Chursina M.A.1, Selivanova O.V.2 2022. Morphometric characters in a taxonomic diagnosis of Dolichopus pennatus species group (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.21. No.6: 328–336 [in English].
1 Voronezh State Pedagogical University, Lenina Str. 86, Voronezh 394024 Russia. E-mail: chursina.1988@list.ru
2 Voronezh State University, Universitetskaya Sq. 1, Voronezh 394036 Russia. E-mail: selivanova-o@list.ru
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.21.6.03
ABSTRACT. Sexually dimorphic structures (ornamentation) on the legs are important diagnostic features for Dolichopus males, whereas females are often morphologically similar and therefore species diagnosis is difficult. To assess the relevance and feasibility of setting diagnostic characters for five sister species of the genus Dolichopus Latreille, 1796, namely D. argyrotarsis, D. lineatocornis, D. pennatus, D. popularis and D. subpennatus, an analysis of morphometric trait was used. Comparison of wing shape by methods of geometric morphometry, and comparison of leg segment lengths ratio were studied. Comparative analysis of morphometric characters with molecular data made it possible to study the phylogenetic signal of male leg ornamentation. It was shown for Dolichopus, that modifications of the middle legs of males occurred independently in different species. In addition, the evolutionary pattern in the formation of similar ornaments was also associated with changes in the morphometric features of the legs and wings. Based on wing and leg morphometry, new diagnostic characters were proposed for females of the studied species group.
KEY WORDS: Diptera, Dolichopodidae, Dolichopus, wing shape, legs morphometry, phylogeny.