Hostplant change and paleoclimatic events explain diversification shifts in skipper butterflies (Family: Hesperiidae)

Molecular phylogeny of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) with an emphasis on Asian and African genera

Despite considerable research efforts in recent years, the deeper phylogenetic relationships among skipper butterflies (Hesperiidae) remain unresolved. This is primarily because of limited sampling, especially within Asian and African lineages. In this study, we consolidated previous data and extensively sampled Asian and African taxa to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships within Hesperiidae. The molecular dataset comprised sequences from two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene regions from 563 species that represented 353 genera. Our analyses revealed seven subfamilies within Hesperiidae: Coeliadinae, Euschemoninae, Eudaminae, Pyrginae, Heteropterinae, Trapezitinae, and Hesperiinae. The systematics of most tribes and genera aligned with those of prior studies. However, notable differences were observed in several tribes and genera. Overall, the position of taxa assigned to incertae sedis in Hesperiinae is largely clarified in this study. Our results strongly support the monophyly of the tribe Tagiadini (Pyrginae), and the systematics of some genera are clarified with comprehensive discussion. We recognize 15 tribes within the subfamily Hesperiinae. Of these, nine tribes are discussed in detail: Aeromachini, Astictopterini, Erionotini, Unkanini (new status), Ancistroidini, Ismini (confirmed status), Plastingini (new status), Gretnini (confirmed status), and Eetionini (confirmed status). We propose four subtribes within Astictopterini: Hypoleucina subtrib.n., Aclerosina, Cupithina, and Astictopterina. Furthermore, we describe a new genus (Hyarotoidesgen.n.) and reinstate two genera (Zeareinst.stat. and Separeinst.stat.) as valid. Additionally, we propose several new combinations: Zea mythecacomb.n.,Sepa bononiacomb.n. & reinst.stat., and Sepa umbrosacomb.n. This study, with extensive sampling of Asian and African taxa, greatly enhances the understanding of the knowledge of the skipper tree of life.

Genomics-based taxonomic rearrangement of Achlyodini and Carcharodini (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Pyrginae)

Genomic analysis of Pyrginae Burmeister, 1878 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809) with an emphasis on the tribes Achlyodini Burmeister, 1878 and Carcharodini Verity, 1940 reveals many inconsistencies between the resulting phylogeny and the current classification. These problems are corrected by proposing new taxa, changing the ranks of others, or synonymizing them, and transferring species between genera. As a result, five subtribes, one genus, 20 subgenera, and one species are proposed as new: Cyclosemiina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Cyclosemia Mabille, 1878), Ilianina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Iliana E. Bell, 1937), Nisoniadina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Nisoniades Hübner, [1819]), Burcina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Burca E. Bell and W. Comstock, 1948), and Pholisorina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Pholisora Scudder, 1872), all in Carcharodini; Lirra Grishin, new genus (type species Leucochitonea limaea Hewitson, 1868) in Pythonidina Grishin, 2019; Trifa Grishin, new subgenus (type species Tagiades jacobus Plötz, 1884), Tuberna Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pythonides contubernalis Mabille, 1883), Ebona Grishin, new subgenus (type species Quadrus eboneus E. Bell, 1947), Noctis Grishin, new subgenus (type species Achlyodes accedens Mabille, 1895), and Cyrna Grishin, new subgenus (type species Achlyodes cyrna Mabille, 1895) of Quadrus Lindsey, 1925; Liddia Grishin, new subgenus (type species Helias pallida R. Felder, 1869), Minna Grishin, new subgenus (type species Achlyodes minna Evans, 1953), and Thilla Grishin, new subgenus (type species Eurypterus later Mabille, 1891) of Eantis Boisduval, 1836; Torgus Grishin, new subgenus (type species Ouleus gorgus E. Bell, 1937) of Iliana E. Bell, 1937; Fenops Grishin, new subgenus (type species Cabares enops Godman and Salvin, 1894) of Polyctor Evans, 1953; Bezus Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pellicia bessus Möschler, 1877) and Macarius Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pellicia macarius Herrich-Schäffer, 1870) of Nisoniades Hübner, [1819]; Quadralis Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pterygospidea extensa Mabille, 1891) of Gorgopas Godman and Salvin, 1894; Menuda Grishin, new subgenus (type species Nisoniades menuda Weeks, 1902) and Narycus Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pythonides narycus Mabille, 1889) of Perus Grishin, 2019; Bovaria Grishin, new subgenus (type species Achlyodes cyclops Mabille, 1876), Sebia Grishin, new subgenus (type species Nisoniades eusebius Plötz, 1884), and Stolla Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pholisora balsa E. Bell, 1937) of Bolla Mabille, 1903; Vulga Grishin, new subgenus (type species Achlyodes vulgata Möschler, 1879) and Capilla Grishin, new subgenus (type species Helias aurocapilla Staudinger, 1876, currently a junior subjective synonym of Hesperia musculus Burmeister, 1875) of Staphylus Godman and Salvin, 1896; and Quadrus (Zera) vivax Grishin, new species (type locality in Brazil: Rio de Janeiro). The following 10 are subgenera, not genera or synonyms: Ouleus Lindsey, 1925 and Zera Evans, 1953 of Quadrus Lindsey, 1925; Atarnes Godman and Salvin, 1897 and Eburuncus Grishin, 2012 of Milanion Godman and Salvin, 1895; Pachyneuria Mabille, 1888 and Austinus O. Mielke and Casagrande, 2016 of Sophista Plötz, 1879; Hemipteris Mabille, 1889 and Mictris Evans, 1955 of Pellicia Herrich-Schäffer, 1870; and Hesperopsis Dyar, 1905 and Scantilla Godman and Salvin, 1896 of Staphylus Godman and Salvin, 1896. The following 7 are species, not subspecies: Quadrus (Ebona) cristatus (Steinhauser, 1989) (not Quadrus (Ebona) negrus (Nicolay, 1980)), Quadrus (Quadrus) ophia (A. Butler, 1870) (not Quadrus (Quadrus) lugubris (R. Felder, 1869)), Quadrus (Zera) gellius (Mabille, 1903) and Quadrus (Zera) servius (Plötz, 1884) (not Quadrus (Zera) hyacinthinus (Mabille, 1877)), Mimia pazana Evans, 1953 (not Mimia phidyle (Godman and Salvin, 1894)), Polyctor (Polyctor) dagua Evans, 1953 (not Polyctor (Polyctor) polyctor (Prittwitz, 1868)), and Staphylus (Vulga) satrap Evans, 1953 (not Staphylus (Vulga) saxos Evans, 1953); and these 8 are species, not synonyms: Quadrus (Zera) menedemus (Godman and Salvin, 1894) (not Quadrus (Zera) tetrastigma (Sepp, [1847])), Pellicia (Pellicia) bilinea Mabille, 1889 (not Pellicia (Pellicia) dimidiata Herrich-Schäffer, 1870), Pellicia (Hemipteris) nema Williams and Bell, 1939 (not Pellicia (Pellicia) theon Plötz, 1882), Bolla (Bovaria) sodalis Schaus, 1913 (not Bolla (Bolla) imbras (Godman and Salvin, 1896)), Bolla (Bovaria) aplica (E. Bell, 1937) (not Bolla (Sebia) eusebius (Plötz, 1884)), Bolla (Sebia) chilpancingo (E. Bell, 1937) (not Bolla (Bolla) subapicatus (Schaus, 1902)), and Bolla (Stolla) madrea (R. Williams and E. Bell, 1940) and Bolla (Stolla) hazelae (Hayward, 1940) (not Bolla (Stolla) zorilla (Plötz, 1886)). The following 2 are junior subjective synonyms: Achlyodes erisichthon Plötz, 1884 of Quadrus (Zera) servius (Plötz, 1884) (not a subspecies of Quadrus (Zera) tetrastigma (Sepp, [1847]) and Staphylus subapicatus Schaus, 1902 of Bolla (Bolla) imbras (Godman and Salvin, 1896). Furthermore, we propose the following additional new genus-species combination: Gindanes homer (Evans, 1953), Gindanes nides (O. Mielke and Casagrande, 2002), Gindanes maraca (O. Mielke and Casagrande, 1992), Gindanes jenmorrisae (Shuey and Ramírez. 2022), Gindanes tullia (Evans, 1953), Gindanes herennius (Geyer, [1838]), Gindanes proxenus (Godman and Salvin, 1895), Gindanes parallelus (Mabille, 1898), Gindanes braga (Evans, 1953), Gindanes hampa (Evans, 1953), Gindanes rosa (Steinhauser, 1989), Gindanes neivai (Hayward, 1940), Gindanes mundo (H. Freeman, 1979), Gindanes eminus (E. Bell, 1934), Quadrus (Trifa) francesius Freeman, 1969, Quadrus (Trifa) ineptus (Draudt, 1922), Quadrus (Trifa) jacobus (Plötz, 1884), Quadrus (Tuberna) lancea (Hewitson, 1868), Quadrus (Ebona) pescada (E. Bell, 1956), Lirra pteras (Godman and Salvin, 1895), and Lirra limaea (Hewitson, 1868) (not Pythonides Hübner, 1819); Quadrus (Cyrna) zora (Evans, 1953) (not Bolla Mabille, 1903); Eantis later (Mabille, 1891) and Eantis haber (Mabille, 1891) (not Aethilla Hewitson, 1868); Iliana (Torgus) gorgus (E. Bell, 1937) and Iliana (Torgus) taurus (Evans, 1953) (not Eantis Boisduval, 1836); Bolla (Stolla) evemerus (Godman and Salvin, 1896), Bolla (Stolla) chlora (Evans, 1953), Bolla (Stolla) astra (R. Williams and E. Bell, 1940), Bolla (Stolla) balsa (E. Bell, 1937), Bolla (Stolla) tridentis (Steinhauser, 1989), Bolla (Stolla) esmeraldus (L. Miller, 1966), Bolla (Stolla) chlorocephala (Latreille, [1824]), and Bolla (Stolla) incanus (E. Bell, 1932) (not Staphylus Godman and Salvin, 1896). Finally, lectotypes are designated for Achlyodes servius Plötz, 1884 (type locality in Brazil: Rio de Janeiro), Pellicia theon Plötz, 1882 (type locality in South America), and Nisoniades eusebius Plötz, 1884 (type locality in Central America). Unless stated otherwise, all subgenera, species, subspecies, and synonyms of mentioned genera and species are transferred with their parent taxa, and others remain as previously classified.

Mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses provide novel insights into the taxonomic problems of several hesperiid taxa (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)

Here, we present new molecular and morphological evidence that contributes towards clarifying the phylogenetic relations within the family Hesperiidae, and overcomes taxonomic problems regarding this family. First, nine new complete mitogenomes, comprising seven newly sequenced species and two samples of previously sequenced species collected from different localities, were obtained and assembled to analyze characteristics. The length of the mitogenomes ranges from 15,284 to 15,853 bp and encodes 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region. Two model-based methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships. Based on the mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses and morphological evidence, we claim that the lineage that comprises two Asian genera, Apostictopterus Leech and Barca de Nicéville, should be a tribe Barcini stat. nov. of the subfamily Trapezitinae, Pseudocoladenia dea (Leech, 1894), P. festa (Evans, 1949), and Abraximorpha esta Evans, 1949 are considered distinct species. Finally, we suggest that Lotongus saralus chinensis Evans, 1932 should belong to the genus Acerbas de Nicéville, 1895, namely Acerbas saralus chinensis (Evans, 1932) comb. nov..

Genomic analysis reveals a new genus of Firetip skippers (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Pyrrhopyginae)

We obtained whole genome shotgun sequence reads for a number of Firetip skippers (subfamily Pyrrhopyginae), including all known species from the genera Yanguna Watson, 1893 and Gunayan Mielke, 2002 and representative species of Pyrrhopyge Hübner, [1819]. Phylogenetic analysis of their protein-coding regions unexpectedly revealed that Yanguna tetricus Bell, 1931 was not monophyletic with the other species of Yanguna (type species Pyrrhopyga spatiosa Hewitson, 1870). Instead, Y. tetricus formed a phylogenetic lineage as ancient as other three genera in its clade (Pyrrhopyge, Yanguna and Gunayan) that rapidly diversified from their ancestor. Therefore a new genus, Guyanna Grishin, gen. n. (type species Yanguna tetricus), is proposed for this lineage. The specimen that we sequenced was the Y. tetricus holotype in the Natural History Museum, London, leaving no doubt that we are dealing with this species. Genomic sequencing and comparison of specimens from museum collections offers a powerful strategy to reveal unforeseen phylogenetic relationships, and sequencing of primary types ensures that the conclusions are accurate in terms of nomenclature.

The evolutionary history and ancestral biogeographic range estimation of old-world Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae (Chiroptera)

BACKGROUND

Family Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats), Hipposideridae (leaf-nosed bats) and Rhinonycteridae (trident bats) are exclusively distributed in the Old-World, and their biogeography reflects the complex historic geological events throughout the Cenozoic. Here we investigated the origin of these families and unravel the conflicting family origin theories using a high resolution tree covering taxa from each zoogeographic realm from Africa to Australia. Ancestral range estimations were performed using a probabilistic approach implemented in BioGeoBEARS with subset analysis per biogeographic range [Old-World as whole, Australia-Oriental-Oceania (AOO) and Afrotropical-Madagascar-Palearctic (AMP)].

RESULT

Our result supports an Oriental origin for Rhinolophidae, whereas Hipposideridae originated from the Oriental and African regions in concordance with fossil evidence of both families. The fossil evidence indicates that Hipposideridae has diversified across Eurasia and the Afro-Arabian region since the Middle Eocene. Meanwhile, Rhinonycteridae (the sister family of Hipposideridae) appears to have originated from the Africa region splitting from the common ancestor with Hipposideridae in Africa. Indomalaya is the center of origin of Rhinolophidae AOO lineages, and Indomalayan + Philippines appears to be center of origin of Hipposideridae AOO lineage indicating allopatric speciation and may have involved jump-dispersal (founder-event) speciation within AOO lineage. Wallacea and the Philippines may have been used as stepping stones for dispersal towards Oceania and Australia from the Oriental region. Multiple colonization events via different routes may have occurred in the Philippines (i.e., Palawan and Wallacea) since the Late Miocene. The colonization of Rhinolophidae towards Africa from Asia coincided with the estimated time of Tethys Ocean closure around the Oligocene to Miocene (around 27 Ma), allowing species to disperse via the Arabian Peninsula. Additionally, the number of potential cryptic species in Rhinolophidae in Southeast Asia may have increased since Plio-Pleistocene and late Miocene.

CONCLUSION

Overall, we conclude an Oriental origin for Rhinolophidae, and Oriental + African for Hipposideridae. The result demonstrates that complex historical events, in addition to species specific ecomorphology and specialization of ecological niches may shape current distributions.

Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera)

