Phylogeny of the genus Dolichopus Latreille, 1796 and testing for phylogenetic signal in morphological characters and morphometric data

Abstract

Four groups of characters were used to evaluate phylogenetic relationships among 50 species of the genus Dolichopus: 810 nucleotide characters (for cytochrome oxidase I), 18 continuous characters generated from a geometric morphometric analysis of wing shape, 12 relative characters of the leg morphometry and 42 traditional morphological characters. Subsequently, the common database was used to construct a phylogenetic genus tree and to study the presence of a phylogenetic signal in each group. In this study it was shown that the following characters have a significant phylogenetic signal: the thickening of the costal vein at the insertion point with R1, the color of the fore coxa, the presence of male secondary sexual characters on the forelegs, the color of the femora, the presence of long cilia on the hind femora, and the color of the lower postocular cilia. Traits of male wing shape, such us the relative position of the apex of M1+2, the location of the posterior cossvein, the origin of the radial veins, and the position of the anal vein base, also showed a high phylogenetic signal. In addition, in males, the relative lengths of the first segment of the fore and mid tarsi showed a clear correlation with molecular data, which were interconnected with the presence of males leg modifications. In females, morphometric traits exhibited a less significant phylogenetic signal than in males, although, in most cases, the same traits evinced a high phylogenetic signal. StatementsWe (corresponding authors) certify that we have participated sufficiently in the conception and design of this work and the analysis of the data (wherever applicable), as well as the writing of the manuscript, to take public responsibility for it. We believe the manuscript represents valid work. We have reviewed the final version of the manuscript and approve it for publication. Neither has the manuscript nor one with substantially similar content under my authorship been published nor is being considered for publication elsewhere, except as described in an attachment. Furthermore, we attest that we will produce the data upon which the manuscript is based for examination by the editors or their assignees, if requested. The present paper has not been submitted to another journal. All co-authors are aware of the present submission. All co-authors agree to the publication. The work was funded by RFBR and NSFC according to the research project No 20-54-53005.