Agametis

Tseng, Wei-Zhe, Hsiao, Yun, Cabras, Analyn & Cheng, Ren-Chung, 2024, Positive association between PTN polymorphisms and schizophrenia in Northeast Chinese Han population., Zoological Studies 63 (49), pp. 141-149 : 10

Agametis is excluded from Mecopini

Phylogenetic analyses reveal that Agametis is distant from other mecopine genera ( Fig. 1 ), and we have identified several morphological characteristics that support this remote relationship. For instance, Agametis exhibits an arcuate rostrum and the tapered ventral eye margin, which are distinct from other mecopine genera but closely resemble Neotropical conoderines ( Fig. 1 ). Additionally, the presence of an unmodified mesoventrite and prosternal canal is also akin to that of Neotropical Zygopini ( Anzaldo 2017). Given the distant phylogenetic relationship and morphological distinction, we propose the exclusion of Agametis from Mecopini and treating this genus as incertae sedis under Conoderitae.

The exclusion of Agametis highlights the demand for a comprehensive taxonomic revision of Mecopini . For instance, two genera, Agametina Heller, 1915 and Ganyopis Pascoe, 1871 , share characteristics like the arcuate rostrum and tapered ventral eye margin with Agametis , suggesting that they might not belong to Mecopini as well. Furthermore, the taxonomic status of genera possessing seven funicular antennomeres, in contrast to the widely accepted diagnosis of Mecopini ( Heller 1894; Morimoto 1962; Anzaldo 2017; Legalov 2018), should also be reevaluated. A comprehensive taxonomic revision, coupled with robust phylogenetic analysis, is essential for reshaping the systematics of this understudied tribe.

Figures

Fig. 1. Phylogenetic tree based on four molecular markers. The node support is presented with bootstrap values (left) and posterior probability (right) under each branch. Mecopine species are highlighted, and the head morphologies of three species are illustrated on the right.