Our expanded efforts in genomic sequencing to cover additional skipper butterfly (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) species and populations, including primary type specimens, call for taxonomic changes to restore monophyly and correct misidentifications by moving taxa between genera and proposing new names. Reconciliation between phenotypic characters and genomic trees suggests three new tribes, two new subtribes, 23 new genera, 17 new subgenera and 10 new species that are proposed here: Psolosini Grishin, new tribe (type genus Psolos Staudinger, 1889), Ismini Grishin, new tribe (type genus Isma Distant, 1886), Eetionini Grishin, new tribe (type genus Eetion de Nicéville, 1895), Orphina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Orphe Godman, 1901), Carystoidina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Carystoides Godman, 1901), Fulvatis Grishin, new genus (type species Telegonus fulvius Plötz, 1882), Adina Grishin, new genus (type species Nascus adrastor Mabille and Boullet, 1912), Ornilius Grishin, new genus (type species Ornilius rotundus Grishin, new species), Tolius Grishin, new genus (type species Antigonus tolimus Plötz, 1884), Lennia Grishin, new genus (type species Leona lena Evans, 1937), Trida Grishin, new genus (type species Cyclopides barberae Trimen, 1873), Noxys Grishin, new genus (type species Oxynthes viricuculla Hayward, 1951), Gracilata Grishin, new genus (type species Enosis quadrinotata Mabille, 1889), Hermio Grishin, new genus (type species Falga ? hermione Schaus, 1913), Eutus Grishin, new genus (type species Cobalus rastaca Schaus, 1902), Gufa Grishin, new genus (type species Phlebodes gulala Schaus, 1902), Godmia Grishin, new genus (type species Euroto chlorocephala Godman, 1900), Rhomba Grishin, new genus (type species Eutychide gertschi Bell, 1937), Rectava Grishin, new genus (type species Megistias ignarus Bell, 1932), Contrastia Grishin, new genus (type species Hesperia distigma Plötz, 1882), Mit Grishin, new genus (type species Mnasitheus badius Bell, 1930), Picova Grishin, new genus (type species Vorates steinbachi Bell, 1930), Lattus Grishin, new genus (type species Eutocus arabupuana Bell, 1932), Gubrus Grishin, new genus (type species Vehilius lugubris Lindsey, 1925), Koria Grishin, new genus (type species Hesperia kora Hewitson, 1877), Corta Grishin, new genus (type species Eutychide lycortas Godman, 1900), Calvetta Grishin, new genus (type species Hesperia calvina Hewitson, 1866), Oz Grishin, new genus (type species Astictopterus ozias Hewitson, 1878), Praxa Grishin, new subgenus (type species Nascus prax Evans, 1952), Bron Grishin, new subgenus (type species Papilio broteas Cramer, 1780), Turis Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pyrgus (Scelothrix) veturius Plötz, 1884), Tiges Grishin, new subgenus (type species Antigonus liborius Plötz, 1884), Ocrypta Grishin, new subgenus (type species Notocrypta caerulea Evans, 1928), Tixe Grishin, new subgenus (type species Cobalus quadrata Herrich-Schäffer, 1869), Nycea Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pamphila hycsos Mabille, 1891), Nausia Grishin, new subgenus (type species Oenus [sic] nausiphanes Schaus, 1913), Flor Grishin, new subgenus (type species Stomyles florus Godman, 1900), Geia Grishin, new subgenus (type species Pamphila geisa Möschler, 1879), Rotundia Grishin, new subgenus (type species Enosis schausi Mielke and Casagrande, 2002), Volus Grishin, new subgenus (type species Eutocus volasus Godman, 1901), Pseudopapias Grishin, new subgenus (type species Papias tristissimus Schaus, 1902), Septia Grishin, new subgenus (type species Justinia septa Evans, 1955), Brasta Grishin, new subgenus (type species Lychnuchus brasta Evans, 1955), Bina Grishin, new subgenus (type species Cobalus gabina Godman, 1900), Balma Grishin, new subgenus (type species Carystoides balza Evans, 1955), Ornilius rotundus Grishin, new species (type locality in Brazil: Santa Catarina), Salantoia metallica Grishin, new species (type locality in Guyana: Acarai Mts.), Dyscophellus australis Grishin, new species (type locality in Paraguay: Sapucay), Dyscophellus basialbus Grishin, new species (type locality in Brazil: Rondônia), Telegonus subflavus Grishin, new species (type locality in Ecuador: Riobamba), Decinea colombiana Grishin, new species (type locality in Colombia: Bogota), Lerema lucius Grishin, new species (type locality in Panama: Colón), Cynea rope Grishin, new species (type locality in Nicaragua: Chontales), Lerodea sonex Grishin, new species (type locality in Peru: Cuzco), and Metiscus goth Grishin, new species (type locality in Costa Rica). Lectotypes are designated for the following 17 taxa: Telegonus gildo Mabille, 1888, Netrocoryne damias Plötz, 1882, Telegonus erythras Mabille, 1888, Telegonus galesus Mabille, 1888, Eudamus cretellus Herrich-Schäffer, 1869, Leucochitonea chaeremon Mabille, 1891, Antigonus aura Plötz, 1884, Pamphila voranus Mabille, 1891, Hesperia pupillus Plötz, 1882, Cobalus lumina Herrich-Schäffer, 1869, Cobalus stigmula Mabille, 1891, Megistias isus Godman, 1900, Cobalopsis latonia Schaus, 1913, Pamphila nubila Mabille, 1891, Metiscus atheas Godman, 1900, Mnasalcas amatala Schaus, 1902, and Hesperia ina Plötz, 1882. The lectotype of Hesperia infuscata Plötz, 1882 is invalid because it does not agree with the original description and illustration by Plötz, is not from the locality listed in the original description, and therefore is not a syntype. Neotypes are designated for the following five taxa: Telegonus corentinus Plötz, 1882, Hesperia dido Plötz, 1882, Hesperia distigma Plötz, 1882, Hesperia infuscata Plötz, 1882, and Hesperia pruinosa Plötz, 1882. As a result, the following five taxa are junior objective synonyms: Telegonus diophorus Möschler, 1883 of Telegonus corentinus Plötz, 1882, Pamphila puxillius Mabille, 1891 of Hesperia pupillus Plötz, 1882, Cobalus stigmula Mabille, 1891 of Hesperia distigma Plötz, 1882, Mnasalcas amatala Schaus, 1902 of Hesperia infuscata Plötz, 1882, and Hesperia pruinosa Plötz, 1882 of Hesperia uza Hewitson, 1877. Morys valerius valda Evans, 1955 is fixed as the type species of Morys Godman, 1900, and Pamphila compta Butler, 1877 is reaffirmed as the type species of Euroto Godman, 1900. Furthermore, the following taxonomic changes are suggested. Prosopalpus Holland, 1896, Lepella Evans, 1937, and Creteus de Nicéville, 1895 are placed in Aeromachini Tutt, 1906. Triskelionia Larsen and Congdon, 2011 is transferred from Celaenorrhinini Swinhoe, 1912 to Tagiadini Mabille, 1878. Kobelana Larsen and Collins, 2013 is transferred from Tagiadini Mabille, 1878 to Celaenorrhinini Swinhoe, 1912. The following nine genus-group names are resurrected from synonymy and treated as valid genera: Abaratha Moore, 1881 (not in Caprona Wallengren, 1857), Bibla Mabille, 1904 (not in Taractrocera Butler, 1870), Kerana Distant, 1886 and Tamela Swinhoe, 1913 (not in Ancistroides Butler, 1874), Metrocles Godman, 1900 (not in Metron Godman, 1900), Alerema Hayward, 1942 (not in Tigasis Godman, 1900), Metiscus Godman, 1900 (not in Enosis Mabille, 1889), Vistigma Hayward, 1939 (not in Phlebodes Hübner, [1819]), and Mnasalcas Godman, 1900 (not in Mnasitheus Godman, 1900). The genus-group names Daimio Murray, 1875 and Pterygospidea Wallengren, 1857 are resurrected from synonymy and treated as valid subgenera of Tagiades Hübner, [1819]. We confirm Apallaga Strand, 1911 as a valid genus. The following 24 genera are placed as subgenera, new status: Pseudonascus Austin, 2008 of Nascus Watson, 1893; Albiphasma Huang, Chiba, Wang and Fan, 2016 of Pintara Evans, 1932; Ctenoptilum de Nicéville, 1890 of Tapena Moore, [1881]; Odontoptilum de Nicéville, 1890 of Abaratha Moore, 1881; Caprona Wallengren, 1857 of Abantis Hopffer, 1855; Timochreon Godman and Salvin, 1896 of Zopyrion Godman and Salvin, 1896; Pulchroptera Hou, Fan and Chiba, 2021 of Heteropterus Duméril, 1806; Stimula de Nicéville, 1898 of Koruthaialos Watson, 1893; Udaspes Moore, [1881] and Notocrypta de Nicéville, 1889 of Ancistroides Butler, 1874; Cravera de Jong, 1983 of Xeniades Godman, 1900; Cobaloides Hayward, 1939 of Oligoria Scudder, 1872; Saniba O. Mielke and Casagrande, 2003 of Psoralis Mabille, 1904; Quinta Evans, 1955 of Cynea Evans, 1955; Styriodes Schaus, 1913 and Remella Hemming, 1939 of Mnasicles Godman, 1901; Repens Evans, 1955 of Eprius Godman, 1901; Morys Godman, 1900 of Lerema Scudder, 1872; Enosis Mabille, 1889 of Lychnuchus Hübner, [1831]; Penicula Evans, 1955 of Vistigma Hayward, 1939; Mnasinous Godman, 1900 of Methionopsis Godman, 1901; and Moeros Evans, 1955, Argon Evans, 1955, and Synale Mabille, 1904 of Carystus Hübner, [1819]. The following 20 genera are treated as junior subjective synonyms: Leucochitonea Wallengren, 1857 of Abantis Hopffer, 1855; Sapaea Plötz, 1879 and Netrobalane Mabille, 1903 of Caprona Wallengren, 1857; Parasovia Devyatkin, 1996 of Sebastonyma Watson, 1893; Pemara Eliot, 1978 of Oerane Elwes and Edwards, 1897; Ankola Evans, 1937 of Pardaleodes Butler, 1870; Arotis Mabille, 1904 of Mnaseas Godman, 1901; Chalcone Evans, 1955, Hansa Evans, 1955, and Propertius Evans, 1955 of Metrocles Godman, 1900; Jongiana O. Mielke and Casagrande, 2002 of Cobaloides Hayward, 1939; Pamba Evans, 1955 of Psoralis Mabille, 1904; Brownus Grishin, 2019 of Styriodes Schaus, 1913; Mnasilus Godman, 1900 of Papias Godman, 1900; Sucova Evans, 1955 of Mnasitheus Godman, 1900; Pyrrhocalles Mabille, 1904 and Asbolis Mabille, 1904 of Choranthus Scudder, 1872; Miltomiges Mabille, 1903 of Methionopsis Godman, 1901; Sacrator Evans, 1955 of Thracides Hübner, [1819]; and Lychnuchoides Godman, 1901 of Perichares Scudder, 1872. Arunena Swinhoe, 1919 is a junior subjective synonym of Stimula de Nicéville, 1898 (not of Koruthaialos Watson, 1893). The following 27 names are species-level taxa (some in