Morphological character evolution in hepialid moths (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) from New Zealand

Mapping morphological characters on a molecular-based phytogeny enabled examination of character evolution and an historical perspective into evolutionary processes, both of which are important aspects of systematic research and comparative biology. In this study, 63 morphological characters from hepialid moths in New Zealand were mapped on a phylogenetic tree reconstructed from mitochondrial DNA COI & II sequence data. Morphological characters hypothesized to be synapomorphies for the New Zealand ‘Oxycanus’ lineages and ‘Oxycanus’ lineage s.s. were confirmed to be homologous when mapped on the COI & II phytogeny. The direction of character state transformation was determined for five characters, with members of the Aenetus and Aoraia lineages exhibiting hypothesized ancestral states. Male genitalic characters were less homoplasious than other character partitions and covaried significandy with phytogeny.