Wings, evolution and oviposition: Phylogenetics of the helicopter damselflies (Odonata: Pseudostigmatidae)

Helicopter damselflies (Pseudostigmatidae: Odonata) form a relatively small, yet dynamic group of endangered odonates (including the largest extant odonate, Megaloprepus caerulatus, with a wingspan of ~190 mm). This highly specialized group is found in primary-growth rainforest (Central and South America; one East African species) where they oviposit exclusively in phytotelmata and are specialist foragers on orb weaver spiders which are plucked from their web. Pseudostigmatids exhibit unique wing structure within Zygoptera, and within Pseudostigmatidae both broad and narrow wing forms exist. Oviposition and wing form evolution are examined for the first time within an evolutionary context using modern phylogenetic methods of tree reconstruction and character optimization. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on a data set composed of 60 morphological characters and ~5.2kb of sequence data (Mitochondrial loci: 12S, 16S, COII, ND1; Nuclear loci: 28S, H3, EF1á). Findings include: monophyletic Pseudostigmatidae; Coryphagrion grandis (East African species) as the sister group to all Neotropical genera; and Pericnemis as sister to Pseudostigmatidae. The genera Mecistogaster and Pseudostigma are monophyletic while Microstigma forms a monophyletic group with Megaloprepus. Oviposition in phytotelmata evolved multiple times within Zygoptera. There are two separate origins of narrow wings within Pseudostigmatidae.