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Coleoptera are regarded as one of the best known orders of the class Insecta. Up to now there exist many controversial points even in the macroclassification of this order, i.e. as concerns the system on the family level. For instance, now ground beetles are no longer split into a number of families, but up to now there is no general agreement as to whether place Cicindelidae into a separate family or in Carabidae. Nearly every specialist in Scarabaeoidea has a particular point of view of the number of families in this taxon and there is no consensus of opinion so far. Many coleopterists disagree with the recent tendencies of excessive lumping of the families when Pselaphidae and Scaphidiidae are placed in Staphylinidae, Alleculidae and Lagriidae are placed in Tenebrionidae, Scolytidae - in Curculionidae, etc. There is a number of genera, are being place now to one family now to another. European beetle Agnathus decoratus is remarkable in this respect. Over the past 30 years it was placed by different authors in 5 families.
We decided to establish on our site a special section on controversial issues of macrosystem of beetles. Communications here may have varied character: from a simple statement of a problem up to a concrete substantiated interpretation of an issue. It would be preferable to supply communication with illustrations.
A.L. Lobanov, August, 2002