Characterization of the Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Two Species with Preliminary Investigation on Phylogenetic Status of Zyginellini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae)

Two new species of Erythroneurini (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae) from southern China based on morphology and complete mitogenomes

Erythroneurine leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae, Erythroneurini) are utilized to resolve the relationship between the four erythroneurine leafhopper (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae, Erythroneurini): Arboridia (Arboridia) rongchangensis sp. nov., Thaia (Thaia) jiulongensis sp. nov., Mitjaevia bifurcata Luo, Song & Song, 2021 and Mitjaevia diana Luo, Song & Song, 2021, the two new species are described and illustrated. The mitochondrial gene sequences of these four species were determined to update the mitochondrial genome database of Erythroneurini. The mitochondrial genomes of four species shared high parallelism in nucleotide composition, base composition and gene order, comprising 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and an AT control region, which was consistent with majority of species in Cicadellidae; all genes revealed common trait of a positive AT skew and negative GC skew. The mitogenomes of four species were ultra-conservative in structure, and which isanalogous to that of others in size and A + T content. Phylogenetic trees based on the mitogenome data of these species and another 24 species were built employing the maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. The results indicated that the four species belong to the tribe Erythroneurini, M. diana is the sister-group relationship of M. protuberanta + M. bifurcata. The two species Arboridia (Arboridia) rongchangensis sp. nov. and Thaia (Thaia) jiulongensis sp. nov. also have a relatively close genetic relationship with the genus Mitjaevia.

Climate change may drive the distribution of tribe Zyginelline pests in China and the Indo-China Peninsula to shift towards higher latitude river-mountain systems

BACKGROUND

Tribe Zyginelline leafhoppers can transmit plant viruses and are important pests that affect agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry, causing serious economic losses. The potential distribution patterns of Zyginellini will change under climate change. Therefore, the best-performing random forest and maximum entropy models among 12 commonly used ecological niche models, alongside an ensemble model, were selected to predict the changes in habitat suitability distribution of Zyginellini under current and future climate scenarios [represented by two shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs), namely SSP126 and SSP585, for three periods (2050s, 2070s, and 2090s)] in China and the Indo-China Peninsula for the first time.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the distribution of Zyginellini was mainly dominated by minimum temperature of coldest month. Under current and future climate scenarios, Zyginellini was mostly distributed southeast of the 400 mm equivalent precipitation line in China, and Vietnam. Under the future SSP126 scenario, the alert areas will mainly be concentrated in Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Hebei in China, alongside Myanmar and Thailand in the Indo-China Peninsula. Meanwhile, in the SSP585 scenario, the alert areas in China will increase, whereas there will be little change in the Indo-China Peninsula. Interestingly, from the current to the future, the cores of Zyginelline distribution occurred around rivers and mountains, and shifted from Guizhou along the Yuanjiang River system to higher latitudes in Hunan.

CONCLUSION

Zyginellini prefers higher latitude river-mountain systems under climate change. Our results will contribute to effective pest control strategies and biogeographical research for Zyginellini alongside other Cicadellidae insects. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The extraordinary rearrangement of mitochondrial genome of the wheat pest, Aptinothrips stylifer and the mitochondrial phylogeny of Thripidae (Thysanoptera)

The mitochondrial gene order in Thysanoptera is notably distinct and highly rearranged, with each species exhibiting its own unique arrangement. To elucidate the relationship between gene rearrangements and phylogeny, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the wheat pest, Aptinothrips stylifer, was sequenced and assembled, spanning a total length of 16,033 bp. Compared with the ancestral arthropod mitogenome, significant rearrangement differences were evident in A. stylifer, whereas the gene order between A. stylifer and Anaphothrips obscurus was similar. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed based on all 13 protein-coding gene sequences using Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood methods, both yielding similar topological structures. Notably, A. stylifer was robustly clustered with A. obscurus, affirming its classification within Anaphothrips genus group. This exemplifies the potential correlation between gene rearrangements and phylogeny in the Thripidae family. Additionally, the mitogenome of A. stylifer exhibited several atypical features, including: (1) Three putative control regions (CRs) in close proximity, with CR2 and CR3 displaying partial similarity, and CR1 differing in base composition; (2) Two transfer RNAs (tRNAs), trnS1 and trnV, lacking the DHU arm; (3) Two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes inverted and positioned distant from each other; (4) Negative AT and GC skew (AT skew = -0.001, GC skew = -0.077); (5) One transposition (nad6), one inverse transposition (trnQ), four inversions (trnF, trnH, trnC, and gene block nad1-trnL1-rrnL-trnV-rrnS), and four tandem duplication random loss events; and (6) Two protein-coding genes, nad2 and atp8, terminated with an incomplete stop codon "T".

