Phylogenetic systematics of Archembiidae (Embiidina, Insecta)

A cladistic analysis of the American genera of Embiidae is presented, using fifty-seven representative taxa and ninety-four morphological characters. The results support the elevation (and significant re-delimitation) of the sub-family Archembiinae to family level; as delimited here, Archembiidae, revised status, includes the genera Ecuadembia n.gen., Calamoclostes Enderlein, Archembia Ross, Embolyntha Davis, Xiphosembia Ross, Ochrembia Ross, Dolonembia Ross, Conicercembia Ross, Neorhagadochir Ross, Pachylembia Ross, Rhagadochir Enderlein, Litosembia Ross, Navasiella Davis, Ambonembia Ross, Malacosembia Ross, Biguembia Szumik, Gibocercus Szumik and Pararhagadochir Davis. The results also indicate that some genera recently proposed are unjustified and therefore they are synonymized: Argocercembia Ross (a junior synonym of Embolyntha), Brachypterembia Ross (Neorhagadochir), Scelembia Ross (Rhagadochir), Ischnosembia Ross (Ambonembia) and Aphanembia Ross (Biguembia); all new synonymy. The new genus Ecuadembia is described (type species Archembia arida Ross). Ischnosembia surinamensis (Ross) is returned to the genus Pararhagadochir. The following species synonymies are established: Archembia lacombea Ross 1971=Archembia kotzbaueri (Navas 1925), Archembia peruviana Ross 2001=Archembia batesi (MacLachlan 1877), andConicercembia septentrionalis (Mariño&Márquez1988)=Conicercembia tepicensis Ross1984; all new synonymy.The family Archembiidae, and all its constituent genera, are diagnosed and described. The genus Microembia Ross (originally described as an Embiidae) is transferred to Anisembiidae. Pachylembiinae, Scelembiinae, and Microembiinae proposed by Ross are unsupported by the present cladistic analysis.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; Argentin

Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Genus Pelinoides Cresson (Diptera-Ephydridae)

A phylogenetic analysis of the 21 species of genus Pelinoides using 44 discrete morphological characters is presented.From the previous proposed three groups, pallipes, sulcatus and cyclocerus, the first is recovered. The sulcatus groupappears as paraphyletic in terms of cyclocerus. Pelinoides is present in the Neotropical and Andean Regions and in theTransitional South American Zone. Four areas of maximum endemicity were found. Eleven vicariant events aredescribed and discussed, using the areas of endemisms and biogeographic provinces where Pelinoides occurs.e presenta un análisis filogenético de las 21 especies del género Pelinoides, usando 44 caracteres morfológicos discre-tos. Se recupera al grupo pallipes de una propuesta anterior que definía tres grupos: pallipes, sulcatus y cyclocerus. Elgrupo sulcatus resulta parafilético en términos de cyclocerus. Pelinoides está presente en las Regiones BiogeográficasNeotropical y Andina y en la Zona de Transición de América del Sur. Se determinan cuatro áreas de máximo valor deendemicidad. Se describen y discuten once eventos vicarantes usando las áreas de endemismo y las provincias bio-geográficas donde está presente el género Pelinoides.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Lizarralde, Mercedes Sara. Fundación Miguel Lillo. Dirección de Zoología; Argentin

An optimality criterion to determine areas of endemism

A formal method was developed to determine areas of endemism. The study region is divided into cells, and the number of species that can be considered as endemic is counted for a given set of cells (= area). Thus, the areas with the maximum number of species considered endemic are preferred. This is the first method for the identification of areas of endemism that implements an optimality criterion directly based on considering the aspects of species distribution that are relevant to endemism. The methodis implemented in two computer programs, NDM and VNDM, available from the authors. © 2002 Society of Systematic Biologists.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Cuezzo, Fabiana del Carmen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Goloboff, Pablo Augusto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Chalup, Adriana Elizabeth. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; Argentin

Endemicity analysis, parsimony and biotic elements: A formal comparison using hypothetical distributions

