2023 - Full Presentation Schedule
Phenotypic Analysis of a Novel Member of the Two-marked Treehopper (Enchenopa binotata) Complex
Abstract
Two-marked treehoppers (Enchenopa binotata) form a complex of 11 closely related species across eastern North America. The members of this species complex have undergone sympatric speciation following a switch in host tree species. The senior author recently discovered a twelfth member of this species complex living on the common silverbell tree (Halesia tetraptera). Reproductive isolation has occurred between these treehopper species as male and female mating calls diverge from their common ancestor.
Although adult two-marked treehoppers are morphologically indistinguishable between members of the complex, there are clear differences in phenotype within the first and fifth instar nymphs. Our objectives were to measure the morphology of field-collected nymphs from this new two-marked treehopper species and compare them to existing data on 9 other members of the species complex and an outgroup, the wide-footed treehopper (Campylenchia latipes).
Nymphs were digitally photographed in the laboratory and traits were measured using ImageJ software. We quantified 7 characters on first instar nymphs and 24 characters on the fifth instar nymphs. We used Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) analyses to determine the phenotypic similarity between nymphs at both stages within the species complex.
We used four distance measures (Eulidean, Manhattan, Mean Square Deviation, and Root Mean Square Deviation) in the UPGMA and created a bootstrapped dendrogram from the distance measure with the highest cophenetic correlation value. We found that first instar nymphs on common silverbell were morphologically most similar to the first instar nymphs on common hoptree (Ptelea spp.; cophenetic correlation = 0.7356). In the 5th instar, nymphs from common silverbell clustered as most similar to the outgroup, the wide-footed treehopper (cophenetic correlation = 0.8355). For the combined first and fifth instars, treehoppers from common silverbell were once again morphologically most similar to the outgroup, the wide-footed treehopper (cophenetic correlation index = 0.83527).
Keywords: evolution, phenetics, Membracidae
Phenotypic Analysis of a Novel Member of the Two-marked Treehopper (Enchenopa binotata) Complex
CLC Ballroom - Biology/Ecology
Two-marked treehoppers (Enchenopa binotata) form a complex of 11 closely related species across eastern North America. The members of this species complex have undergone sympatric speciation following a switch in host tree species. The senior author recently discovered a twelfth member of this species complex living on the common silverbell tree (Halesia tetraptera). Reproductive isolation has occurred between these treehopper species as male and female mating calls diverge from their common ancestor.
Although adult two-marked treehoppers are morphologically indistinguishable between members of the complex, there are clear differences in phenotype within the first and fifth instar nymphs. Our objectives were to measure the morphology of field-collected nymphs from this new two-marked treehopper species and compare them to existing data on 9 other members of the species complex and an outgroup, the wide-footed treehopper (Campylenchia latipes).
Nymphs were digitally photographed in the laboratory and traits were measured using ImageJ software. We quantified 7 characters on first instar nymphs and 24 characters on the fifth instar nymphs. We used Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) analyses to determine the phenotypic similarity between nymphs at both stages within the species complex.
We used four distance measures (Eulidean, Manhattan, Mean Square Deviation, and Root Mean Square Deviation) in the UPGMA and created a bootstrapped dendrogram from the distance measure with the highest cophenetic correlation value. We found that first instar nymphs on common silverbell were morphologically most similar to the first instar nymphs on common hoptree (Ptelea spp.; cophenetic correlation = 0.7356). In the 5th instar, nymphs from common silverbell clustered as most similar to the outgroup, the wide-footed treehopper (cophenetic correlation = 0.8355). For the combined first and fifth instars, treehoppers from common silverbell were once again morphologically most similar to the outgroup, the wide-footed treehopper (cophenetic correlation index = 0.83527).
Keywords: evolution, phenetics, Membracidae