An electrophoretic contribution to the systematics of the genus Wiseana viette (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)

Abstract

The genus Wiseana Viette is revised on the basis of 13 enzyme loci assayed electrophoretically in 764 adult specimens collected from 24 localities throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Four currently accepted species (Dumbleton 1966) are recognised: W.cervinata (Walker), W.copularis (Meyrick), W.signata (Walker) and W.umbraculata (Guenee). Three species are resurrected from synonymy: W.fuliginea (Butler), W.jocosa (Meyrick) and W.mimica (Philpott). The following synonyms are retained: Porina vexata Walker and Pielus variolaris Guenee with W.cervinata, and Porina novae zelandiae Walker with W.signata. The taxonomic status of the W.despecta (Walker) holotype is undetermined, however, "W.despecta" as described and figured by Philpott (1927) and Dumbleton (1966) is considered to be a polyphyletic and artificial taxon comprising a W.cervinata component and a W.copularis component. W.cervinata, W.copularis, W.fuliginea, W.jocosa, W.signata and W.umbraculata are electrophoretically well differentiated (D = 0.448 ±0.173) and each is characterised by a unique complement of fixed electromorphs. Most of these species overlap spatially and in flight periodicity but no evidence of hybridisation was found. Electromorph characters defining these species were not sexually dimorphic and an electrophoretic key to adult members is provided. W.mimica was not included among samples analysed electrophoretically and its status was determined using morphological criteria. Electromorph composition, geographical distribution, and flight periodicity are outlined for each species, and male genitalia, forewing colouration, wing scale shape and antennal segment shape are redescribed. Females exhibit little interspecific morphological variation and could not be differentiated. A morphological key to adult male W.copularis, W.mimica, W.signata and W.umbraculata is provided. W.cervinata, W.fuliginea and W.jocosa males were not differentiated using univariate morphological characters but may be reliably separated using classification functions derived from a multivariate analysis of 11 head, forewing and hindwing dimensions. Cladistic analysis of electromorph characters in W.cervinata, W.copularis, W.fuliginea, W.jocosa, W.signata and W.umbraculata resulted in two minimal length trees involving 52 character state transitions with consistency indices of 0.71. Both trees divided the genus into two clades (1) the "W.cervinata complex" comprising W.cervinata, W.copularis, W.fuliginea and W.jocosa, and (2) W.signata and W.umbraculata. In this respect the trees are consistent with morphological data. The topologies of the two trees conflicted within the "W.cervinata complex" clade and, despite being of the same length, were supported by different numbers of synapomorphies. The topologies and synapomorphies of both trees are combined in a reticulate cladogram as the single most parsimonious solution.