Insights into the Diversity and Population Structure of Predominant Typhlocybinae Species Existing in Vineyards in Greece

Insects of the subfamily Typhlocybinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) are pests of economically important agricultural and horticultural crops. They damage the plants directly or indirectly by transmitting plant pathogens, resulting in significant yield loss. Several leafhoppers of this subfamily use vines as hosts. Accurate and rapid identification is the key to their successful management. The aim of this study is to determine the Typhlocybinae species that exist in vineyards all over Greece and investigate the relationship between them. For this purpose, yellow sticky traps were placed, morphological and molecular data were collected, and phylogenetic models were analyzed. The mitochondrial marker Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (mtCOI) was applied for the DNA and phylogenetic analysis. The combination of morphological and molecular data resulted in identifying the existence of six different species all over Greece: Arboridia adanae, Asymmetrasca decedens, Hebata decipiens, Hebata vitis, Jacobiasca lybica and Zygina rhamni. Forty-eight different haplotypes were found to exist in the different regions of the country.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Two New Mitochondrial Genomes of Singapora shinshana and Seriana bacilla from the Karst Region of Southwest China

Leafhoppers have been identified as a serious threat to different plants. To explore the characteristics of mitogenomes and reveal the phylogenetic positions of two species in the Typhlocybinae, complete mitogenomes of Singapora shinshana and Seriana bacilla were sequenced and annotated for the first time with lengths of 15,402 bp and 15,383 bp, respectively. The two mitogenomes contained 13 PCGs, 22 tRNA genes and 2 rRNA genes. The genome content, gene order, nucleotide composition, codon usage and amino acid composition are similar to those of other typical mitogenomes of Typhlocybinae. All 13 PCGs started with ATN codons, except for atp8 (TTA) and nad5 (TTG). All tRNAs were folded into a typical cloverleaf secondary structure, except for tRNA-Ser1 and tRNA-Val. Moreover, phylogenetic trees were constructed and analyzed based on all the PCGs from 42 mitogenomes using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. The results supported that eleven subfamilies are all monophyletic groups, S. shinshana and S. bacilla are members of Erythroneurini, but S. shinshana and the genus Empoascanara have a very close relationship with ((((Empoascanara sipra+ Empoascanara wengangensis) + Empoascanara dwalata) + Empoascanara gracilis) + S. shinshana), and S. bacilla is closely related to the genus Mitjaevia ((Mitjaevia dworakowskae + Mitjaevia shibingensis) + S. bacilla). These results provide valuable information for future study of evolutionary relationships in Typhlocybinae.

Description of the whole mitochondrial genome of Bhatia longiradiata (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae: Drabescini) and phylogenetic relationship

BACKGROUND

Mitochondrial genomes are extremely conserved in genetic processes and valuable molecular indications for phylogenetic and evolutionary examination, but the mitochondrial genome of Bhatia has not yet been reported.

OBJECTIVE

The target of this writing was to clarify the structural module of the mitochondrial genes of Bhatia longiradiata, verify the monophyletic of Drabescini, and explore the phylogenetic relationship between Drabescini with other leafhoppers.

METHODS

We performed sequencing and explanatory note of the mitochondrion of Bhatia longiradiata. The phylogeny relation was created by ML and Bayesian approaches using three dissimilar datasets (PCG12, PCG12rRNA, and AA), which were constructed to discuss the phylogenetic status of Bhatia longiradiata.

RESULTS

To report the architectural feature of the chondriosome of Bhatia longiradiata is a seal double-stranded annular molecule with 16,122 bp measurement and cover typically 37 genes. Several tandem repetitive units were observed in an AT enrichment area. The analysis showed that the branching relationships among the six trees were generally consistent, and each of the subfamilies was individually clustered into a monophyletic group within Cicadellidae. Bhatia longiradiata and other members of the Drabescini were aggregated into a clade that was situated within the Deltocephalinae.

