A phylogenetic analysis of the Melanthripidae genus Cranothrips Bagnall is presented. A data matrix with continuous and discrete characters was analysed under parsimony criteria. Continuous and discrete characters were analysed, separately and in combination. When the different blocks of characters were analysed separately, important differences in tree topologies occurred. The optimal tree obtained from discrete characters alone was similar to the tree resulting from total evidence. For most groups, the support values resulting from all the evidence analysis were higher than those obtained from the discrete‐only analysis. Two new species from Australia are described and illustrated, Cranothrips ibiscasp.n. and Cranothrips conostylussp.n. A key to the 12 species in the genus is provided. Additionally, the host associations and the distributional patterns of the four worldwide genera of Melanthripidae are discussed.
Several slowly evolving characters are evaluated with the main objective of reinforcing the higher classification of Embioptera. An embiopteran femoral auditory organ, described here for the first time, exhibits differences in shape and position that provide diagnostic criteria for higher taxonomic groups in the order. New characters on silk ejectors, bladders, and various types of leg setae are also discussed within a taxonomic framework. The utility of these new traits and their different conditions, for identifying monophyletic groups, was tested by a pre¬ liminary phylogenetic analysis.
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