográfica de cada especie y se presentan datos sobre la variabilidad de su diseño elitral. Hycleus brevicollis (Baudi, 1878) es una especie norteafricana con una única cita ibérica en el extremo sureste peninsular. Hycleus dufourii (Graells, 1849) es un endemismo ibérico con citas escasas, dispersas por el centro y norte de la Península. La distribución de Hycleus duodecimpunctatus (Olivier, 1811) se limita al occidente europeo y está ampliamente distribuido por toda la región mediterránea ibérica. Hycleus polymorphus (Pallas, 1771), especie de amplia distribución euroasiática, está presente en regiones montañosas del oriente peninsular, predominantemente sobre substratos calizos. Hycleus scutellatus (Rosenhauer, 1856) es una especie ibérica ampliamente distribuida por la mayor parte de las regiones mediterráneas peninsulares.