CONCLUSION

The mitochondrial genome of Bhatia longiradiata covers 37 typical genes and a control region, which covers six tandem repeats. All species of Drabescini procedure a clade within Deltocephalinae. Drabescini and Scaphoideini form a branch and show a sister relationship with strong support. Therefore, we support the relegation of Selenocephalinae to a clan within Deltocephalinae.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Kusala populi (Song, Li & Xiong, 2011) (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae) from Karst area, Southwest China

In this study, we sequenced and reported the complete mitochondrial genomes of Kusala populi for the first time. The complete mitochondrial genome was registered in GenBank with accession number NC_064377 as the first complete mitogenome of the genus Kusala. The circular mitochondrial genome length is 15,402 bp, with nucleotide composition A (41.8%), C (11.4%), G (9.2%), T (37.6%), A + T (79.4%), and C + G (20.6%), comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a D-loop region. All protein-coding genes were encoded by the H-strand, except for 4 genes (nad5, nad4, nad4L, nad1). 8 tRNA genes (tRNA-Gln, tRNA-Cys, tRNA-Tyr, tRNA-Phe, tRNA-His, tRNA-Pro, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Val) and 2 rRNA genes (16S, 12S) were encoded in the L-strand. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the newly sequenced species had a close relationship with Mitjaevia, another widespread Old-World genus of Erythroneurini.

Revisiting the Phylogenetic Relationship and Evolution of Gargarini with Mitochondrial Genome (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Centrotinae)

In this study, we newly sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genomes of five genera and six species in Gargarini: Antialcidas floripennae, Centrotoscelus davidi, Kotogargara minuta, Machaerotypus stigmosus, Tricentrus fulgidus, and Tricentrus gammamaculatus. The mitochondrial genomes contain 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a control region. The lengths of the mitochondrial genomes are 15,253 bp to 15,812 bp, and the AT contents of the obtained mitogenomes indicate a strong AT bias, ranging from 75.8% to 78.5%. The start codons of all PCGs show that most start with a typical ATN (ATA/T/G/C) codon and less start with T/GTG; the stop codon TAA is frequently used, and TAG and a single T are less used. In Gargarini mitogenomes, all tRNA genes can be folded into the canonical cloverleaf secondary structure, except for trnaS1, which lacks a stable dihydrouridine (DHU) stem and is replaced by a simple loop. At the same time, the phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Gargarini based on sequence data of 13 PCGs from 18 treehopper species and four outgroups revealed that the 10 Gargarini species form a steady group with strong support and form a sister group with Leptocentrini, Hypsauchenini, Centrotini, and Leptobelini. Diversification within Gargarini is distinguished by a Later Cretaceous divergence that led to the rapid diversification of the species. Moreover, the ancestral state reconstructions analysis showed the absence of the suprahumeral horn, which was confirmed as the ancestor characteristic of the treehopper, which has evolved from simple to complex. Our results shed new light specifically on the molecular and phylogenetic evolution of the pronotum in Gargarini.

Morphometric analysis of forewing venation does not consistently differentiate the leafhopper tribes Typhlocybini and Zyginellini

Tribes of the leafhopper subfamily Typhlocybinae have traditionally been defined based on differences in hind wing venation, but the forewing venation also differs among some tribes. Here we used geometric morphometric analysis to determine whether previously recognized tribes can be distinguished based on the configuration of forewing veins. Focusing on the apical area of the male right forewing, 76 semi-landmarks in six curves corresponding to individual wing veins were measured for representatives of four previously recognized tribes and the data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA), canonical variable analysis (CVA), and UPGMA clustering analysis. The study showed that differences in the apical area of the forewing mainly occur in RP, MP′, and MP″ + CuA′. PCA, CVA, and cluster analysis showed three distinct clusters representing tribes Empoascini, Erythroneurini, and Typhlocybini (sensu lato) but failed to distinguish Typhlocybini (sensu stricto) from Zyginellini, which has been considered as either separate tribe or a synonym of Typhlocybini by recent authors. The results show that the forewing venation differs among tribes of Typhlocybinae, but also agree with recent molecular phylogenetic analyses, indicating that Zyginellini is derived from within Typhlocybini.

Comparison of mitogenomes of three Petalocephala species (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Ledrinae) and their phylogenetic analysis

Ledrinae is a unique group of leafhoppers with a distinct appearance. Petalocephala is the largest Ledrinae genus that is difficult to identify except by dissecting the male genitals. To date, research on Ledrinae is relatively less compared with other leafhoppers. Therefore, to better understand this group, we sequenced and analyzed three complete Petalocephala mitochondrial genomes. We comparatively analyzed these general Petalocephala genomic features (including size, AT content, AT/GC skew, 13 protein-coding gene nucleotide compositions, etc.), and predicted 22 transfer RNA secondary structures. We obtained highly consistent phylogenetic results within Cicadellidae based on mitogenomic data using the maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. Our results showed that all subfamilies were monophyletic and had a high node support rate, and there was a sister group relationship between Ledrinae and all other leafhopper groups. Furthermore, treehoppers were found to originate from leafhoppers and showed sister group relationships with Megophthalminae. Within Ledrinae, all phylogenetic trees supporting phylogenetic relationships were as follows: ([P. dicondylica + P. gongshanensis] + [Tituria pyramidata + [Ledra auditura + P. gongshanensis]]) Based on the complete mitogenome phylogenetic analysis and the comparison of morphological characteristics, we propose that Petalocephala is not monophyletic.

