Cryptic diversity in Zoraptera: Latinozoros barberi (Gurney, 1938) is a complex of at least three species (Zoraptera: Spiralizoridae)

Abstract

The order Zoraptera contains relatively few species, but current molecular phylogenetic studies suggest an unexpectedly high level of cryptic diversity in the order with many overlooked species based on morphology alone. Latinozoros Kukalova-Peck & Peck, 1993 represents the only genus of monotypic Latinozorinae (Zoraptera: Spiralizoridae) with only one species described, L. barberi (Gurney, 1938), until now. Although this species has been repeatedly reported from a number of locations in South and Central America, it is likely a complex of unrecognized species. Here, we present a molecular phylogenetic reconstruction revealing three genetically distinct lineages in Latinozoros, and we also present detailed morphological comparisons that prove the species status of Latinozoros cacaoensis sp. nov. from French Guiana and L. gimmeli sp. nov. from the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Panama. The results indicate that the species previously referred to L. barberi is actually a species complex that includes L. barberi, the new species described here, and perhaps other species.

A new species of Zoraptera, Zorotypus komatsui sp. nov. from Cameroon and a redescription of Zorotypus vinsoni Paulian, 1951 (Polyneoptera, Zoraptera)

“…Our figures show that the body setation can also differ between the sexes. Since Zoraptera has retained mainly plesiomorphic features with respect to the groundplan of Neoptera ( Friedrich and Beutel 2008 ; Beutel et al 2014 ), our detailed documentation should be helpful to identify cryptic species, as demonstrated in recent studies ( Kočárek and Horká 2023a , 2023b ).…”

“…Their diversification might have been inhibited due to a combination of miniaturization, structural simplification, and morphological specialization ( Matsumura et al 2022 ). However, as pointed out by Mashimo et al (2014 , 2018 ) and Choe (2018) , the true species diversity has not been unveiled yet and more and more species have been discovered recently (e.g., Kočárek and Horká 2022 , 2023a , 2023b ; Kočárek and Hu 2023 ). So far only six out of 46 extant species are known from the Afrotropical region ( Mashimo et al 2018 ).…”

“…So far only six out of 46 extant species are known from the Afrotropical region ( Mashimo et al 2018 ). Considering that 20 species are known from the Neotropical region ( Choe 2018 ; Kočárek and Horká 2022 , 2023a , 2023b ), the knowledge of the species diversity of the Afrotropical region is likely very fragmentary.…”

“… vinsoni Paulian, 1951, to which our specimens from Madagascar belong, have been described relatively superficially by Paulian (1951) . Useful diagnostic features are often found in the male postabdomen ( Kočárek et al 2020 ; Matsumura et al 2020 ; Kočárek and Horká 2023a , 2023b ), especially the genital apparatus. Therefore we described the postabdominal morphology in detail.…”