PHYLOGENETIC POSITION OF THE STREPSIPTERA - REVIEW OF MOLECULAR AND MORPHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

Molecular evidence of the monophyly of the Halteria (Strepsiptera + Di ptera) is reviewed. The majority of morphological characters, which ha ve classically been used to establish a Strepsiptera + Coleoptera sist er group, are rejected, because they are based on erroneous interpreta tions of strepsipteran morphology. The scorings of 31 morphological ch aracters, which directly relate to the phylogenetic position of Streps iptera, are provided, and their distribution and optimization on the m olecular + morphological tree is discussed. Of these, 13 characters sp ecifically support the placement of Strepsiptera within the Mecopterid a; seven of which are based on the optimization of inapplicable or mis sing data, and six of which are based on states that can be scored for Strepsiptera. Only a single character (posteromotorism) suggests a si ster group relationship with the Coleoptera. The morphological and mol ecular data are largely congruent, and suggest that the Strepsiptera a re sister group to the Diptera. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.