Outgroup selection

If you ever thought that selecting an external group for a phylogenetic analysis is an straightforward task let me warn you that you're wrong!

According to the genus' author, Apodrosus is a polydrusine closely related to Polydrusus. If you read one of the previous post about Polydrusus, you'll see that it is an entanglement of hooks...

A year ago I consulted Dr. Nikolai Yunakov, from the Russian Academy of Sciences who have worked with Palearctic Polydrusus; he told me that I should look for american species, so I did. I decided to include other polydrusines as Cautoderus and Polydrosodes that are distributed in Central America, in fact Charles O'Brien -curculionid specialist- suggested me that Polydrosodes could be closer to Apodrosus than Polydrusus.

Additionally as I had some experience with other entimine groups, I noticed the resemblance of Apodrosus with Anypotactus that belong to a different tribe, the Anypotactini; I also included another genus known to me -and very different from Anypotactus-, that is also present in the Caribbean: Polydacrys.

I also included one species of Sitona that is supposed to be the farthest relative among the outgroup.

This way, I prepared the dissections for 9 outgroup taxa, in order to choose and code the characters. I really didn't knew how many surprises were waiting for me...

Let's see... where am I?

Ah, ok!I've made really good progress -wait... it has took too much time... anyway-

Now I have the genus re-description, the re-descriptions for the 2 known species and also the 11 new species.

Also I've performed phylogenetic and divergence-vicariance analysis (hopefully, I'll post it soon)

I've presented this results at the ESA meeting in Indianapolis this week with really good comments about it! :D

Let's establish a sequence of updates:

- Outgroup selection

- Character coding

- Playing and lightly lost between characters, states, optimizations and trees: almost satisfied

- Rushy/obligate baptism: no more delay!!!

- Divergence/Vicariance: not completely convinced

- Preparing the presentation: Does it worth it?

- Next steps
I think that's all for now. Ok, I'll tell you!

Promise

Something unexpected has happened: it turns out that this blog actually have a follower (besides of my lab partner Juliana who is not a big fan of this kind of "exhibition") and I've met him at the Weevil informal meeting at the ESA meeting in Indianapolis.

He noted that I've almost abandoned this blog so I've promised to post something and I will!

Thanks James Korecki (USDA-APHIS-PPQ)!!! you made me realize that this kind of information sharing actually works!

:D

Aedeagus

Here are some images of the aedeagus of the Apodrosus species. As you can see, there is three different 'schemes', one of which is shared by three of the species. In some cases has been difficult to describe the apex and the sclerites of the internal sac of this structure.

There remain three new species for describe, two from the Dominican Republic and one from Haiti. I'll be working on build the genus description in order to cover all the variations found and to get a particular set of characters for each species. I hope to finish before may 20... let's see...

Baptism

Last days I've been thinking about names for the new species. It was a little complex to decide if name for morphological conspicuous characters, by the place in which the species was collected or in honor to someone.
After thinking about the collecting experience in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, I've decided to name one species for the collecting place, which is the highest elevation of P.R.; another one for the collecting place, named in honor to a Taíno Cacique; another one which was founded in different collecting places through D.R., will be named for the Taíno name of the island; another one for its green coloration; the species from Bahamas, for its coloration too.
If the names are approved, I'll let you know!

Comparative descriptions

Recently I've "finished" the Apodrosus argentatus morphological description and I'm using it for describe A. wolcotti. When changes are being made, it is necessary to go back into A. argentatus traits. This way, new characters are appearing by comparison. The problem, maybe you can become excesively meticulous on the descriptions... but really, until now I can't know when stop!

Here a sample of "new" characters: Male tergites VII & VIII; Sternum VII


Anterior and posterior margins, the sculpture of surface, the projections... all are becoming important because they vary, but only by comparison it is clear.

ESA 2008

After too much time, finally an update to this blog!

Here are a picture of me with the poster that I've presented at the ESA meeting in Reno NV, last november.

If you want to see a PDF of the poster, you can go to: http://academic.uprm.edu/~franz/publications/Giron-ESA2008-Poster.pdf