A phylogenetic analysis of the “paranaense-pampeano” assembly of species (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae) based on morphological and molecular characters: testing the monophyly of this informal group

DINGHI, P.A.; CONFALONIERI, V.A.; CIGLIANO, M.M.

Antalya, Turquia

Congreso; 10th International Congress of Orthopterology; 2009

The Orthopterists´Society

Recent phylogenetic studies based on molecular data, albeit limited in sample size, showed very weak support values or no support for the group, depending on the methods used to evaluate the phylogenies. In this study we used molecular and morphological characters to test the monophyly of the “Paranaense-Pampeano” genus group. Morphological characters referred to the general morphology, male and female genitalia. Molecular studies involved the sequencing of part of a mitochondrial gene, the cytochrome oxidase I. Individual and combined phylogenetic analyses were performed under standard parsimony analysis and parsimony analysis under implied weights. Results showed that the Paranaense-Pampeano informal group within the Dichroplini tribe, previously recovered from morphological characters, can also be viewed as a natural group when molecular characters are considered. In general, the molecular data provided evidence for relationships that agreed more than they disagreed with the morphology-based-relationships. This analysis highlights the importance of combining all available evidence in order to produce the best-supported proposition of genealogical relationships.