Evaluating the significance of wing shapes in inferring phylogenetic proximity among the generic taxa: an example of Cantharinae (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)

The resolution of phylogenetic relationship among animals is still one the most challenging problems in systematic zoology. Insect wing a highly valued morphological character systematics, but few studies have been conducted to quantify shape variations for reconstruction. In this study, with Cantharinae as subject, we GM analyses from hindwings 16 representative genera. Further, UPGMA based on Procrustes distance and Euclidean similarity measure Mahalanobis distance, respectively, NJ analysis well MP using merged landmark dataset. meantime, constructed relationships these genera mitochondrial genomes, total 41 sequences novel Cantharinae, by BI ML analyses. As result, CVA demonstrated that hindwing shapes cantharid are significantly different another. All topologies produced data partially correspond mitogenomic data. close some frequently recovered, including Cyrebion + Themus , Cantharis Taiwanocantharis Taocantharis Stenothemus Falsopodabrus Habronychus . These results prove importance potential application recovering sibling