Phylogenetic placement of Ectemnia, an autapomorphic black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae), using behavioural characters

Abstract

The black fly genus Ectemnia Enderlein possesses a number of autapomorphic (unique derived structural) features in the larval and adult stages that have made resolution of its phylogenetic relationship within the Simuliidae difficult to establish. We studied cocoon-spinning behaviour in Ectemnia invenusta and discovered synapotypies (shared derived behavioural characters) with other black fly taxa. A behavioural phylogenetic analysis performed on representatives of six black fly genera produced a single most parsimonious tree that places Ectemnia as the sister group of a Simulium + Eusimulium clade.