Homologous series by Nikolai Vavilov in the phylogeny of Homoptera

Abstract

The paper briefly discusses the most impressive examples of the Nikolai Vavilov’s “Law of homologous series” in the evolution of one of the largest animal groups, homopterous insects, which comprise about 65,000 recent species in the world fauna. Different taxonomic and phylogenetic characters (morpho-anatomical, cytogenetic, reproductive and others) are considered at the taxonomic ranks of the order, suborder, superfamily and family.

Introduction to the study of chromosomal and reproductive patterns in Paraneoptera

“…Indeed, it is not easy to find reliable synapomorphies for all very diverse groups of Homoptera . However, such characters as the wing-coupling apparatus, the presence of the fields of wax glands and filter chamber of the digestive tract as well as the ability to produce honeydew can be considered as synapomorphies of Homoptera ( Lambdin 2001 ; D’Urso 2002 ; Gavrilov-Zimin and Danzig 2012 ; Gavrilov-Zimin 2020 ). There is no reason to ignore these characters and consider only the probable morphological synapomorphies of Hemelytrata (see, e.g., Emeljanov 1987 ; Kluge 2020 ) or accept unconditionally untestable and controversial molecular cladograms based on a small number of occasionally selected species.…”

Aberrant ontogeneses and life cycles in Paraneoptera

“…Such parallelisms are also known in other fields of Paraneoptera biology – in morphology, anatomy, cytogenetics, reproductive biology, etc. (see for details: Gavrilov-Zimin et al 2015 ; Gavrilov-Zimin 2020 ). Thus, the quiescent instars are present in ontogenesis of Thysanoptera and in two of five suborders of Homoptera : Coccinea and Aleyrodinea, which are not sister to each other according to the current interpretation of the phylogeny (see Fig.…”

“… The phylogenetic tree of Paraneoptera based on Shcherbakov and Popov (2002) , Kluge (2020) , Gavrilov-Zimin (2020) with modifications. The phylogenetic lines with the quiescent larval instars in ontogenesis are indicated by black solid circles (●); the lines with general reduction of the number of larval instars are indicated by black solid squares (■).…”