Relationships within Aphidomorpha on the basis of thorax morphology

Abstract

The aim of this monograph is to examine the skeleton of alate morphs of aphids. Drawings of 24 aphid species in dorsal, ventral and lateral view were prepared on the basis of three-dimensional preparations preserved in glycerol. The morphology of head and thorax of the representatives of all aphid families and most aphid tribes was studied. An attempt was made to reconstruct the phylogeny of aphids on the basis of thus obtained morphological data. An analysis of cladograms has shown that there is no phylogenetic relation between Adelgidae and Phylloxeridae. Within viviparous aphids, two developmental lines can be distinguished: Hormaphididae, Pemphigidae, and Phloeomyzidae on the one hand, and Mindaridae, Thelaxidae, Anoeciidae, Drepanosiphidae, Greenideidae, Lachnidae, and Aphididae on the other. An analysis of the direction of changes in the skeleton of Sternorrhyncha was undertaken. It has been established that, with regard to morphology, Aleyrodomorpha constitute a distinctly separate group. At the same times, a close relationship between Aphidomorpha and Coccomorpha has been confirmed. Psyllomorpha are a sister group of aphids and scale insects.