Mitochondrial genomes of 10 Mantidae species and their phylogenetic implications

Rapid Diagnostic PCR Assay Method for Species Identification of Mantidis Ootheca (Sangpiaoxiao) Based on Cytochrom C Oxidase I (COI) Barcode Analysis

Mantidis Ootheca (sangpiaoxiao), the egg case of the mantis, is a type of insect-derived traditional medicine widely used in East Asia. However, species identification based on egg morphology is challenging, leading to the distribution of counterfeit and adulterated products. The use of inauthentic ingredients can pose serious health risks to consumers. This study aimed to develop PCR markers that can rapidly and accurately differentiate between authentic and counterfeit Mantidis Ootheca. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) region was sequenced in thirteen samples from four mantis species: Tenodera angustipennis, Statilia maculata, Hierodula patellifera, and T. sinensis. Four sets of SCAR primers were designed based on species-specific nucleotide polymorphisms, and a multiplex SCAR assay was developed by combining all sets of the primers. The sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) primers successfully produced amplicons for each target species, even with low-DNA templates or templates containing DNA from multiple samples. No amplification was observed for nontarget species. This study presents a novel approach for identifying authentic Mantidis Ootheca species using DNA-based diagnostic marker assays, which enable rapid and precise species identification. The SCAR assays developed in this study will aid in maintaining quality control and promoting the standardization of commercial Mantidis Ootheca products.

Novel Gene Rearrangements in Mitochondrial Genomes of four families of Praying Mantises (Insecta, Mantodea) and Phylogenetic Relationships of Mantodea

The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) plays an important role in phylogenetic studies of many species. The mitogenomes of many praying mantis groups have been well-studied, but mitogenomes of special mimic praying mantises, especially Acanthopoidea and Galinthiadoidea species, are still sorely lacking in the NCBI database. The present study analyzes five mitogenomes from four species of Acanthopoidea (Angela sp., Callibia diana, Coptopteryx sp., Raptrix fusca) and one of Galinthiadoidea (Galinthias amoena) that were sequenced by the primer-walking method. Among Angela sp. and Coptopteryx sp., three gene rearrangements were detected in ND3-A-R-N-S-E-F and COX1-L2-COX2 gene regions, two of which were novel. In addition, individual tandem repeats were found in control regions of four mitogenomes (Angela sp., C. diana, Coptopteryx sp., G. amoena). For those, plausible explanations were derived from the tandem duplication-random loss (TDRL) model and the slipped-strand mispairing model. One potential motif was found in Acanthopidae that was seen as a synapomorphy. Several conserved block sequences (CBSs) were detected within Acanthopoidea that paved the way for the design of specific primers. Via BI and ML analysis, based on four datasets (PCG12, PCG12R, PCG123, PCG123R), the merged phylogenetic tree within Mantodea was reconstructed. This showed that the monophyly of Acanthopoidea was supported and that the PCG12R dataset was the most suitable for reconstructing the phylogenetic tree within Mantodea.

Exploring the Mitogenomes of Mantodea: New Insights from Structural Diversity and Higher-Level Phylogenomic Analyses

The recently reorganized classification of Mantodea has made significant progress in resolving past homoplasy problems, although some relationships among higher taxa remain uncertain. In the present study, we utilized newly sequenced mitogenomes and nuclear gene sequences of 23 mantid species, along with published data of 53 mantises, to perform familial-sampling structural comparisons of mantodean mitogenomes and phylogenomic studies. Our rstructural analysis revealed generally conserved mitogenome organizations, with a few cases of tRNA gene rearrangements, including the detection of trnL₂ duplication for the first time. In our phylogenetic analysis, we found a high degree of compositional heterogeneity and lineage-specific evolutionary rates among mantodean mitogenomes, which frequently corresponded to several unexpected groupings in the topologies under site-homogeneous models. In contrast, the topologies obtained using the site-heterogeneous mixture model fit the currently accepted phylogeny of Mantodea better. Topology tests and four-cluster likelihood mapping analyses further determined the preferred topologies. Our phylogenetic results confirm the monophyly of superfamilial groups Schizomantodea, Amerimantodea, Heteromantodea, Promantidea, and Mantidea and recover the early-branching relationships as (Mantoidoidea + (Amerimantodea + (Metallyticoidea + Cernomantodea))). Additionally, the results suggest that the long-unresolved phylogenetic position of Majangidae should be placed within Mantidea, close to Mantoidea, rather than within Epaphroditoidea. Our findings contribute to understanding the compositional and structural diversity in mantodean mitogenomes, underscore the importance of evolutionary model selection in phylogenomic studies, and provide new insights into the high-level phylogeny of Mantodea.