new combinations) reinstated from synonymy: Salantoia gildo (Mabille, 1888) (not Salatis cebrenus (Cramer, 1777)), Bungalotis corentinus (Plötz, 1882) (not Bungalotis midas (Cramer, 1775)), Telegonus cretellus (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) (not Telegonus cassander (Fabricius, 1793)), Santa palica (Mabille, 1888) (not Chiothion asychis (Stoll, 1780)), Camptopleura cincta Mabille and Boullet, 1917 (not Camptopleura auxo (Möschler, 1879)), Camptopleura orsus (Mabille, 1889) (not Nisoniades mimas (Cramer, 1775)), Metron voranus (Mabille, 1891) and Metron fasciata (Möschler, 1877) (not Metron zimra (Hewitson, 1877)), Limochores catahorma (Dyar, 1916) (not Limochores pupillus (Plötz, 1882)), Pares viridiceps (Mabille, 1889) (not Thoon modius (Mabille, 1889)), Tigasis wellingi (Freeman, 1969) (not Tigasis arita (Schaus, 1902)), Rectava sobrinus (Schaus, 1902) (not Papias phainis Godman, 1900), Nastra subsordida (Mabille, 1891) (not Adlerodea asema (Mabille, 1891), previously in Eutychide Godman, 1900), Lerema pattenii Scudder, 1872 (not Lerema accius (J. E. Smith, 1797)), Lerema (Morys) ancus (Möschler, 1879) (not Cymaenes tripunctus theogenis (Capronnier, 1874)), Cobalopsis zetus (Bell, 1942) (not Cobalopsis nero (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Lerema (Geia) etelka (Schaus, 1902) (not Lerema (Geia) geisa (Möschler, 1879), previously in Morys Godman, 1900), Cymaenes isus (Godman, 1900) (not Cymaenes trebius (Mabille, 1891)), Vehilius labdacus (Godman, 1900) (not Vehilius inca (Scudder, 1872)), Papias amyrna (Mabille, 1891) (not Papias allubita (Butler, 1877), previously in Mnasilus Godman, 1900), Papias integra (Mabille, 1891) (not Papias subcostulata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1870)), Metiscus atheas Godman, 1900 (not Hesperia achelous Plötz, 1882), Dion agassus (Mabille, 1891) (not Dion uza (Hewitson, 1877), previously in Enosis Mabille, 1889), Picova incompta (Hayward, 1942) (not Lerema (Morys) micythus (Godman, 1900), previously in Morys Godman, 1900), Lucida melitaea (Draudt, 1923) (not Lucida lucia (Capronnier, 1874)), Methionopsis modestus Godman, 1901 (not Methionopsis ina (Plötz, 1882)), and Thargella (Volus) volasus (Godman, 1901) (not Eutocus facilis (Plötz, 1884)). The following 57 taxa are elevated from subspecies to species, new status (some in new combinations): Dyscophellus doriscus (Hewitson, 1867) (not Dyscophellus porcius (C. Felder and R. Felder, 1862), Phocides vida (A. Butler, 1872) (not Phocides urania (Westwood, 1852)), Tagiades (Daimio) ceylonica Evans, 1932 (not Tagiades litigiosa Möschler, 1878), Tagiades (Daimio) tubulus Fruhstorfer, 1910 (not Tagiades sambavana Elwes and Edwards, 1897), Tagiades (Daimio) kina Evans, 1934, Tagiades (Daimio) sheba Evans, 1934, Tagiades (Daimio) martinus Plötz, 1884, Tagiades (Daimio) sem Mabille, 1883, and Tagiades (Daimio) neira Plötz, 1885 (not Tagiades trebellius (Hopffer, 1874)), Tagiades (Daimio) korela Mabille, 1891 and Tagiades (Daimio) presbyter Butler, 1882 (not Tagiades nestus (C. Felder, 1860)), Tagiades obscurus Mabille, 1876, Tagiades ravi (Moore, [1866]), Tagiades atticus (Fabricius, 1793), Tagiades titus Plötz, 1884, Tagiades janetta Butler, 1870, Tagiades inconspicua Rothschild, 1915, and Tagiades hovia Swinhoe, 1904 (not Tagiades japetus (Stoll, [1781])), Tagiades silvia Evans, 1934 and Tagiades elegans Mabille, 1877 (not Tagiades gana (Moore, [1866])), Tapena bornea Evans, 1941 and Tapena minuscula Elwes and Edwards, 1897 (not Tapena thwaitesi Moore, [1881]), Darpa dealbata (Distant, 1886) (not Darpa pteria (Hewitson, 1868)), Perus manx (Evans, 1953) (not Perus minor (Schaus, 1902)), Canesia pallida (Röber, 1925) (not Carrhenes canescens (R. Felder, 1869)), Carrhenes conia Evans, 1953 (not Carrhenes fuscescens (Mabille, 1891)), Anisochoria extincta Hayward, 1933 and Anisochoria polysticta Mabille, 1876 (not Anisochoria pedaliodina (Butler, 1870)), Anisochoria verda Evans, 1953 (not Anisochoria minorella Mabille, 1898), Bralus alco (Evans, 1953) (not Bralus albida (Mabille, 1888)), Ephyriades jamaicensis (Möschler, 1879) (not Ephyriades brunnea (Herrich-Schäffer, 1865)), Koruthaialos (Stimula) frena Evans, 1949 (not Koruthaialos focula (Plötz, 1882)), Euphyes kiowah (Reakirt, 1866) (not Euphyes vestris (Boisduval, 1852)), Mnaseas inca Bell, 1930 (not Mnaseas bicolor (Mabille, 1889)), Metron hypochlora (Draudt, 1923) (not Metrocles schrottkyi (Giacomelli, 1911), previously in Metron Godman, 1900), Decinea huasteca (H. Freeman, 1969), Decinea denta Evans, 1955, and Decinea antus (Mabille, 1895) (not Decinea decinea (Hewitson, 1876)), Xeniades pteras Godman, 1900 (not Xeniades chalestra (Hewitson, 1866)), Xeniades difficilis Draudt, 1923 (not Xeniades orchamus (Cramer, 1777)), Xeniades hermoda (Hewitson, 1870) (not Tisias quadrata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Hermio vina (Evans, 1955) (not Hermio hermione (Schaus, 1913), previously in Lento Evans, 1955), Cymaenes loxa Evans, 1955, (not Cymaenes laureolus (Schaus, 1913)), Niconiades peri (Evans, 1955) (not Rhinthon bajula (Schaus, 1902), previously in Neoxeniades Hayward, 1938), Gallio danius (Bell, 1941) (not Vehilius seriatus (Mabille, 1891)), Gallio massarus (E. Bell, 1940) (not Gallio garima (Schaus, 1902) previously in Tigasis Godman, 1900), Cymaenes edata (Plötz, 1882), Cymaenes miqua (Dyar, 1913) and Cymaenes aequatoria (Hayward, 1940) (not Cymaenes odilia (Burmeister, 1878)), Lychnuchus (Enosis) demon (Evans, 1955) (not Lychnuchus (Enosis) immaculata (Hewitson, 1868), previously in Enosis Mabille, 1889), Naevolus naevus Evans, 1955 (not Naevolus orius (Mabille, 1883)), Lucida scopas (Mabille, 1891), Lucida oebasus (Godman, 1900), and Lucida leopardus (Weeks, 1901) (not Lucida lucia (Capronnier, 1874)), Corticea schwarzi (E. Bell, 1941) and Corticea sylva (Hayward, 1942) (not Corticea mendica (Mabille, 1898)), and Choranthus orientis (Skinner, 1920) (not Choranthus antiqua (Herrich-Schäffer, 1863), previously in Pyrrhocalles Mabille, 1904). Borbo impar bipunctata (Elwes and J. Edwards, 1897) is a valid subspecies, not a synonym of Borbo impar tetragraphus (Mabille, 1891), here placed in synonymy with Lotongus calathus (Hewitson, 1876), new synonym. We confirm the species status of Telegonus cassius (Evans, 1952) and Lerema (Morys) valda Evans, 1955. Euphyes chamuli Freeman, 1969 is placed as a subspecies of Euphyes kiowah (Reakirt, 1866), new status. The following 41 taxa are junior subjective synonyms, either newly proposed or transferred from synonymy with other species or subspecies: Telegonus mutius Plötz, 1882 of Euriphellus phraxanor (Hewitson, 1876), Telegonus erythras Mabille, 1888 of Dyscophellus damias (Plötz, 1882), Aethilla jaira Butler, 1870 of Telegonus cretellus (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869), Paches era Evans, 1953 of Santa palica (Mabille, 1888), Antigonus alburnea Plötz, 1884 of Tolius tolimus robigus (Plötz, 1884) (not of Echelatus sempiternus simplicior (Möschler, 1877)), Echelatus depenicillus Strand, 1921 of E. sempiternus simplicior (not of T. tolimus robigus), Antigonus aura Plötz, 1884 of Theagenes dichrous (Mabille, 1878) (not of Helias phalaenoides palpalis (Latreille, [1824])), Achlyodes impressus Mabille, 1889 of Camptopleura orsus (Mabille, 1889), Augiades tania Schaus, 1902 of Metron voranus (Mabille, 1891), Pamphila verdanta Weeks, 1906 of Metron fasciata (Möschler, 1877), Niconiades viridis vista Evans, 1955 of Niconiades derisor (Mabille, 1891), Pamphila binaria Mabille, 1891 of Conga chydaea (A. Butler, 1877) (not of Cynea cynea (Hewitson, 1876)), Psoralis concolor Nicolay, 1980 of Ralis immaculatus (Hayward, 1940), Hesperia dido Plötz, 1882 of Cynea (Quinta) cannae (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) (not of Lerema lochius (Plötz, 1882)), Proteides osembo Möschler, 1883 of Cynea (Cynea) diluta (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) (not of Cynea (Quinta) cannae (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Cobalopsis brema E. Bell, 1959 of Eutus rastaca (Schaus, 1902), Psoralis panamensis Anderson and Nakamura, 2019 of Rhomba gertschi (Bell, 1937), Cobalus asella Herrich-Schäffer, 1869 of Amblyscirtes alternata (Grote and Robinson, 1867) (not of Amblyscirtes vialis (W. H. Edwards, 1862)), Papias trimacula Nicolay, 1973 of Nastra subsordida (Mabille, 1891), Pamphila bipunctata Mabille, 1889 and Sarega staurus Mabille, 1904 of Lerema pattenii Scudder, 1872 (not of Cymaenes lumina (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869), previously in Lerema Scudder, 1872), Hesperia aethra Plötz, 1886 of Lerema lineosa (Herrich-Schäffer, 1865) (not of Lerema (Morys) compta Butler, 1877), Megistias miaba Schaus, 1902 of Cobalopsis valerius (Möschler, 1879), Phanis sylvia Kaye, 1914 of Lerema etelka (Schaus, 1902) (not of Lerema (Geia) geisa (Möschler, 1879), previously in Morys Godman, 1900), Carystus odilia Burmeister, 1878, Pamphila trebius Mabille, 1891 and Megistias corescene Schaus, 1902 of Cymaenes lumina (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869), Hesperia phocylides Plötz, 1882 of Cymaenes edata (Plötz, 1882) (not of Lerema accius (J. E. Smith, 1797)), Pamphila xenos Mabille, 1898 of Vehilius inca (Scudder, 1872), Mnasilus guianae Lindsey, 1925 of Papias amyrna (Mabille, 1891), Pamphila nubila Mabille, 1891 of Papias integra (Mabille, 1891) (not of Cynea corisana (Plötz, 1882)), Enosis matheri H. Freeman, 1969 of Metiscus atheas Godman, 1900 (previously in Enosis Mabille, 1889), Hesperia infuscata Plötz, 1882 of Mnaseas derasa derasa (Herrich-Schäffer, 1870) (previously Arotis Mabille, 1904), (not of Papias subcostulata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1870)), Pamphila astur Mabille, 1891 of Metiscus angularis (Möschler, 1877) (not of Cymaenes tripunctus theogenis (Capronnier, 1874)), Anthoptus macalpinei H. Freeman, 1969 of Anthoptus inculta (Dyar, 1918), Methionopsis typhon Godman, 1901 of Methionopsis ina (Plötz, 1882), Methionopsis dolor Evans, 1955 of Thargella volasus (Godman, 1901), Hesperia cinica Plötz, 1882 of Dubiella dubius (Stoll, 1781), Cobalus disjuncta Herrich-Schäffer, 1869 of Dubiella dubius (Stoll, 1781) (not of Vettius lafrenaye (Latreille, [1824])), and Saliana vixen Evans, 1955 of Neoxeniades parna (Evans, 1955). The following are new and revised genus-species combinations: Euriphellus cebrenus (Cramer, 1777) (not Salatis Evans, 1952), Gorgopas extensa (Mabille, 1891) (not Polyctor Evans, 1953), Clytius shola (Evans, 1953) (not Staphylus Godman and Salvin, 1896), Perus narycus (Mabille, 1889) (not Ouleus Lindsey, 1925), Perus parvus (Steinhauser and Austin, 1993) (not Staphylus Godman and Salvin, 1896), Pholisora litus (Dyar, 1912) (not Bolla Mabille, 1903), Carrhenes decens (A. Butler, 1874) (not Antigonus Hübner, [1819]), Santa palica (Mabille, 1888) (not Chiothion Grishin, 2019), Bralus nadia (Nicolay, 1980) (not Anisochoria Mabille, 1876), Acerbas sarala (de Nicéville, 1889) (not Lotongus Distant, 1886), Caenides sophia (Evans, 1937) (not Hypoleucis Mabille, 1891), Hypoleucis dacena (Hewitson, 1876) (not Caenides Holland, 1896), Dotta tura (Evans, 1951) (not Astictopterus C. Felder and R. Felder, 1860), Nervia wallengrenii (Trimen, 1883) (not Kedestes Watson, 1893), Testia mammaea (Hewitson, 1876) (not Decinea Evans, 1955), Oxynthes trinka (Evans, 1955) (not Orthos Evans, 1955), Metrocles argentea (Weeks, 1901) (not Paratrytone Godman, 1900), Metrocles scitula (Hayward, 1951) (not Mucia Godman, 1900), Metrocles schrottkyi (Giacomelli, 1911) (not Metron Godman, 1900), Niconiades derisor (Mabille, 1891) (not Decinea Evans, 1955), Paratrytone samenta (Dyar, 1914) (not Ochlodes Scudder, 1872), Oligoria (Cobaloides) locutia (Hewitson, 1876) (not Quinta Evans, 1955), Psoralis (Saniba) laska (Evans, 1955) (not Vidius Evans, 1955), Psoralis (Saniba) arva (Evans, 1955) and Psoralis (Saniba) umbrata (Erschoff, 1876) (not Vettius Godman, 1901), Psoralis (Saniba) calcarea (Schaus, 1902) and Psoralis (Saniba) visendus (E. Bell, 1942) (not Molo Godman, 1900), Alychna gota (Evans, 1955) (not Psoralis Mabille, 1904), Adlerodea asema (Mabille, 1891) and Adlerodea subpunctata (Hayward, 1940) (not Eutychide Godman, 1900), Ralis immaculatus (Hayward, 1940) (not Mucia Godman, 1900), Rhinthon braesia (Hewitson, 1867) and Rhinthon bajula (Schaus, 1902) (not Neoxeniades Hayward, 1938), Cymaenes lochius Plötz, 1882 (not Lerema Scudder, 1872), Paracarystus ranka (Evans, 1955) (not Thoon Godman, 1900), Tricrista aethus (Hayward, 1951), Tricrista canta (Evans, 1955), Tricrista slopa (Evans, 1955), Tricrista circellata (Plötz, 1882), and Tricrista taxes (Godman, 1900) (not Thoon Godman, 1900), Gallio madius (E. Bell, 1941) and Gallio seriatus (Mabille, 1891) (not Vehilius Godman, 1900), Gallio garima (Schaus, 1902) (not Tigasis Godman, 1900), Tigasis corope (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) (not Cynea Evans, 1955), Tigasis perloides (Plötz, 1882) (not Cymaenes Scudder, 1872), Amblyscirtes (Flor) florus (Godman, 1900) (not Repens Evans, 1955), Vidius fraus (Godman, 1900) (not Cymaenes Scudder, 1872), Nastra celeus (Mabille, 1891) (not Vehilius Godman, 1900), Nastra nappa (Evans, 1955) (not Vidius Evans, 1955), Vehilius warreni (Weeks, 1901) and Vehilius limae (Lindsey, 1925) (not Cymaenes Scudder, 1872), Cymaenes lumina (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) (not Lerema Scudder, 1872), Cobalopsis valerius (Möschler, 1879) (not Cobalopsis Godman, 1900), Cobalopsis dictys (Godman, 1900) (not Papias Godman, 1900), Lerema (Morys) venias (Bell, 1942) (not Cobalopsis Godman, 1900), Papias latonia (Schaus, 1913) (not Cobalopsis Godman, 1900), Dion iccius (Evans, 1955) and Dion uza (Hewitson, 1877) (not Enosis Mabille, 1889), Vistigma (Vistigma) opus (Steinhauser, 2008) (not Thoon Godman, 1900), Saturnus fartuga (Schaus, 1902) (not Parphorus Godman, 1900), Phlebodes fuldai (E. Bell, 1930) (not Vettius Godman, 1901), Mnasitheus padus (Evans, 1955) (not Moeris Godman, 1900), Naevolus brunnescens (Hayward, 1939) (not Psoralis Mabille, 1904), Lamponia ploetzii (Capronnier, 1874) (not Vettius Godman, 1901), Mnestheus silvaticus Hayward, 1940 (not Ludens Evans, 1955), Rigga spangla (Evans, 1955) (not Sodalia Evans, 1955), Corticea vicinus (Plötz, 1884) (not Lento Evans, 1955), Mnasalcas thymoetes (Hayward, 1942) (not Mnasicles Godman, 1901), Mnasalcas boyaca (Nicolay, 1973) (not Pamba Evans, 1955), Vertica brasta (Evans, 1955) (not Lychnuchus Hübner, [1831]), Carystina discors Plötz, 1882 (not Cobalus Hübner, [1819]), Zetka irena (Evans, 1955) (not Neoxeniades Hayward, 1938), and Neoxeniades parna (Evans, 1955) (not Niconiades Hübner, [1821]). The following are new or revised species-subspecies combinations: Tagiades neira moti Evans, 1934, Tagiades neira canonicus Fruhstorfer, 1910, Tagiades sheba vella Evans, 1934, Tagiades sheba lola Evans, 1945, Tagiades korela biakana Evans, 1934, Tagiades korela mefora Evans, 1934, Tagiades korela suffusus Rothschild, 1915, Tagiades korela brunta Evans, 1949, Tagiades ravi ravina Fruhstorfer, 1910, Tagiades atticus carnica Evans, 1934, Tagiades atticus nankowra Evans, 1934, Tagiades atticus helferi C. Felder, 1862, Tagiades atticus balana Fruhstorfer, 1910, Tagiades inconspicua mathias Evans, 1934, Tagiades hovia kazana Evans, 1934, Tagiades elegans fuscata de Jong and Treadaway, 2007, Tagiades elegans semperi Fruhstorfer, 1910, Metron hypochlora tomba Evans, 1955, Decinea denta pruda Evans, 1955, and Choranthus orientis eleutherae (Bates, 1934) (previously in Pyrrhocalles Mabille, 1904). In addition to the abovementioned changes, the following new combinations involve newly proposed genus group names: Fulvatis fulvius (Plötz, 1882) and Fulvatis scyrus (E. Bell, 1934) (not Salatis Evans, 1952); Adina adrastor (Mabille and Boullet, 1912) (not Bungalotis Watson, 1893); Nascus (Praxa) prax Evans, 1952, Nascus (Bron) broteas (Cramer, 1780), and Nascus (Bron) solon (Plötz, 1882) (not Pseudonascus Austin, 2008); Chirgus (Turis) veturius (Plötz, 1884); Paches (Tiges) liborius (Plötz, 1884), and Paches (Tiges) mutilatus (Hopffer, 1874) (not Antigonus Hübner, [1819]); Paches (Tiges) exosa (A. Butler, 1877); Tolius tolimus (Plötz, 1884) and Tolius luctuosus (Godman & Salvin, 1894) (not Echelatus Godman and Salvin, 1894); Ancistroides (Ocrypta) caerulea (Evans, 1928), Ancistroides (Ocrypta) renardi (Oberthür, 1878), Ancistroides (Ocrypta) waigensis (Plötz, 1882), Ancistroides (Ocrypta) aluensis (Swinhoe, 1907), Ancistroides (Ocrypta) flavipes (Janson, 1886), and Ancistroides (Ocrypta) maria (Evans, 1949) (not Notocrypta de Nicéville, 1889); Lennia lena (Evans, 1937), Lennia binoevatus (Mabille, 1891), Lennia maracanda (Hewitson, 1876), and Lennia lota (Evans, 1937) (not Leona Evans, 1937); Trida barberae (Trimen, 1873) and Trida sarahae (Henning and Henning, 1998) (not Kedestes Watson, 1893); Noxys viricuculla (Hayward, 1951) (not Oxynthes Godman, 1900); Xeniades (Tixe) quadrata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869), Xeniades (Tixe) rinda (Evans, 1955), Xeniades (Tixe) putumayo (Constantino and Salazar, 2013) (not Tisias Godman, 1901); Gracilata quadrinotata (Mabille, 1889) (not Styriodes Schaus, 1913); Hermio hermione (Schaus, 1913) (not Lento Evans, 1955); Cynea (Nycea) hycsos (Mabille, 1891), Cynea (Nycea) corisana (Plötz, 1882), Cynea (Nycea) popla Evans, 1955, Cynea (Nycea) iquita (E. Bell, 1941), Cynea (Nycea) robba Evans, 1955, Cynea (Nycea) melius (Geyer, 1832), and Cynea (Nycea) irma (Möschler, 1879); Eutus rastaca (Schaus, 1902) (not Eutychide Godman, 1900); Eutus yesta (Evans, 1955) (not Thoon Godman, 1900); Eutus mubevensis (E. Bell, 1932) (not Tigasis Godman, 1900); Gufa gulala (Schaus, 1902) (not Mucia Godman, 1900); Gufa fusca (Hayward, 1940) (not Tigasis Godman, 1900); Godmia chlorocephala (Godman, 1900) (not Onophas Godman, 1900); Rhomba gertschi (E. Bell, 1937) (not Justinia Evans, 1955); Mnasicles (Nausia) nausiphanes (Schaus, 1913) (not Tigasis Godman, 1900); Amblyscirtes (Flor) florus (Godman, 1900) (not Repens Evans, 1955); Rectava ignarus (E. Bell, 1932) (not Papias Godman, 1900); Rectava vorgia (Schaus, 1902) (not Cobalopsis Godman, 1900); Rectava nostra (Evans, 1955) (not not Vidius Evans, 1955); Lerema (Geia) geisa (Möschler, 1879) and Lerema (Geia) lyde (Godman, 1900) (not Morys Godman, 1900); Contrastia distigma (Plötz, 1882) (not Cymaenes Scudder, 1872); Mit (Mit) badius (E. Bell, 1930) (not Styriodes Schaus, 1913); Mit (Mit) gemignanii (Hayward, 1940), (not Mnasitheus Godman, 1900); Mit (Rotundia) schausi (Mielke and Casagrande, 2002), (not Enosis Mabille, 1889); Picova steinbachi (E. Bell, 1930) (not Saturnus Evans, 1955); Lattus arabupuana (E. Bell, 1932) (not Eutocus Godman, 1901); Gubrus lugubris (Lindsey, 1925) (not Vehilius Godman, 1900); Thargella (Pseudopapias) tristissimus (Schaus, 1902) (not Papias Godman, 1900); Koria kora (Hewitson, 1877) (not Justinia Evans, 1955); Justinia (Septia) septa Evans, 1955; Corta lycortas (Godman, 1900) (not Orthos Evans, 1955); Vertica (Brasta) brasta (Evans, 1955) (not Lychnuchus Hübner, [1831]); Calvetta calvina (Hewitson, 1866) (not Cobalus Hübner, [1819]); Neoxeniades (Bina) gabina (Godman, 1900) (not Orthos Evans, 1955); Oz ozias (Hewitson, 1878) and Oz sebastiani Salazar and Constantino, 2013 (not Lychnuchoides Godman, 1901); and Carystoides (Balma) balza Evans, 1955 and Carystoides (Balma) maroma (Möschler, 1877). Finally, unless stated otherwise, all subgenera, species, subspecies and synonyms of mentioned genera and species are transferred together with their parent taxa, and taxa not mentioned in this work remain as previously classified.