There is as yet no general agreement regarding the most appropriate solution to the problem of identifying areas of endemism, not even in particular cases. In this study, we compared Endemicity Analysis (EA), Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE), and Biotic Elements Analysis (BE) based on their ability to identify hypothetical predefined patterns that represent nested, overlapping, and disjoint areas of endemism supported by species with different degrees of sympatry. We found that PAE performs poorly when applied to patterns that either overlap with each other or are supported by species with imperfect sympatry. BE exhibits a counterintuitive sensitivity to the degree of congruence among the distributions of endemic species, being unable to recognize areas of endemism supported by perfectly sympatric species. In contrast, in all cases examined we found that EA results in a high proportion of correctly identified distributional patterns. In addition to highlighting the strengths and limitations of these approaches, our results show how different methods can lead to seemingly conflicting conclusions and caution about the possibility of identifying distributional patterns that are merely methodological artefacts.Fil: Casagranda, Maria Dolores. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Taher, Leila Maria. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Superior de Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentin

Unraveling Ross- classification of Anisembiidae (Embioptera)

The Southamerican family Anisembiidae appears as a monophyletic group in the first to the last published cladistic analyses of the Embioptera Order. However, half of the genera described by Edward S. Ross ? the specialist of order - appear as paraphyletic or polyphyletic groups (e.g. Bulbocerca, Dactylocerca, Pelorembia, Stenembia). The Anisembiidae, had - at the end of the 90 - a handful of genera (4-5) and around 40 species. Between 2001 and 2004, Ross published six compendia on Embioptera in the journal Occ. Paper of California Academy. One of them is a review of the family Anisembiidae, where he describes about 70 new species and 15 new genera (half of them monotypic), as well as groups like tribes and subfamilies. In this compendium is clear the conflict between the specialist?s point of view and the basic principle in systematics: achieve a stable classification; taxonomic groups should be supported by the evidence. As a result of this particular interpretation of the systematics, there are new genera grouping autapomorphic species of other well known genera and, geography as a criterion to define genera (e.g. the genus Mesembia exclusive for Cuba). Therefore, in this work we propose to analyze the whole group (around 110 species) and try to untangle Ross' classification in a phylogenetic context.grouping autapomorphic species of other well known genera and, geography as a criterion to define genera (e.g. the genus Mesembia exclusive for Cuba). Therefore, in this work we propose to analyze the whole group (around 110 species) and try to untangle Ross' classification in a phylogenetic context.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Veronica Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Juárez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaXXXVIII Annual Meeting of the Willi Hennig SocietyBerkeleyEstados UnidosWilli Hennig Societ

Embioptera (Insecta) from Brazil: New species and a taxonomic update

Eight new species of Embioptera from Brazil are described, diagnosed, and illustrated. For Anisembiidae: Chelicerca achilata Szumik, Pereyra & Juárez, sp. nov.; Saussurembia borba Szumik, Pereyra & Juárez, sp. nov. For Archembiidae: Archembia oruma Szumik, sp. nov.; Embolyntha oriximina Szumik, Pereyra & Juárez, sp. nov.; Pararhagadochir bonita Szumik, Pereyra & Juárez, sp. nov., Pararhagadochir marielleae Szumik, Pereyra & Juárez, sp. nov.; Pararhagadochir para Szumik, Pereyra & Juárez, sp. nov. For Clothodidae: Chromatoclothoda langa Szumik, Pereyra & Juárez, sp. nov. To clarify the higher classification of the Order and to have an accurate taxonomy, a species catalog and introduction to the four families present in Brazil is also detailed, including phylogenetic relationships, taxonomic actions, composition, distributions, and records maps. Herein, several taxonomic acts are proposed: (1) the synonymy of Chelicerca Ross (= Dactylocerca Ross confirmed junior synonym; = Schizembia Ross syn nov.; = Pelorembia Ross, confirmed junior synonym; = Cryptembia Ross, syn. nov.) and Saussurembia Davis (= Stenembia Ross, syn. nov.). (2) new status and delimitation for family Archembiidae Ross, stat. rev.; subfamily Archembiinae Ross, stat. rev.; subfamily Pachylembiinae stat. rev.; subfamily Scelembiinae stat. rev., and their genera included. (3) Diradius unicolor (Ross) (Teratembiidae) comb. nov., and (4) new locality records for previously cited species in the region.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Goloboff Szumik, Victoria E.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Costa Pinto, Paula Jéssica. Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; Brasil. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Juárez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentin

Distribution of freshwater fish from the Southern Neotropics reveals three new areas of endemism and show diffuse limits among freshwater ecoregions

