Browsing by Author "Vea, Isabelle M."
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Item Diverse new scale insects (Hemiptera, Coccoidea) in amber from the Cretaceous and Eocene with a phylogenetic framework for fossil Coccoidea. (American Museum novitates, no. 3823)(American Museum of Natural History., 2015-01-16) Vea, Isabelle M.; Grimaldi, David A.Coccoids are abundant and diverse in most amber deposits around the world, but largely as macropterous males. Based on a study of male coccoids in Lebanese amber (early Cretaceous), Burmese amber (Albian-Cenomanian), Cambay amber from western India (early Eocene), and Baltic amber (mid-Eocene), 16 new species, 11 new genera, and three new families are added to the coccoid fossil record: Apticoccidae, n. fam., based on Apticoccus Koteja and Azar, and including two new species A. fortis, n. sp., and A. longitenuis, n. sp.; the monotypic family Hodgsonicoccidae, n. fam., including Hodgsonicoccus patefactus, n. gen., n. sp.; Kozariidae, n. fam., including Kozarius achronus, n. gen., n. sp., and K. perpetuus, n. sp.; the first occurrence of a Coccidae in Burmese amber, Rosahendersonia prisca, n. gen., n. sp.; the first fossil record of a Margarodidae sensu stricto, Heteromargarodes hukamsinghi, n. sp.; a peculiar Diaspididae in Indian amber, Normarkicoccus cambayae, n. gen., n. sp.; a Pityococcidae from Baltic amber, Pityococcus moniliformalis, n. sp., two Pseudococcidae in Lebanese and Burmese ambers, Williamsicoccus megalops, n. gen., n. sp., and Gilderius eukrinops, n. gen., n. sp.; an Early Cretaceous eitschatidae, Pseudoweitschatus audebertis, n. gen., n. sp.; four genera considered incertae sedis, Alacrena peculiaris, n. gen., n. sp., Magnilens glaesaria, n. gen., n. sp., and Pedicellicoccus marginatus, n. gen., n. sp., and Xiphos vani, n. gen., n. sp. Interpretation of fossil coccoids is supported by a parsimony phylogenetic analysis based on 174 morphological characters (both adult males and females) and 112 taxa (69 Recent and 43 extinct).Item Morphology of the males of seven species of Ortheziidae (Hemiptera, Coccoidea). (American Museum novitates, no. 3812)(American Museum of Natural History., 2014-08-29) Vea, Isabelle M.Because adult male Coccoidea rarely live more than three or four days, they are seldom collected and their morphology has been little studied. Therefore, the systematics of the Coccoidea is dependent on the morphology of the paedomorphic adult female. A good example is the family Ortheziidae, in which the males of only four extant and three fossil taxa are known among more than 200 species. The present work provides descriptions of the male morphology of seven further species: Graminorthezia graminis (Tinsley), Insignorthezia insignis (Browne), Newsteadia americana Morrison, Orthezia annae Cockerell, O. newcomeri Morrison, and Praelongorthezia praelonga (Douglas), as well as another belonging to an undetermined genus. The males of three additional genera are added to the previous literature on male Ortheziidae, providing significantly better sampling of male morphological variation within this family. Variation among genera confirms the latest classification of Kozár, in which Graminorthezia, Insignorthezia, and Praelongorthezia are separated from Orthezia. The use of confocal microscopy for the study of uncleared slide preparations is discussed as it allowed better visibility of macrostructures, although minute structures such as pores could not be thoroughly observed. An identification key to the species of known male Ortheziidae is included.Item A time scale for scales : reconciling neontology and paleontology in Coccoidea (Hemiptera)(2013-09-20) Vea, Isabelle M.Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), with 8,000 species, 33 Recent and 19 extinct families, are amongst the most destructive insects in agriculture. Perhaps 98% of the species feed on angiosperms. The superfamily is traditionally divided into the primitive archaeococcoids and the derived neococcoids, the latter with 90% of the species. The neococcoids were hypothesized to have diversified in response to the radiation of angiosperms ca. 100 Ma. Despite a sophisticated taxonomy based almost exclusively on the conspicuous neotenic adult females, there is a paucity of higher-level phylogenetic studies, and this compromises evolutionary understanding. Fossil scale insects are diverse in ambers around the world, 135 to 20 Ma, but are preserved mostly asthe highly dissimilar winged adult males, adding a challenge in understanding the relationships of fossil taxa. My dissertation is aimed at reconciling paleontology and neontology in Coccoidea and testing whether the neococcoids diversified as a result of the angiosperm radiations.My approach was to first assess whether fossil scale insects could be incorporated in a phylogenetic framework. To begin, I used the Ortheziidae (ensign scale insects), a morphologically well-defined family, where morphological features and fossil evidence suggests an early origin of the family in Coccoidea evolution. Based on 69 morphological characters of female ortheziids and using 39 exemplar Recent species, I provide the first analytical assessment of relationships among Recent and extinct genera of the family. Fossils included eight species, based on complete, well-preserved specimens in amber from 125-20 Ma (unlike other coccoid groups, ortheziids are fossilized mostly as females). Five new species and one new genus of fossil ensign scales are described from three amber deposits. Second, it was necessary to understand macropterous male morphology. However, because adult male Coccoidea do not feed and rarely live more than three or four days, they are seldom collected and their morphology has been little studied. In the Ortheziidae, for example, males of only four extant and three fossil species were known, in a family of over 200 species. Herein, the detailed male morphology of seven previously described species is provided, which, by knowing males of three additional genera, provides significantly better understanding of male morphological variation in Ortheziidae. The utility of laser confocal microscopy for the study of old, rare, uncleared collection slide preparations is shown to allow better visibility of macrostructures, but not for minute structures such as pores. A comprehensive study was made of macropterous males in four amber deposits: Eocene of the Baltic region and India (Cambay amber), mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar, and Early Cretaceous of Lebanon. Descriptions of 16 new species, 11 new genera, and three new families are provided, including very important records for six Recent families, such as the first fossil Margarodidae (Cambay amber) and another definitive Cretaceous neococcoid (in Burmese amber). These fossils are then discussed in a phylogenetic framework, obtained from analyzing 123 Recent and fossil taxa for 169 morphological characters. Finally, I assess whether fossil information can help resolve deep-node relationships in Coccoidea. Estimates of divergence times of the major lineages are made based on morphological and molecular data, and lineage ages are discussed with major biotic events in earth history. This study presents the first total-evidence (vs. nodecalibrated) approach to phylogenetic assessment for the Coccoidea, using 169 morphological characters and regions of the 18S, 28S and EF-1a genes. The taxon sampling includes 73 Recent and 43 fossil terminals covering 48 of the 54 recognized families in Coccoidea. Despite the large proportion of missing data and a very heterogeneous dataset, results indicate that most of the Recent families of Coccoidea were established by 100 Ma, revealing that the divergence of neoccoccoid families may have not affected by the angiosperm radiations. The origin of Coccoidea is estimated as Late Triassic, ca. 220 Ma.