Food Plant Shifts Drive the Diversification of Sack-Bearer Moths

AbstractLepidoptera are a highly diverse group of herbivorous insects; however, some superfamilies have relatively few species. Two alternative hypotheses for drivers of Lepidoptera diversity are shifts in food plant use or shifts from concealed to external feeding as larvae. Many studies address the former hypothesis but with bias toward externally feeding taxa. One of the most striking examples of species disparity between sister lineages in Lepidoptera is between the concealed-feeding sack-bearer moths (Mimallonoidea), which contain about 300 species, and externally feeding Macroheterocera, which have over 74,000 species. We provide the first dated tree of Mimallonidae to understand the diversification dynamics of these moths in order to fill a knowledge gap pertaining to drivers of diversity within an important concealed-feeding clade. We find that Mimallonidae is an ancient Lepidoptera lineage that originated in the Cretaceous ∼105 million years ago and has had a close association with the plant order Myrtales for the past 40 million years. Diversification dynamics are tightly linked with food plant usage in this group. Reliance on Myrtales may have influenced diversification of Mimallonidae because clades that shifted away from the ancestral condition of feeding on Myrtales have the highest speciation rates in the family.

Comparative Mitogenomic Analysis of Five Awl Skippers (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Coeliadinae) and Their Phylogenetic Implications

Simple Summary

The subfamily Coeliadinae (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is a unique group of over 70 species in the butterfly family, and its mitochondrial genome data still needs to be supplemented. This study sequenced and analyzed five additional complete mitochondrial genomes of the Coeliadinae species (Hasora schoenherr, Burara miracula, B. oedipodea, B. harisa, and Badamia exclamationis) and compared them in detail with those of the other known skipper mitogenomes. All five of these mitogenomes have the typical lepidopteran mitogenome characteristics of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a non-coding region. Our results indicate that their structure, nucleotide composition, codon usage, secondary structure of tRNAs, and so on, are highly conserved. Expanded sampling and gene data from the GenBank, phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference methods indicate that Coeliadinae is monophyletic. These results contribute toward refining the phylogeny.

Abstract

To determine the significance of mitochondrial genome characteristics in revealing phylogenetic relationships and to shed light on the molecular evolution of the Coeliadinae species, the complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of five Coeliadinae species were newly sequenced and analyzed, including Hasora schoenherr, Burara miracula, B. oedipodea, B. harisa, and Badamia exclamationis. The results show that all five mitogenomes are double-strand circular DNA molecules, with lengths of 15,340 bp, 15,295 bp, 15,304 bp, 15,295 bp, and 15,289 bp, respectively, and contain the typical 37 genes and a control region. Most protein-coding genes (PCGs) begin with ATN, with 3 types of stop codons including TAA, TAG, and an incomplete codon T-; most of the genes terminate with TAA. All of the transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) present the typical cloverleaf secondary structure except for the trnS1. Several conserved structural elements are found in the AT-rich region. Phylogenetic analyses based on three datasets (PCGs, PRT, and 12PRT) and using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods show strong support for the monophyly of Coeliadinae, and the relationships of the five species are (B. exclamationis + ((B. harisa + (B. oedipodea + B. miracula)) + H. schoenherr)).

Molecular and morphological evidence reveals a new genus of the subfamily Heteropterinae (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) from China

Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that the genus Carterocephalus is not monophyletic. Based on combined molecular and morphological evidence, we propose a new genus, Pulchroptera Hou, Fan & Chiba, gen. nov., for Pamphilapulchra Leech, 1891. The adult, wing venation, and male genitalia of Pulchropterapulchra comb. nov., Carterocephaluspalaemon, and related genera are illustrated.

Great chemistry between us: The link between plant chemical defenses and butterfly evolution

Plants constantly cope with insect herbivory, which is thought to be the evolutionary driver for the immense diversity of plant chemical defenses. Herbivorous insects are in turn restricted in host choice by the presence of plant chemical defense barriers. In this study, we analyzed whether butterfly host-plant patterns are determined by the presence of shared plant chemical defenses rather than by shared plant evolutionary history. Using correlation and phylogenetic statistics, we assessed the impact of host-plant chemical defense traits on shaping northwestern European butterfly assemblages at a macroevolutionary scale. Shared chemical defenses between plant families showed stronger correlation with overlap in butterfly assemblages than phylogenetic relatedness, providing evidence that chemical defenses may determine the assemblage of butterflies per plant family rather than shared evolutionary history. Although global congruence between butterflies and host-plant families was detected across the studied herbivory interactions, cophylogenetic statistics showed varying levels of congruence between butterflies and host chemical defense traits. We attribute this to the existence of multiple antiherbivore traits across plant families and the diversity of insect herbivory associations per plant family. Our results highlight the importance of plant chemical defenses in community ecology through their influence on insect assemblages.

Why are there not more herbivorous insect species?

Insect species richness is estimated to exceed three million species, of which roughly half is herbivorous. Despite the vast number of species and varied life histories, the proportion of herbivorous species among plant-consuming organisms is lower than it could be due to constraints that impose limits to their diversification. These include ecological factors, such as vague interspecific competition; anatomical and physiological limits, such as neural limits and inability of handling a wide range of plant allelochemicals; phylogenetic constraints, like niche conservatism; and most importantly, a low level of concerted genetic variation necessary to a phyletic conversion. It is suggested that diversification ultimately depends on what we call the intrinsic trend of diversification of the insect genome. In support of the above, we survey the major types of host-specificity, the mechanisms and constraints of host specialization, possible pathways of speciation, and hypotheses concerning insect diversification.

Genome-wide macroevolutionary signatures of key innovations in butterflies colonizing new host plants

The mega-diversity of herbivorous insects is attributed to their co-evolutionary associations with plants. Despite abundant studies on insect-plant interactions, we do not know whether host-plant shifts have impacted both genomic adaptation and species diversification over geological times. We show that the antagonistic insect-plant interaction between swallowtail butterflies and the highly toxic birthworts began 55 million years ago in Beringia, followed by several major ancient host-plant shifts. This evolutionary framework provides a valuable opportunity for repeated tests of genomic signatures of macroevolutionary changes and estimation of diversification rates across their phylogeny. We find that host-plant shifts in butterflies are associated with both genome-wide adaptive molecular evolution (more genes under positive selection) and repeated bursts of speciation rates, contributing to an increase in global diversification through time. Our study links ecological changes, genome-wide adaptations and macroevolutionary consequences, lending support to the importance of ecological interactions as evolutionary drivers over long time periods.

The roles of wing color pattern and geography in the evolution of Neotropical Preponini butterflies

Diversification rates and evolutionary trajectories are known to be influenced by phenotypic traits and the geographic history of the landscapes that organisms inhabit. One of the most conspicuous traits in butterflies is their wing color pattern, which has been shown to be important in speciation. The evolution of many taxa in the Neotropics has also been influenced by major geological events. Using a dated, species-level molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for Preponini, a colorful Neotropical butterfly tribe, we evaluated whether diversification rates were constant or varied through time, and how they were influenced by color pattern evolution and biogeographical events. We found that Preponini originated approximately 28 million years ago and that diversification has increased through time consistent with major periods of Andean uplift. Even though some clades show evolutionarily rapid transitions in coloration, contrary to our expectations, these shifts were not correlated with shifts in diversification. Involvement in mimicry with other butterfly groups might explain the rapid changes in dorsal color patterns in this tribe, but such changes have not increased species diversification in this group. However, we found evidence for an influence of major Miocene and Pliocene geological events on the tribe's evolution. Preponini apparently originated within South America, and range evolution has since been dynamic, congruent with Andean geologic activity, closure of the Panama Isthmus, and Miocene climate variability.

Priors and Posteriors in Bayesian Timing of Divergence Analyses: The Age of Butterflies Revisited

The need for robust estimates of times of divergence is essential for downstream analyses, yet assessing this robustness is still rare. We generated a time-calibrated genus-level phylogeny of butterflies (Papilionoidea), including 994 taxa, up to 10 gene fragments and an unprecedented set of 12 fossils and 10 host-plant node calibration points. We compared marginal priors and posterior distributions to assess the relative importance of the former on the latter. This approach revealed a strong influence of the set of priors on the root age but for most calibrated nodes posterior distributions shifted from the marginal prior, indicating significant information in the molecular data set. Using a very conservative approach we estimated an origin of butterflies at 107.6 Ma, approximately equivalent to the latest Early Cretaceous, with a credibility interval ranging from 89.5 Ma (mid Late Cretaceous) to 129.5 Ma (mid Early Cretaceous). In addition, we tested the effects of changing fossil calibration priors, tree prior, different sets of calibrations and different sampling fractions but our estimate remained robust to these alternative assumptions. With 994 genera, this tree provides a comprehensive source of secondary calibrations for studies on butterflies.

