Biza Walker, 1858, comprises nine valid species, distributed from southern Mexico to
central-western Brazil. A phylogenetic analysis aiming to evaluate the monophyly of the
genus was made and their species have been revised. We included all species comprising the
genus and species of close genera. Phylogenetic analysis was performed on the Paup software
on a data matrix with 34 taxa: nine species of Biza, two of Megacoelidia, five of Aglaenita,
one of Retrolidia and 17 new species and 55 morphological characters. The Bremer support
was calculated to show the robustness of the clades. The analysis resulted in six equally
parsimonious trees of 201 steps, ci=0.47, ri=0.74 and an additional step in the strict consensus
cladogram. In all topologies found Biza appears as polyphyletic as actually constituted. Based
on the analysis performed Biza was redefined including the species B. ava Kramer, 1967, B.
chinai Kramer, 1962, B. craspa Kramer, 1962 e B. crocea Walker, 1858, and five new
species, Biza cornuta sp. nov., B. erwini sp. nov., B. krameri sp. nov., B. tricornis sp. nov. e
B. walkeri sp. nov., forming a monophyletic group, with Bremer support equal to 3, supported
by six synapomorphies, of these three are homoplastics: lateral margins of the crown, in
dorsal view, sinuous; apical margin of the maxillae at the same height of the apical margin of
clypeus; forewing semi-opaque and monochromatic in the majority and semi-hyaline only in
half or apical third; forewing with venation distinct, however, remarkably sharper in the apical
third; forewing with transverse dark band; and connective, in dorsal view, approximately the
same length of styles. New combinations are proposed with the transfer of five species from
Biza to Aglaenita: A. castanea comb. nov. Chiamolera & Cavichioli, 2003, A. ocellata comb.
nov. Chiamolera & Cavichioli, 2003, A. maculata comb. nov. Chiamolera & Cavichioli,
2003, A.similis comb. nov. Chiamolera & Cavichioli, 2003 and A. trimaculata comb. nov.
Chiamolera & Cavichioli, 2003. As a consequence, are proposed a new classification, new
diagnosis and redescription, as well as dichotomous identification key to all species of Biza
and of Aglaenita.
|
