2 research outputs found
Phylogeny and historical biogeography of silky lacewings (Neuroptera: Psychopsidae)
Psychopsidae (silky winged lacewings) are a small family of Neuroptera characterized by broad hirsute wings that impart a physical resemblance to moths. The fossil record includes many psychopsid-like taxa from the Late Triassic to Early Oligocene from all major continents. Extant species have a disjunct, tripartite distribution comprising Afrotropical, Southeast Asian and Australian regions that is significant to historical biogeography. Two subfamilies are currently recognized: Zygophlebiinae in the Afrotropics, and Psychopsinae in Australia and Southeast Asia. This study explores phylogeny and historical biogeography of Psychopsidae, using data from biogeography, comparative morphology and molecular sequences (16S, 18S, CAD, COI). Our results show that: (i) the morphological phylogeny is incongruent with molecular data; (ii) Afrotropical Silveira Navás represent a separate lineage that warrants placement in its own subfamily; (iii) the family originated in Pangea; and (iv) the present genus level distribution resulted from two vicariance events associated with Gondwanan fragmentation.The National Research Foundation (NRF), the Research and Development funding body at the University of Pretoria and the JRS Biodiversity Foundation, U.S.A.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-31132019-01-30hj2018Zoology and Entomolog
Performance of pairwise shape dissimilarity morphometrics on non-mammalian taxa (Insecta : Neuroptera : Mantispidae)
Morphometric dissimilarity metrics aim
to quantify the variation between compared specimens
such that inferences about their relatedness and alpha
taxonomy can be made. Recently, the technique has
developed metrics that purport to quantify shape dissimilarity
between specimens—employing the use of
least squares regression analysis. These metrics have
been well applied by studies in the hominin fossil
record with an arguably unsubstantiated backing for
the technique. Originally postulated was the log10 sem
metric which subsequently led to the standard error
test of the null hypothesis metric. Following this, the
standard deviation of logged ratios (SLR) metric arose
as a pairwise dissimilarity metric that constrains the
regression to a zero-intercept, that is, a significant
development in the robustness of the technique. This
metric was tested on extant primates in order to evaluate
its effectiveness alongside the two other metrics. It
was shown to be the most reliable for comparisons
between specimens of primates, but was unable to discriminate
between heterospecific and conspecific comparisons.
Arguably, an alternative model organism with
which to compare the technique is lacking. This study
considers shape dissimilarity metrics with respect to a
group of nonmammalian organisms (mantidflies) and
tests the metrics against three lines of evidence (morphology,
CO1-DNA, and geographic distribution) that
can delimit the species-level taxonomy for the group. It
is shown that the metrics are unable to discriminate
between pairwise comparisons of closely related species,
resulting in biologically erroneous groupings, and
contradicting the groupings derived from morphological,
CO1-DNA, and distributional comparisons. It is
thus asserted that the technique is unsuitable for use
in alpha taxonomy as an additional line of evidence in
mantidflies. It is further supposed that morphometrics
in general should be employed with caution in studies
of evolutionary history as phylogeny is not the only information
contained within morphometric data.National Research Foundation (NRF)http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1097-46872016-12-31hb2016Zoology and Entomolog