From cryptic to colorful: Evolutionary decoupling of larval and adult color in butterflies

Many animals undergo complete metamorphosis, where larval forms change abruptly in adulthood. Color change during ontogeny is common, but there is little understanding of evolutionary patterns in these changes. Here, we use data on larval and adult color for 246 butterfly species (61% of all species in Australia) to test whether the evolution of color is coupled between life stages. We show that adults are more variable in color across species than caterpillars and that male adult color has lower phylogenetic signal. These results suggest that sexual selection is driving color diversity in male adult butterflies at a broad scale. Moreover, color similarities between species at the larval stage do not predict color similarities at the adult stage, indicating that color evolution is decoupled between young and adult forms. Most species transition from cryptic coloration as caterpillars to conspicuous coloration as adults, but even species with conspicuous caterpillars change to different conspicuous colors as adults. The use of high‐contrast coloration is correlated with body size in caterpillars but not adults. Taken together, our results suggest a change in the relative importance of different selective pressures at different life stages, resulting in the evolutionary decoupling of coloration through ontogeny.

Fifty new genera of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera)

Genomic sequencing and analysis of worldwide skipper butterfly (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) fauna points to imperfections in their current classification. Some tribes, subtribes and genera as they are circumscribed today are not monophyletic. Rationalizing genomic results from the perspective of phenotypic characters suggests two new tribes, two new subtribes and 50 new genera that are named here: Ceratrichiini Grishin, trib. n., Gretnini Grishin, trib. n., Falgina Grishin, subtr. n., Apaustina Grishin, subtr. n., Flattoides Grishin, gen. n., Aurivittia Grishin, gen. n., Viuria Grishin, gen. n., Clytius Grishin, gen. n., Incisus Grishin, gen. n., Perus Grishin, gen. n., Livida Grishin, gen. n., Festivia Grishin, gen. n., Hoodus Grishin, gen. n., Anaxas Grishin, gen. n., Chiothion Grishin, gen. n., Crenda Grishin, gen. n., Santa Grishin, gen. n., Canesia Grishin, gen. n., Bralus Grishin, gen. n., Ladda Grishin, gen. n., Willema Grishin, gen. n., Argemma Grishin, gen. n., Nervia Grishin, gen. n., Dotta Grishin, gen. n., Lissia Grishin, gen. n., Xanthonymus Grishin, gen. n., Cerba Grishin, gen. n., Avestia Grishin, gen. n., Zetka Grishin, gen. n., Turmosa Grishin, gen. n., Mielkeus Grishin, gen. n., Coolus Grishin, gen. n., Daron Grishin, gen. n., Barrolla Grishin, gen. n., Brownus Grishin, gen. n., Tava Grishin, gen. n., Rigga Grishin, gen. n., Haza Grishin, gen. n., Dubia Grishin, gen. n., Pares Grishin, gen. n., Chitta Grishin, gen. n., Artonia Grishin, gen. n., Lurida Grishin, gen. n., Corra Grishin, gen. n., Fidius Grishin, gen. n., Veadda Grishin, gen. n., Tricrista Grishin, gen. n., Viridina Grishin, gen. n., Alychna Grishin, gen. n., Ralis Grishin, gen. n., Testia Grishin, gen. n., Buzella Grishin, gen. n., Vernia Grishin, gen. n., and Lon Grishin, gen. n. In addition, the following taxonomic changes are suggested. Prada Evans is transferred from Hesperiinae to Trapezitinae. Echelatus Godman and Salvin, Systaspes Weeks, and Oenides Mabille are removed from synonymy and are treated as valid genera. The following genera are new junior subjective synonyms: Tosta Evans of Eantis Boisduval; Turmada Evans of Neoxeniades Hayward, Arita Evans of Tigasis Godman, and Alera Mabille of Perichares Scudder. Eantis pallida (R. Felder) (not Achlyodes Hübner), Gindanes kelso (Evans) (not Onenses Godman and Salvin), Isoteinon abjecta (Snellen) (not Astictopterus C. and R. Felder), Neoxeniades ethoda (Hewitson) (not Xeniades Godman), Moeris anna (Mabille) (not Vidius Evans), and Molo pelta Evans (not Lychnuchus Hübner) are new genus-species combinations. The following are species-level taxa: Livida assecla (Mabille) (not a subspecies of Livida grandis (Mabille), formerly Pythonides Hübner) and Alychna zenus (E. Bell) (not a junior subjective synonym of Alychna exclamationis (Mabille), formerly Psoralis Mabille); and Barrolla molla E. Bell (formerly Vacerra Godman) is a junior subjective synonym of Barrolla barroni Evans (formerly Paratrytone Godman). All these changes to taxonomic status of names are propagated to all names currently treated as subspecies (for species), subgenera (for genera) and synonyms of these taxa. Finally, taxa not mentioned in this work are considered to remain at the ranks and in taxonomic groups they have been previously assigned to.

Three new subfamilies of skipper butterflies (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae)

We obtained and analyzed whole genome data for more than 160 representatives of skipper butterflies (family Hesperiidae) from all known subfamilies, tribes and most distinctive genera. We found that two genera, Katreus Watson, 1893 and Ortholexis Karsch, 1895, which are sisters, are well-separated from all other major phylogenetic lineages and originate near the base of the Hesperiidae tree, prior to the origin of some subfamilies. Due to this ancient origin compared to other subfamilies, this group is described as Katreinae Grishin, subfam. n. DNA sequencing of primary type specimens reveals that Ortholexismelichroptera Karsch, 1895 is not a female of Ortholexisholocausta Mabille, 1891, but instead a female of Ortholexisdimidia Holland, 1896. This finding establishes O.dimidia as a junior subjective synonym of O.melichroptera. Furthermore, we see that Chamunda Evans, 1949 does not originate within Pyrginae Burmeister, 1878, but, unexpectedly, forms an ancient lineage of its own at the subfamily rank: Chamundinae Grishin, subfam. n. Finally, a group of two sister genera, Barca de Nicéville, 1902 and Apostictopterus Leech, [1893], originates around the time Hesperiinae Latreille, 1809 have split from their sister clade. A new subfamily Barcinae Grishin, subfam. n. sets them apart from all other Hesperiidae.

Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of Parnara butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)

The butterfly genus Parnara (Hesperiinae: Baorini), of which some are major pests of economic crops (e.g., rice, wild rice stems and sugarcane), currently consists of 10 species and several subspecies and has a highly disjunct distribution in Australia, Africa, and Asia. We determined the systematic relationships and biogeographical history of the genus by reconstructing the phylogeny based on eight genes and 101 specimens representing all 10 recognized species. Four species delimitation methods (ABGD, bPTP, GMYC and BPP) were also employed to assess the taxonomic status of each species. Based on these results and analyses, we recognize 11 extant species in the genus. The status of the taxon P. naso poutieri (Boisduval, 1833) from Madagascar is revised as a distinct species, Parnara poutieri (Boisduval, 1833) stat. rev. The subspecies P. guttata mangala (Moore, 1866) syn. nov. is synonymized with P. guttata guttata (Bremer & Grey, 1853), while P. bada (Moore, 1878) is provisionally treated as a complex of two species, namely P. bada and P. apostata (Snellen, 1886). The monophyly of Parnara is strongly supported, with the following relationships: P. amalia + ((P. monasi + (P. poutieri + P. naso)) + ((P. kawazoei + P. bada complex) + (P. ganga + (P. ogasawarensis + (P. guttata + P. batta))))). Divergence time and ancestral range estimates indicate that the common ancestor of Parnara originated in an implausible area of Australia, Africa, and Oriental region in the mid-Oligocene and then differentiated in the late Miocene-late Pliocene. Dispersal and range expansion have played an important role in diversification of the genus in Asia and Afica. Relatively stable geotectonic plates at the time when most extant lineages appeared during the late Miocene-early Pliocene might have been the factor responsible for the relatively constant low dynamic rate of diversification within the group.

Whole Genome Shotgun Phylogenomics Resolves the Pattern and Timing of Swallowtail Butterfly Evolution

Evolutionary relationships have remained unresolved in many well-studied groups, even though advances in next-generation sequencing and analysis, using approaches such as transcriptomics, anchored hybrid enrichment, or ultraconserved elements, have brought systematics to the brink of whole genome phylogenomics. Recently, it has become possible to sequence the entire genomes of numerous nonbiological models in parallel at reasonable cost, particularly with shotgun sequencing. Here, we identify orthologous coding sequences from whole-genome shotgun sequences, which we then use to investigate the relevance and power of phylogenomic relationship inference and time-calibrated tree estimation. We study an iconic group of butterflies—swallowtails of the family Papilionidae—that has remained phylogenetically unresolved, with continued debate about the timing of their diversification. Low-coverage whole genomes were obtained using Illumina shotgun sequencing for all genera. Genome assembly coupled to BLAST-based orthology searches allowed extraction of 6621 orthologous protein-coding genes for 45 Papilionidae species and 16 outgroup species (with 32% missing data after cleaning phases). Supermatrix phylogenomic analyses were performed with both maximum-likelihood (IQ-TREE) and Bayesian mixture models (PhyloBayes) for amino acid sequences, which produced a fully resolved phylogeny providing new insights into controversial relationships. Species tree reconstruction from gene trees was performed with ASTRAL and SuperTriplets and recovered the same phylogeny. We estimated gene site concordant factors to complement traditional node-support measures, which strengthens the robustness of inferred phylogenies. Bayesian estimates of divergence times based on a reduced data set (760 orthologs and 12% missing data) indicate a mid-Cretaceous origin of Papilionoidea around 99.2 Ma (95% credibility interval: 68.6–142.7 Ma) and Papilionidae around 71.4 Ma (49.8–103.6 Ma), with subsequent diversification of modern lineages well after the Cretaceous-Paleogene event. These results show that shotgun sequencing of whole genomes, even when highly fragmented, represents a powerful approach to phylogenomics and molecular dating in a group that has previously been refractory to resolution.

