Chlamydonia
Michael S. CaterinoThis tree diagram shows the relationships between several groups of organisms.
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close boxIntroduction
This genus was described recently, along with Kanakopsis and two species of Chlamydopsis, in a paper reporting Chlamydopsinae from New Caledonia for the first time (Caterino, 2006). Superficially its members appear similar to species in the genera Eucurtiopsis and Orectoscelis. However, they exhibit many structural differences that indicate that their similarities are probably convergent. Nearly all known specimens have been collected through the use of flight interception traps, so nothing is known about their habits or possible hosts.
Characteristics
The species of Chlamydonia are quite varied in appearance. Many species are strongly punctured and otherwise sculptured, while others are completely smooth. Some are very setose, while others are smooth. What they all share are series of frontal tubercles on the head, usually organized in two parallel series, paired pronotal tubercles (usually two pairs), and a doubled epipleural marginal stria, with the second appearing as an arc above the metafemoral apex (when the legs are held in the resting position.)
The trichomes generally form some kind of elongate disc, with setae along the rounded edge. The length and orientation of this disc vary greatly, as do the setae along its edge. In many species the setae are short and even, while in others they may be greatly elongated, projecting upward or outward from the body.
Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
The species level relationships within Chlamydonia were analyzed by Caterino (2006) in the paper featuring the species decriptions. The basal split in the genus is defined by the differing appearance of a median fovea on the inner surface of the trichome. While relationships depicted above are well supported for a few small groups of species, there is significant phylogenetic work still to be done in the genus. In particular, most species are known only from one sex (in most cases males), so it has not been possible to study genitalic characters in sufficient detail to include any in the analysis.
References
Caterino, M. S. 2006. Chlamydopsinae from New Caledonia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52:27–64.
Information on the Internet
- Color images of all species. Supplement to descriptive paper, hosted by M. Caterino and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.
About This Page
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California, USA
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Michael S. Caterino at
Page copyright © 2007
Page: Tree of Life Chlamydonia Authored by . Michael S. Caterino. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.
- First online 15 July 2007
- Content changed 15 July 2007
Citing this page:
Caterino, Michael S. 2007. Chlamydonia http://tolweb.org/Chlamydonia/107420/2007.07.15 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
. Version 15 July 2007 (under construction).