Morfologia comparada da asa membranosa nas subtribos de Apionini (Coleoptera, Brentidae, Apioninae)

Abstract

Apioninae (Brentidae) is a monophyletic subfamily with approximately 2,208 species distributed in all biogeographical regions of the world. Although wing venation has been widely used in the taxonomy and phylogeny of different insect orders, there are still have some gaps in information about the wing venation pattern of tribes and subtribes of Apioninae, especially for representatives of Neotropical Apionini. In this context, this research aims to perform a comparative morphological study of the membranous wing in the 13 lineages that correspond to the valid subtribes of the Apionini clade (Apionina, Aplemonina, Aspidapiina, Catapiina, Ceratapiina, Exapiina, Ixapiina, Kalcapiina, Malvapiina, Metapiina, Oxystomatina, Piezotrachelina, Trichapiina), including a discussion of probable changes in the pattern of wing venation based on phylogenetic hypotheses. For this, 30 species of Apionini, and two species of Brentini and Podapiini were examined, in addition to a survey of morphological data from the literature of 35 species of Apionini and 21 species of Brentidae (Nanhophyinae, Cyladinae, Brentinae and Eurhynchinae), totaling 88 species studied. As a result, detailed descriptions of the membranous wing of the 13 subtribes of Apionini and the subfamilies Nanophyinae, Cyladinae, Brentinae and Eurhynchinae are provided. These descriptions allowed the development of the first illustrative model of a generalized membranous wing for the Apionini, which will be the basis for analyses and discussions on the morphological and evolutionary patterns between the basal and apical taxa of Apioninae, with emphasis on the Apionini subtribes. Apionini's alar venation pattern has the main veins found in Curculionoidea but is characterized by the absence of the third anal vein and the radial and medial recurrent vein; absence of cells in the radial, apical, cubital, central and anal areas; and only a single cross vein in the second anal vein. This reduced pattern of wing venation in Apionini may contribute to support the morphological delimitation of this tribe.