Molecular Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of the Butterfly Tribe Aeromachini Tutt (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) from China

: The butterfly tribe Aeromachini Tutt, 1906 is a large group of skippers. In this study, a total of 10 genera and 45 species of putative members of this tribe, which represent most of the generic diversity and nearly all the species diversity of the group in China, were sequenced for two mitochondrial genes and three nuclear genes (2093 bp). The combined dataset was analyzed with maximum likelihood inference using IQtree. We found strong support for monophyly of Aeromachini from China and support for the most recent accepted species in the tribe. Two paraphyletic genera within Aeromachini are presented and discussed. The divergence time estimates with BEAST and ancestral-area reconstructions with RASP provide a detailed description about the historical biogeography of the Aeromachini from China. The tribe very likely originated from the Hengduan Mountains in the late Ecocene and expanded to the Himalaya Mountains and Central China Regions. A dispersal-vicariance analysis suggests that dispersal events have played essential roles in the distribution of extant species, and geological and climatic changes have been important factors driving current distribution patterns.

Genomes of skipper butterflies reveal extensive convergence of wing patterns

For centuries, biologists have used phenotypes to infer evolution. For decades, a handful of gene markers have given us a glimpse of the genotype to combine with phenotypic traits. Today, we can sequence entire genomes from hundreds of species and gain yet closer scrutiny. To illustrate the power of genomics, we have chosen skipper butterflies (Hesperiidae). The genomes of 250 representative species of skippers reveal rampant inconsistencies between their current classification and a genome-based phylogeny. We use a dated genomic tree to define tribes (six new) and subtribes (six new), to overhaul genera (nine new) and subgenera (three new), and to display convergence in wing patterns that fooled researchers for decades. We find that many skippers with similar appearance are distantly related, and several skippers with distinct morphology are close relatives. These conclusions are strongly supported by different genomic regions and are consistent with some morphological traits. Our work is a forerunner to genomic biology shaping biodiversity research.

A simple method for data partitioning based on relative evolutionary rates

BACKGROUND

Multiple studies have demonstrated that partitioning of molecular datasets is important in model-based phylogenetic analyses. Commonly, partitioning is done a priori based on some known properties of sequence evolution, e.g. differences in rate of evolution among codon positions of a protein-coding gene. Here we propose a new method for data partitioning based on relative evolutionary rates of the sites in the alignment of the dataset being analysed. The rates are inferred using the previously published Tree Independent Generation of Evolutionary Rates (TIGER), and the partitioning is conducted using our novel python script RatePartitions. We conducted simulations to assess the performance of our new method, and we applied it to eight published multi-locus phylogenetic datasets, representing different taxonomic ranks within the insect order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and one phylogenomic dataset, which included ultra-conserved elements as well as introns.

METHODS

We used TIGER-rates to generate relative evolutionary rates for all sites in the alignments. Then, using RatePartitions, we partitioned the data into partitions based on their relative evolutionary rate. RatePartitions applies a simple formula that ensures a distribution of sites into partitions following the distribution of rates of the characters from the full dataset. This ensures that the invariable sites are placed in a partition with slowly evolving sites, avoiding the pitfalls of previously used methods, such as k-means. Different partitioning strategies were evaluated using BIC scores as calculated by PartitionFinder.

RESULTS

Simulations did not highlight any misbehaviour of our partitioning approach, even under difficult parameter conditions or missing data. In all eight phylogenetic datasets, partitioning using TIGER-rates and RatePartitions was significantly better as measured by the BIC scores than other partitioning strategies, such as the commonly used partitioning by gene and codon position. We compared the resulting topologies and node support for these eight datasets as well as for the phylogenomic dataset.

DISCUSSION

We developed a new method of partitioning phylogenetic datasets without using any prior knowledge (e.g. DNA sequence evolution). This method is entirely based on the properties of the data being analysed and can be applied to DNA sequences (protein-coding, introns, ultra-conserved elements), protein sequences, as well as morphological characters. A likely explanation for why our method performs better than other tested partitioning strategies is that it accounts for the heterogeneity in the data to a much greater extent than when data are simply subdivided based on prior knowledge.

What affects power to estimate speciation rate shifts?

The development of methods to estimate rates of speciation and extinction from time-calibrated phylogenies has revolutionized evolutionary biology by allowing researchers to correlate diversification rate shifts with causal factors. A growing number of researchers are interested in testing whether the evolution of a trait or a trait variant has influenced speciation rate, and three modelling methods-BiSSE, MEDUSA and BAMM-have been widely used in such studies. We simulated phylogenies with a single speciation rate shift each, and evaluated the power of the three methods to detect these shifts. We varied the degree of increase in speciation rate (speciation rate asymmetry), the number of tips, the tip-ratio bias (ratio of number of tips with each character state) and the relative age in relation to overall tree age when the rate shift occurred. All methods had good power to detect rate shifts when the rate asymmetry was strong and the sizes of the two lineages with the distinct speciation rates were large. Even when lineage size was small, power was good when rate asymmetry was high. In our simulated scenarios, small lineage sizes appear to affect BAMM most strongly. Tip-ratio influenced the accuracy of speciation rate estimation but did not have a strong effect on power to detect rate shifts. Based on our results, we provide suggestions to users of these methods.

Multiple origins of sexual dichromatism and aposematism within large carpenter bees

The evolution of reversed sexual dichromatism and aposematic coloration has long been of interest to both theoreticians and empiricists. Yet despite the potential connections between these phenomena, they have seldom been jointly studied. Large carpenter bees (genus Xylocopa) are a promising group for such comparative investigations as they are a diverse clade in which both aposematism and reversed sexual dichromatism can occur either together or separately. We investigated the evolutionary history of dichromatism and aposematism and a potential correlation of these traits with diversification rates within Xylocopa, using a newly generated phylogeny for 179 Xylocopa species based on ultraconserved elements (UCEs). A monochromatic, inconspicuous ancestor is indicated for the genus, with subsequent convergent evolution of sexual dichromatism and aposematism in multiple lineages. Aposematism is found to covary with reversed sexual dichromatism in many species; however, reversed dichromatism also evolved in non-aposematic species. Bayesian Analysis of Macroevolutionary Models (BAMM) did not show increased diversification in any specific clade in Xylocopa, whereas support from Hidden State Speciation and Extinction (HiSSE) models remained inconclusive regarding an association of increased diversification rates with dichromatism or aposematism. We discuss the evolution of color patterns and diversification in Xylocopa by considering potential drivers of dichromatism and aposematism.

Anchored phylogenomics illuminates the skipper butterfly tree of life

BACKGROUND

Butterflies (Papilionoidea) are perhaps the most charismatic insect lineage, yet phylogenetic relationships among them remain incompletely studied and controversial. This is especially true for skippers (Hesperiidae), one of the most species-rich and poorly studied butterfly families.

METHODS

To infer a robust phylogenomic hypothesis for Hesperiidae, we sequenced nearly 400 loci using Anchored Hybrid Enrichment and sampled all tribes and more than 120 genera of skippers. Molecular datasets were analyzed using maximum-likelihood, parsimony and coalescent multi-species phylogenetic methods.

RESULTS

All analyses converged on a novel, robust phylogenetic hypothesis for skippers. Different optimality criteria and methodologies recovered almost identical phylogenetic trees with strong nodal support at nearly all nodes and all taxonomic levels. Our results support Coeliadinae as the sister group to the remaining skippers, the monotypic Euschemoninae as the sister group to all other subfamilies but Coeliadinae, and the monophyly of Eudaminae plus Pyrginae. Within Pyrginae, Celaenorrhinini and Tagiadini are sister groups, the Neotropical firetips, Pyrrhopygini, are sister to all other tribes but Celaenorrhinini and Tagiadini. Achlyodini is recovered as the sister group to Carcharodini, and Erynnini as sister group to Pyrgini. Within the grass skippers (Hesperiinae), there is strong support for the monophyly of Aeromachini plus remaining Hesperiinae. The giant skippers (Agathymus and Megathymus) once classified as a subfamily, are recovered as monophyletic with strong support, but are deeply nested within Hesperiinae.

CONCLUSIONS

Anchored Hybrid Enrichment sequencing resulted in a large amount of data that built the foundation for a new, robust evolutionary tree of skippers. The newly inferred phylogenetic tree resolves long-standing systematic issues and changes our understanding of the skipper tree of life. These resultsenhance understanding of the evolution of one of the most species-rich butterfly families.

Comparative analysis of behavioural traits in insects

Comparative studies of insect behaviour based on evolutionary trees are currently blossoming, because of the increasing ease of phylogeny estimation, the availability of new trait data to analyze, and a vast and growing array of statistical techniques for exploring data and testing hypotheses. These studies address not only the selective forces and constraints on insect behaviour, which are the realm of traditional behavioural ecology, but also their ecological and evolutionary consequences. Recent studies have significantly increased our understanding of foraging behaviour, interspecific interactions, locomotion and dispersal, communication and signalling, mate choice and sexual selection, parental care and the evolution of sociality. The curating of trait data remains a significant challenge to maximize the future potential of insect comparative studies.

Shifts in diversification rates and host jump frequencies shaped the diversity of host range among Sclerotiniaceae fungal plant pathogens

The range of hosts that a parasite can infect in nature is a trait determined by its own evolutionary history and that of its potential hosts. However, knowledge on host range diversity and evolution at the family level is often lacking. Here, we investigate host range variation and diversification trends within the Sclerotiniaceae, a family of Ascomycete fungi. Using a phylogenetic framework, we associate diversification rates, the frequency of host jump events and host range variation during the evolution of this family. Variations in diversification rate during the evolution of the Sclerotiniaceae define three major macro-evolutionary regimes with contrasted proportions of species infecting a broad range of hosts. Host-parasite cophylogenetic analyses pointed towards parasite radiation on distant hosts long after host speciation (host jump or duplication events) as the dominant mode of association with plants in the Sclerotiniaceae. The intermediate macro-evolutionary regime showed a low diversification rate, high frequency of duplication events and the highest proportion of broad host range species. Our findings suggest that the emergence of broad host range fungal pathogens results largely from host jumps, as previously reported for oomycete parasites, probably combined with low speciation rates. These results have important implications for our understanding of fungal parasites evolution and are of particular relevance for the durable management of disease epidemics.