Phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Macropelopiini (Chironomidae: Tanypodinae): adjusting homoplasies

Abstract

Macropelopiini is a widely distributed tribe of Tanypodinae, with immature stages inhabiting cool seeps, springs, and small streams. The present study evaluated the monophyly and the supporting synapomorphies within a phylogenetic context for the first time for Macropelopiini. The monophyly and the intergeneric relationships were tested by morphological evidence in a cladistic framework, and the information gained from each homoplastic character was evaluated. The monophyly of Macropelopiini is corroborated through the objective synapomorphy ‘outer fringe decreasing from base to apex ending in small spines’ in the pupa, and the subjective synapomorphies ‘tibial spurs with main teeth and short lateral tooth’ in males and ‘dorsal setae arising from prominent tubercles’ in the pupa. Fittkauimyia Karunakaran, 1969 is excluded from Macropelopiini, Gressitius Sublette & Wirth, 1980 is established as a junior synonym of Alotanypus Roback, 1971, and the new combination Alotanypus antarcticus comb. nov. is proposed. Character combination, mainly through the use of the characters with informative taxonomical value, remains an efficient tool to diagnose the Macropelopiini genera. The new genus Paggipelopia gen. nov. for Paggipelopia spaccesii gen. et sp. nov. is erected and the emendation of the species diagnosis of Wuelkerella toncekensis Añón Suárez & Sublette, 2012 is conducted. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London

Alotanypus wilhelmensis sp. nov., a new Tanypodinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) from high mountain lakes in Papua New Guinea

“…Upon analysing phylogenetic relationships of non‐biting midges in the subfamily Tanypodinae, Silva and Ekrem () recovered Alotanypus , Gressittius and Guassutanypus as a monophyletic group, supporting Gressittius and Guassutanypus as junior synonyms of Alotanypus . Similarly, Siri and Donato (), in an analysis derived from morphological data, also indicated sister relationship among Alotanypus , Gressittius and Guassutanypus . A close examination of species belonging to these three genera shows that although several diagnostic features, such as presence or absence of postnotals and preepisternals, overlap among them, some character states seem to be distinctive for these genera, for example, the presence or absence of foretibial comb and the triangular pupal anal lobe.…”

“…antarcticus but distinguished by dark abdominal apophyses and the unsclerotised anal lobe. Alotanypus wilhelmensis seems to be related to species that used to be referred to the genera Gressittius and Guassutanypus , recently synonymised with Alotanypus (Cranston & Epler ; Siri & Donato ). Upon analysing phylogenetic relationships of non‐biting midges in the subfamily Tanypodinae, Silva and Ekrem () recovered Alotanypus , Gressittius and Guassutanypus as a monophyletic group, supporting Gressittius and Guassutanypus as junior synonyms of Alotanypus .…”

“…Based on the new species and published descriptions of Gressittius and Guassutanypus , recently suggested as junior synonyms of Alotanypus (Cranston & Epler ; Siri & Donato ), generic diagnosis for the adult male, pupa and larva of the latter (Fittkau & Murray ; Murray & Fittkau, ; Cranston & Epler ) must be emended as follows: adult male with foretibia with or without comb, gonostylus with or without posterior heel; pupa with respiratory atrium of thoracic horn straight or convoluted or with sinuate margins, anal lobe paddle‐like or triangular; larva with ring organ at ⅓ or ⅔ of basal segment of the maxillary palp, dorsomentum with 5–9 teeth.…”

“…Subsequently, the species Gressittius antarcticus (Hudson) and G . umbrosa (Freeman), described from New Zealand originally as Anatopynia (Freeman ; Sublette & Wirth ), and Guassutanypus oliveirai Roque & Trivinho‐Strixino, described from Brazil, have been synonymised with Alotanypus (see Cranston & Epler ; Siri & Donato ).…”

Phylogenetic relationships of nonbiting midges in the subfamilyTanypodinae (Diptera:Chironomidae) inferred from morphology

“…Roback & Moss () established the tribes Natarsiini and Procladiini with an unusual phenetic method to chironomid systematics. Whereas the tribe Coelopyniini was erected based on the monobasic genus Coelopynia from Australia (Roback, ), Siri & Donato () analysed the Macropelopiini in a phylogenetic context and corroborated its monophyly.…”