Contribuiçao a classificaçao dos Cassidinae do Novo Mundo a nível de tribo (Coleoptera - Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

Abstract: I have studied 82 species of Cassidinae, within 74 genera of the Neotropical region and one of the Neartic region. From each genus I have chosen the type species or in its absence another available species. Each specimen was boiled before its examination in a mixture of water and non-biodegradable detergent (Minerva ^ ^ ) , in order to soften it and allow the removal of the head. I have used qualitative characters and the ones measurable were transformed in qualitative ones, to eliminate the influence of size, dividing one structure by another and subdivided in a certain number of States, according to the distribution curve obtained. The data were analised following the principies of Numerical Taxonomy through the MINT (Version - 78) and adapted to the DEC System 10 of the Computer Center of the "Universidade Federal do Paranã". I have chosen three phenograms: UPGMA (Unweighted pair-group method using arthmetic averages) with non standardized data and the Taxonomical Distance Coefficient; UPGMA, with standardized data and Correlation Coefficient, and UPGMA with standardized data and Taxonomical Distance Coefficient, with the following Cophenetic Correlation Coefficient: 0,79, 0,82, 0,87, respectively. The latter phenogram was built with 75 OTUs, excluding the genera of the Imatidium Division. The first two phenograms were analysed through the "Caran" and "Wagner" programs. The "Caran" program allows to relate common characters to a given grouping of the phenogram, therefore facilitating the calculation of its Similarity Index. The examination of the pheno - grams by the "Wagner" program, an association which I called "Wag - upgma", allows a series of observations, not obtained otherwise. Through the "Wagner" program,as proposed by Farris (1969-70) (Stony Brook Version 1978) , I also obtained a cladogram.Similarly to the third phenogram in this program I have also used 75 taxa.V I have also carried out a study of the Principal Component Analysis, obtaining five vectors; the first one contributing with 14% of the variation, the second with 9%, the third with 8%, the fourth with 5% and the fifth with 4%. Basically the main groupingp are repetitive for ali methods used, however each method shows its own correlations which are not always present or repeated in other methods. Of the various methods employed, the philogenetic Wagner method is the one which shows the most natural and homogeneous groups. Based on this fact, I have conducted a cladistic analysis according to the principies of Hennig (1966) of the groupings obtained in Wagner ""s philogenetic method, with two slight modifications which I considered useful, based on remaining methods. In view of these results, I propose the following classification for the new world Cassidinae, at tribe levei: I- Division Imatidium with four tribes: Imatidiini, Spilophorini, Hemisphaerotini and Delocraniini. II- Division Mesomphalia with five tribes: Ischyrosonychini, Physonotini, Mesomphaliini, Goniocheniini and Omocerini. III- Division Cassida with four tribes: Dorynotini} Cassidini, Metrionini tr.n. and Charidotini