Molecular phylogenies,morphological homologies and the evolution of moth ‘ears’

The recent suggestion that complex hearing organs (‘ears’) may have been evolved just once in the stem lineage of a clade of ditrysian moths including the pyraloids and ‘Macroheterocera’ is discussed. It is argued that homology between ears situated in different segments and in different morphological territories (dorsal or ventral) of the same segment must be ruled out, and that therefore the number of independent origins of ears in the said clade is three at the very least. Mechanical protection of the ventral abdominal base by the backwards slanting metacoxae permits an attenuation of the body wall which would facilitate multiple independent origins of ears exactly in this region.