Mitochondrial Phylogenomics Suggests Complex Evolutionary Pattern of Pronotal Foliaceous Mimicry in Hierodulinae (Mantodea: Mantidae), with Description of a New Species of Rhombodera Burmeister, 1838 from China

Hierodulinae is a species-rich mantid subfamily, with some species bearing a notable leaf-like pronotum. However, the evolutionary pattern and taxonomic significance of the leaf-like pronotum are largely unknown. Here, we present a phylogenomic analysis of the Hierodulinae genera Rhombodera Burmeister, 1838, and Hierodula Burmeister, 1838 based on mitochondrial genomes. We also describe a new species, namely Rhombodera hyalina sp. nov. from Guangxi, China. Our phylogenetic result, together with the evidence from male genitalia, suggests the division of the Oriental Hierodula and Rhombodera complex into three clades. We find a complex pattern on the evolution of the leaf-like pronotum, which is present in at least five lineages, respectively, of the above three clades.

Novel Mitochondrial Gene Rearrangement and Intergenic Regions Exist in the Mitochondrial Genomes from Four Newly Established Families of Praying Mantises (Insecta: Mantodea)

Simple Summary

Mantodea is regarded as an excellent material to study the gene rearrangements and large non-coding regions (LNCRs) in mitochondrial genomes. Meanwhile, as a result of the convergent evolution and parallelism, the gene rearrangements and LNCRs are specific to some taxonomic groups within Mantodea, which play an important role in phylogenetic relationship research. Nine mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from four newly established families of praying mantises are obtained and annotated. Eight types of gene rearrangements, including four novel types of gene rearrangements in Mantodea, are detected, which can be explained by the tandem replication-random loss (TDRL) model. Moreover, one conserved motif between trnI-trnQ is detected in Toxoderidae. This study shed light on the formation mechanisms of these gene rearrangements and LNCRs in four newly established families of praying mantises.

Abstract

Long non-coding regions (NCRs) and gene rearrangements are commonly seen in mitochondrial genomes of Mantodea and are primarily focused on three regions: CR-I-Q-M-ND2, COX2-K-D-ATP8, and ND3-A-R-N-S-E-F-ND5. In this study, eight complete and one nearly complete mitochondrial genomes of praying mantises were acquired for the purpose of discussing mitochondrial gene rearrangements and phylogenetic relationships within Mantodea, primarily in the newly established families Haaniidae and Gonypetidae. Except for Heterochaeta sp. JZ-2017, novel mitochondrial gene arrangements were detected in Cheddikulama straminea, Sinomiopteryx graham, Pseudovates chlorophaea, Spilomantis occipitalis. Of note is the fact that one type of novel arrangement was detected for the first time in the Cyt b-S2-ND1 region. This could be reliably explained by the tandem replication-random loss (TDRL) model. The long NCR between trnT and trnP was generally found in Iridopteryginae and was similar to the ND4L or ND6 gene. Combined with gene rearrangements and intergenic regions, the monophyly of Haaniidae was supported, whereas the paraphyly of Gonypetidae was recovered. Furthermore, several synapomorphies unique to some clades were detected that conserved block sequences between trnI and trnQ and gaps between trnT and trnP in Toxoderidae and Iridopteryginae, respectively.