Morphometric study of the Pissodes strobi complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Morphometric data were collected on 15 characters in adults of the species of the Pissodes strobi complex (P nemorensis (Germar), P schwarzi Hopkins, P. strobi (Peck), and P. terminalis Hopping). Data were examined using stepwise discriminant analysis to determine if all characters contribute significantly to the diagnosis of taxa, and their relative amounts of resolving power were illuminated using canonical variates analysis. Discriminant functions were generated to diagnose species. Separate discriminant functions were generated for each sex for populations from eastern and western North America. Significant sexual dimorphism and variability in body size decrease the utility of morphological characters for diagnosis, but did not prevent the formulation of useful discriminant functions, particularly when selected ratios that control for body size were added.