| Fifty-eight species of Anoplura, 22 species of Mallophaga, and two species of Psocoptera were studied with the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and the Light Miscroscope (LM). Major antennal sensilla types were recorded, compared, and homologized. They were listed and analyzed for ancestral and derived character states. Cladistic technique was used to infer phylogenetic relationships among taxa. The computer clustering analysis program, CLUSTAN 1C, was used to classify the 82 psocodean species. Nine antennal sensilla characters were used.The types and arrangements of sensilla show definite variation among taxa of Psocodea. The distribution pattern of these types and arrangements seems to be correlated with the taxonomy of the four psocodean taxa: Amblycera, Anoplura, Ischnocera, and Rhynchophthirina.The significance of sensilla characters in phylogenetic inference differs from one character to another and from one taxon to another. In Anoplura the parallel evolution of types of antennal sensilla obscures the phylogenetic relationships among its taxa. Nonetheless, some of the sensilla characters show more consistency in their distribution pattern among taxa which could give some insight into their phylogeny. Ischnocera have less variability in their sensilla characters than Amblycera and Anoplura.Antennal sensilla as taxonomic character do not provide a cohesive, reliable classification of Psocodea. Numerical classification based on these characters does not agree with classification developed by other methods. However, numerical classification of Mallophaga based on the same sensilla characters generally agrees with the classification by conventional taxonomic techniques.Antennal segments of Psocodea bear three major types of sensilla, S. coeloconica, S. basiconica, and pore organs. In Psocoptera S. coeloconica are distributed on the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th and terminal (11th) antennal segment. In parasitic Psocodea sensilla are aggregated on the 4th and 5th antennal segment in 5-segmented antennae, and on the terminal segment in 3- or 4-segmented antennae. |
