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[Vol. 95 
may require that data be much more conservatively interpreted (see 
below), it no way implies that the only good character data is that 
data which produces one (or a few) easily interpreted, most parsi- 
monious tree(s). Furthermore, many assumptions (e.g., character- 
weighting, assumed monophyly of subgroups, occurrence of equally 
parsimonious trees) that require explicit enumeration with a compu- 
terized approach are used implicitly (sometimes ignored) in men- 
tally produced hypotheses. 
Hydrovatini-Methlini monophyly 
Polarizing the character states of members of Hydrovatus and 
Methlini is rather straight forward. Morphotype-1 occurs in 
members of Hydroporus, Deronectes, Oreodytes, Canthyporus, 
Laccornis, and all non-hydroporines (see Table 1). It is logical to 
postulate a morphocline that proceeds from morphotype-1, through 
morphotype-2 and culminating in morphotype-3. Thus the structu- 
ral modifications of morphotype-2 are a synapotypy unifying 
Hydrovatus and Methlini and the apotypic modifications associated 
with morphotype-3 phylogenetically cluster Methles and Celina. 
These latter facts help offset the conflict created by the exposed 
scutellum in members of Celina and concealed condition in Methles. 
There are potential synapotypies for Queda and Hydrovatus: the 
prosternal process is extremely broad, the metafurca is reduced in 
size and wishbone shaped, an elytral humeral carina is present, and 
the internal elytral ridge is expanded throughout its length in 
members of both genera. However, I had hoped that the unification 
of Queda and Hydrovatus in Hydrovatini (Zimmerman 1920) could 
be supported further through this analysis; unfortunately this is not 
the case. As stated above, abdominal modifications are plesiotypic in 
members of Queda, so much so that inclusion in Hydrovatini based 
on the structure of tergum 8 is not obvious. Furthermore, the meta- 
femoral apices are distinctly separate from the metacoxal lobes in 
members of Queda (apotypic) while in Hydrovatus and methlines 
the metafemora almost attain or do reach the metacoxal lobes (ple- 
siotypic). In summary, recent studies are making the phylogenetic 
relationship of Queda more enigmatic rather than more understand- 
able and this genus requires further study. 
Phylogenetic re-evaluation of plesiotypic Hydroporines 
The analysis below is based on a modified version (Table 3 herein) 
of the character state matrix of Wolfe (1985, Table 2, pp. 136-137). 