Mitogenomic phylogeny of Typhlocybinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) reveals homoplasy in tribal diagnostic morphological traits

The subfamily Typhlocybinae is a ubiquitous, highly diverse group of mostly tiny, delicate leafhoppers. The tribal classification has long been controversial and phylogenetic methods have only recently begun to test the phylogenetic status and relationships of tribes. To shed light on the evolution of Typhlocybinae, we performed phylogenetic analyses based on 28 newly sequenced and 19 previously sequenced mitochondrial genomes representing all currently recognized tribes. The results support the monophyly of the subfamily and its sister-group relationship to Mileewinae. The tribe Zyginellini is polyphyletic with some included genera derived independently within Typhlocybini. Ancestral character state reconstruction suggests that some morphological characters traditionally considered important for diagnosing tribes (presence/absence of ocelli, development of hind wing submarginal vein) are homoplastic. Divergence time estimates indicate that the subfamily arose during the Middle Cretaceous and that the extant tribes arose during the Late Cretaceous. Phylogenetic results support establishment of a new genus, Subtilissimia Yan & Yang gen. nov., with two new species, Subtilissimia fulva Yan & Yang sp. nov. and Subtilissimia pellicula Yan & Yang sp. nov.; but indicate that two previously recognized species of Farynala distinguished only by the direction of curvature of the processes of the aedeagus are synonyms, that is, Farynala dextra Yan & Yang, 2017 equals Farynala sinistra Yan & Yang, 2017 syn. nov. A key to tribes of Typhlocybinae is provided.

Comparative Analysis of Mitochondrial Genomes among Twelve Sibling Species of the Genus Atkinsoniella Distant, 1908 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) and Phylogenetic Analysis

Simple Summary

Atkinsoniella is a large genus of 98 species across the world and 88 species recorded in China within the globally distributed subfamily Cicadellinae, which is phytophagous, and some of which have been reported as important agricultural pests. Some Atkinsoniella species are very similar in morphological characteristics, making accurate identification at species level confusing. To provide further evidence toward understanding the relationships within the genus Atkinsoniella and subfamily Cicadellinae, mitogenomes of 12 Atkinsoniella sibling species were obtained and annotated. Their characteristics were comparatively analyzed. In addition, the comprehensive phylogenetic relationship within the subfamily Cicadellinae was determined based on three mitochondrial datasets using both the maximum-likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. The results suggested that the genus Atkinsoniella was recovered as a monophyletic group. The branches of the 12 newly sequenced species were clearly separated, with most nodes receiving strong support in all analyses, indicating that mitogenomics is an effective method for identifying closely related species and understanding their phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships.

Abstract

The herbivorous leafhopper genus Atkinsoniella Distant, 1908 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae), a large genus of subfamily Cicadellinae, consists of 98 valid species worldwide and 88 species recorded in China. Some species of the genus are very similar in morphological characteristics, so they are difficult to identify accurately. In this study, 12 mitochondrial genomes of Atkinsoniella species with similar morphological characteristics were first obtained through high-throughput sequencing, which featured a typical circular molecule of 15,034–15,988 bp in length. The arrangement and orientation of 37 genes were identical to those of typical Cicadellidae mitogenomes. The phylogenetic relationship within the subfamily Cicadellinae was reconstructed using maximum-likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods based on three concatenated datasets. The topological structures of the six obtained phylogenetic trees were highly consistent. The results suggested that Atkinsoniella was recovered as a monophyletic group and emerged as a sister group with the monophyletic clade of Bothrogonia, Paracrocampsa (part), and Draeculacephala (part). The branches of the 12 newly sequenced species were clearly separated, with most nodes receiving strong support in all analyses. In addition, the key to the 12 Atkinsoniella species was provided to identify species according to morphological characteristics. This study further promotes research on the classification, genetics, evolution, and phylogeny of the genus Atkinsoniella and subfamily Cicadellinae.

