1988] 
Wolfe — Hydrovatus methlini 
34! 
ley (in press) clearly showed that the pore is secondarily derived in 
Laccornis. Although this character needs to be analyzed in more 
taxa, among species examined, it is dichotomous and appears to be 
a reliable phylogenetic indicator. 
In all examined members of Laccornis, Methlini, Hydrovatus, 
Laccornellus, and Canthyporus, metafemora touch or almost touch 
the metacoxal lobes. All taxa beyond node 4 have a distinct gap 
between the metafemoral base and metacoxal lobes. I think that this 
character is important; however, as long as Queda is retained in 
Hydrovatini the presence of the metafemoral gap will be homopla- 
sious in Hydroporinae. 
Presence of a valvifer in members of Laccornis indicates a plesio- 
typic position for that genus (Burmeister 1976, Wolfe 1985). This is 
an internal character that is part of a complex muscular/ structural 
system (see Burmeister 1976) and I consider it very significant. 
Furthermore, according to the phylogeny (Fig. 3 A) this character is 
perfectly consistent. 
One important final point is that if historical zoogeographic 
implications previously proposed concerning Northern and Southern 
hemisphere taxa (Wolfe 1985) are correct, increased homoplasy in 
all characters will have to be accepted. Synapotypies associated even 
with valvifer, metacoxae and prosternal pore may have evolved 
twice: once in northern hemisphere hydroporines and once in 
hydroporines of the southern hemisphere (see Wolfe 1985 for more 
complete discussion). 
Conclusions. Information provided herein substantiates the 
hypothesis that Hydrovatus and Methlini are sister taxa; however, 
inclusion of Queda in Hydrovatini is questioned and requires 
further study. 
The overall phylogenetic hypothesis proposed in Wolfe (1985) is 
overextended. After re-interpretation of specified characters, phy- 
logenetic analysis facilitated by PAUP reveals well over 100 equally 
parsimonious trees. By using one representative species for each of 
Bidessini, Lioporeus, Laccornis, and Methlini/ Hydrovatini, and 
scaling all characters, 99 equally parsimonious trees were produced; 
the consensus tree of the 99 equally parsimonious trees very closely 
approximates the tree in Fig. 45 of Wolfe (1985). However, re- 
evaluation of synapotypies between nodes 1-4 in Fig. 3 A herein 
suggests that relationships between Laccornellus, Canthyporus, and 