Ecoregions and areas of endemism are central concepts in biogeography. Based on collection records and the Endemic Analyses implemented with NDM/VNDM method we analyzed fish areas of endemism in the junction of three freshwater ecoregions related to the Rio de la Plata estuary (Lower Parana, Lower Uruguay, Laguna dos Patos) in Southern Neotropical region. Using two grid cell sizes,results obtained showed the same general patterns. Areas of endemism recovered were mainly associated either to Lower Uruguay or to Laguna dos Patos. In both ecoregions nested areas of endemism were identified within larger patterns of endemism. Noteworthy, one area recovered occurred across Lower Uruguay and Laguna dos Patos limits. Our results also suggest a revision of the Lower Uruguay and Lower Parana ecoregion limits, and highlight the relevance of the Rio de laPlata estuary as a barrier and corridor for freshwater fishes in the area.Fil: Bessonart, José. Laboratorio de Zoología de Vertebrados, Udelar; UruguayFil: Loureiro, Marcelo. Laboratorio de Zoología de Vertebrados, Udelar; UruguayFil: Guerrero, José Carlos. Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales, Udelar; UruguayFil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentin

Desenredando los agrupamientos en Anisembiidae (Embioptera)

Del primer al último análisis cladístico publicado del Orden Embioptera, la familia Anisembiidae aparece como grupo monofilético. Sin embargo, la mitad de los géneros de Anisembiidae creados por Edward S. Ross - especialista del orden -aparecen para o polifíleticos (e.g. Bulbocerca, Dactylocerca, Pelorembia, Stenembia). Esta familia exclusivamente americana, contaba ? a fines de los 90 ? con un puñado de géneros (4-5) y alrededor de 40 especies. Entre el 2001 y 2004, Ross ya más cerca de los 100 que de los 90, publica en la revista de su museo (Occ. Papers of California Academy Science) seis compendios sobre embiópteros. Uno de ellos es una revisión de la familia Anisembiidae, donde describe alrededor de 70 especies y 15 géneros nuevos (la mitad de ellos monotípicos), como también, grupos, tribus y subfamilias. En este compendio es bien evidente una postura del especialista que estaría en conflicto con un principio básico en sistemática: lograr una clasificación estable; los agrupamientos deben estar sustentados por la evidencia. Como resultado de esta particular interpretación de Ross de la sistemática, este compendio incluye nuevos géneros creados para especies muy autapomórficas o el uso de la geografía política como criterio para redefinir grupos (e.g. Anisembia exclusiva de Texas, Mesembia exclusiva de Cuba). Por lo tanto, en este trabajo nos proponemos analizar la totalidad del grupo (aprox. 110 especies) y desenmarañar los agrupamientos de Ross en un contexto filogenético.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Veronica Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Juárez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaXIII Reunión Argentina de Cladística y BiogeografíaSan Miguel de TucumánArgentinaFundación Miguel Lill

Phylogeny of embiopterans (Insecta)

A cladistic analysis of embiopterans, based on 157 species (representing 70% of the known genera) and 186 morphological characters, is presented, as well as a molecular analysis for 22 taxa using genes encoding 16S, 18S and 28S rDNA and COI. Species of all known families are included, except Andesembiidae Ross (specimens of which are in a private collection). The evidence presented supports the monophyly of four of the families (Australembiidae, Oligotomidae, Teratembiidae, and Anisembiidae). Notoligotomidae is paraphyletic and included within the Afro‐neotropical family Archembiidae (which is also paraphyletic). The genera Embia, Cleomia, Macrembia, and Dihybocercus (Embiidae) form, together with Australembiidae, a group strongly supported by morphology; the position of the remaining genera of Embiidae has two quite different resolutions. Almost 80% of the genera of Anisembiidae recently described appear as either paraphyletic or polyphyletic. Contrary to the opinion of other specialists, the major groups as well as the monophyly of some families are supported by features which have been ignored in classical approaches to the systematics of Embioptera, such as the ovipositor and cephalic and leg structures, characters with an almost perfect fit.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentin

New south American embioptera

Ten new species of South American Embioptera are described. Anisembia pificial sp. nov. (Bolivia), Chelicerca fangosa sp. nov. (Argentina), Chelicerca ittakua sp. nov. (Bolivia), Chelicerca yogsothoth sp. nov. (Venezuela) and Chelicerca yuca sp. nov. (Venezuela) for the family Anisembiidae; Diradius nougues sp. nov. (Argentina),Oligembia capote sp. nov. (Colornbia), Oligembia limon sp. nov. (Venezuela) and Oligembia arbol sp. nov. (Argentina and Bolivia) for Teratembiidae: Chromatoclothoda neblina sp. nov. (Venezuela) for Clothodidae. Biological information is provided for the argentinian species.Fil: Szumik, Claudia Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentin