New findings on the South American genus Agathemera (Phasmatodea)

SZUMIK, C.; MOLINA, M.A.; RAJMIL, J.; MOYANO, R.; GOLOBOFF, P.A.; PEREYRA, V. V.

Trento, Italia

Congreso; XXXIII International Meeting of the Willi Hennig Society; 2014

Willi Hennig Society

The enigmatic genus Agathemera is one of the most controversial groups of phasmathodea. They are poorly represented even in major collections. Additionally, the type of dry fixation normally used for insects, there is no an accurate review of its morphology (which requires, given their softness, alcohol-preserved specimens). In recent collecting trips to high altitudes in the Andes (up to above 4300 meters), numerous specimens of some new species were found; comparison of these with previously known species yielded several new potentially useful characters, which are analyzed here in a cladistic framework.