Geometric morphometrics as a tool for interpreting evolutionary transitions in the black fly wing (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Abstract

A geometric morphometric analysis was conducted on wing‐vein landmarks on exemplar species of the family Simuliidae of the following genera: Parasimulium, Gymnopais, Twinnia, Helodon, Prosimulium, Greniera, Stegopterna, Tlalocomyia, Cnephia, Ectemnia, Metacnephia, Austrosimulium, and Simulium. Generalized least squares superimposition was performed on landmarks, followed by a principal component analysis on resulting Procrustes distances. Patterns of shape change along the principal component axes were visualized using the thin‐plate spline. The analysis revealed wing shape diversity through (1) the insertion points of the subcosta and R1, resulting in the terminus of the costa exhibiting a trend towards a more apical position on the wing, and (2) the insertion point of the humeral cross vein, resulting in the anterior branch of the media exhibiting a trend toward a more basal position on the wing. Canonical variates analysis of Procrustes distances successfully assigned all exemplar species into their a priori taxonomic groupings. The diversity in wing shape reveals a trend towards decreased length of basal radial cell and increased costalization of anterior wing veins in the evolutionary transition from plesiomorphic prosimuliines to more derived simuliines. The functional significance of these evolutionary transitions is discussed. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London

Poor genetic differentiation but clear cytoform divergence among cryptic species in Simulium damnosum complex (Diptera: Simuliidae)

“…We also could not distinguish among S. damnosum complex flies from the statistical analysis of wing shape, which has proven to an effective diagnostic tool for other groups of black fly species (e.g. Pepinelli et al ., ); however, the usefulness of our morphometric analysis was limited by our inability to directly cytotype our samples of adult flies.…”

Morphological variation between populations of the expanding ectoparasitic deer kedLipoptena cervi(Diptera: Hippoboscidae) in Fennoscandia

“…Passive dispersal along with the host presumably contributes the most the population expansion of the deer ked (Hackman et al ., ; Välimäki et al ., ). Some previous studies have concentrated on the wing shape variation in Diptera (Azevedo et al ., ; Bitner‐Mathé & Klaczko, ; Wootton, ; Loh & Bitner‐Mathé, ; Soto, Hasson & Manfrin, ; Carreira et al ., ; Pepinelli, Spironello & Currie, ), although the adaptive role of wing shape in terms of flight ability and dispersal remains unclear. Some studies suggest that wing shape variation arises because of genetic drift in the absence of natural selection (Gilchrist et al ., ) or as a result of environmental factors such as temperature or humidity (Prudhomme et al ., ).…”

An unexpectedly abundant new genus of black flies (Diptera, Simuliidae) from Upper Cretaceous Taimyr amber of Ugolyak, with discussion of the early evolution of birds at high latitudes

“…Nevertheless, other evidence supports the notion that Ugolyakia kaluginae gen. et sp. nov. was a blood-sucking species, i.e., its female tergites are strongly chitinous and clearly visible, while the weight-supporting force on the upstroke (Ennos, 1989;Pepinelli et al, 2013). Reduction of sternites of abdominal sclerites indicates the ability of the abdomen to expand M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT significantly during feeding, and the wing morphology indicates the possibility of taking off after filling with blood, further consistent with hematophagy.…”