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Psyche 
[Vol. 95 
Evaluation of synapotypies 
All trees show Laccornis as the most primitive clade followed 
by successive divergence of Methles, Canthyporus , Laccomellus, 
Lioporeus, Uvarus Guignot, and finally a large polychotomy 
containing Hydroporus s.l., Deronectes, Oreodytes, Hygrotus, 
Macrovatellus Sharp, and Graptodytes . Oreodytes rivalis is shown 
as the sister taxon to M. mexicanus; however, this sister group 
relationship was based on a character loss (loss of mandibular seta- 
tion) and I feel confident future studies will not support this close 
relationship between M. mexicanus and O. rivalis. Relationships 
among Deronectes, Oreodytes, etc. are not known and obviously 
require considerably more study. 
The primary character involved in arraying the more primitive 
lineages is development of the elytral ridge which is homoplasious 
(consistency index [Cl] = .444). Characters that are homoplasious 
can be phylogenetically useful, but only if polarities for the 
character states are worked out more comprehensively at and below 
the generic level so that the plesiotypic states can reasonably be pre- 
dicted for each genus; unfortunately, this kind of meticulous work is 
only finished for Lioporeus, Laccornis and Laccomellus . While I 
am confident that the trend for the internal elytral ridge is generally 
from the non-ridged condition to the more ligulate state, I am not 
sure of the exact plesiotypic condition for all genera analyzed; there- 
fore, excessive reliance on this character is not justified. 
Relationships among the plesiotypic groups also are in part estab- 
lished by nasale structure and length of the larval urogomphus. 
Larval characters often are rather conservative and therefore useful 
for higher level phylogenetic analysis. However, no larvae are de- 
scribed for any members of two critical genera, Lioporeus and Lac - 
Cornelius. Furthermore, Watts (1970) demonstrated considerable 
variation in length of larval urogomphus in members of Hygrotus. 
Also, character states for urogomphal length and lateral notch of 
the nasale are not clearly dichotomous. For these reasons, decreased 
reliance on these characters is appropriate. 
The most reliable characters available are presence/ absence of a 
valvifer, presence/ absence of the prosternal pore, and degree of 
separation of base of the metafemora and metacoxal lobes. Within 
the Hydroporinae, the prosternal pore has evolved at least twice, 
once in Laccornis and then in taxa above node 4. Wolfe and Rough- 
