The genus toxorhynchites diptera culicidae analysis of toxorhynchites splendens and allies using techniques of numerical taxonomy
Moss, W.W.; Steffan, W.A.; Evenhuis, N.L.; Manning, D.L.
Mosquito Systematics 11(4): 258-274
1979
Accession: 006683812
This study describes phenetic similarities within a group of Oriental species of the mosquito genus Toxorhynchites Theobald. This analysis represents one facet of a biosystematic study of Toxorhynchites. The analysis is based on a morphometric character set. Toxorhynchites has never been revised; only Theobald (1901) and Edwards (1932) included this genus (as Megarhinus) in treatises of mosquitos of the world. There are 70 recognized species assigned to 3 subgenera and 102 available names. Many synonyms are suspect because detailed comparisons with types were not made and the extent of intraspecific variation is poorly understood, even for widespread species such as T. splendens (Wiedemann) and T. amboinensis (Doleschall). The predominantly Oriental T. splendens and 24 related species are used in a preliminary test case. This analysis includes trends of morphometric variation, numerical methods and comparison of numerical and conventional classifications of the same taxa. Two studies involving different numbers characters were done. Species similarities obtained in the 1st numerical study were generally reasonable. Questionable placements in intuitive and numerical analysis were clarified in the 2nd numerical study by redefinition of characters and by inclusion of additional data. Other applications of numerical taxonomic procedures to culicids include analyses of Aedes.