A multi-gene phylogenetic analysis of the leafhopper subfamily Typhlocybinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) challenges the traditional view of the evolution of wing venation

Genera of the diverse leafhopper subfamily Typhlocybinae have traditionally been classified into tribes primarily based on characters of the wing venation and an intuitive phylogeny of this group was previously proposed based on the hypothetical pattern of wing vein evolution. Some recent authors suggested that wing vein characters are not always reliable but few attempts have been made to examine the status and relationships of typhlocybine tribes using rigorous phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic analysis of a dataset comprising DNA sequences from five gene regions (H3, H2A, 28S rDNA D2, 16S rDNA, and COI with a total length of 2413 bps) and 61 species representing six previously recognized tribes of Typhlocybinae provides strong support for the monophyly of the subfamily and five of the previously recognized tribes. Most branches received moderate to strong maximum likelihood bootstrap support. The following intertribal relationships were recovered: (Alebrini + Empoascini) + ((Dikraneurini + Erythroneurini) + Typhlocybini). Maximum likelihood analysis recovered Zyginellini (treated as a separate tribe by some authors) as sister to Typhlocybini with low branch support, but the former tribe was derived from within the latter in Bayesian analysis of the same dataset and relationships within Typhlocybini (sensu lato) were generally poorly resolved in both analyses. The relationship of Typhlocybini to other tribes is also unstable, suggesting that more data are needed to resolve the position of this tribe with confidence. Parts of the phylogeny receiving strong support in both analyses contradict the traditional view that Alebrini, the only tribe retaining an appendix in the forewing, is the earliest diverging lineage and possibly gave rise to the other tribes. Ancestral state reconstructions indicate that characters of the wing venation traditionally used for diagnosing typhlocybine tribes are generally conservative but exhibit some homoplasy and may not, by themselves, be reliable for recognizing monophyletic groups within this subfamily.

Structural Features and Phylogenetic Implications of 11 New Mitogenomes of Typhlocybinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

To explore the characteristics of mitogenomes and discuss the phylogenetic relationships and molecular evolution of the six tribes within Typhlocybinae, 11 complete mitogenomes are newly sequenced and comparatively analyzed. In all of these complete mitogenomes, the number and order of the genes are highly conserved in overall organization. The PCGs initiate with ATN/TTG/GTG and terminate with TAA/TAG/T. Almost all tRNAs are folded into the typical clover-leaf secondary structure. The control region is always variable in length and in numbers of multiple tandem repeat units. The atp8 and nad2 exhibits the highest evolution rate among all the PCGs. Phylogenetic analyses based on whole mitogenome sequences, with three different datasets, using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods, indicate the monophyly of Typhlocybinae and its inner tribes, respectively, except for Typhlocybini and Zyginellini that are paraphyletic. Finally, we confirm that Erythroneurini is a subtribe of Dikraneurini.

Two Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Mileewinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and a Phylogenetic Analysis

Simple Summary

Mileewinae is a small subfamily of Cicadellidae containing about 160 described species, extensively distributed in the Oriental, Ethiopian and Neotropical regions. Some species are potential pests in agriculture and forestry. The classification of this group has been unstable over the past few decades. Currently, some controversies remain on the monophyly of Mileewinae and phylogenetic relationships of Mileewinae with other subfamilies. To provide further evidence toward answering these questions, two newly completed mitochondrial genomes of Mileewinae species (Mileewa rufivena and Ujna puerana) have been sequenced and analyzed. Results show these two mitochondrial genomes have quite similar structures and features. In phylogenetic analyses, Mileewinae formed a monophyletic group in Cicadellidae in all trees derived from maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. In addition, Mileewinae has a closer phylogenetic relationship with Typhlocybinae compared to the Cicadellinae.

Abstract

More studies are using mitochondrial genomes of insects to explore the sequence variability, evolutionary traits, monophyly of groups and phylogenetic relationships. Controversies remain on the classification of the Mileewinae and the phylogenetic relationships between Mileewinae and other subfamilies remain ambiguous. In this study, we present two newly completed mitogenomes of Mileewinae (Mileewa rufivena Cai and Kuoh 1997 and Ujna puerana Yang and Meng 2010) and conduct comparative mitogenomic analyses based on several different factors. These species have quite similar features, including their nucleotide content, codon usage of protein genes and the secondary structure of tRNA. Gene arrangement is identical and conserved, the same as the putative ancestral pattern of insects. All protein-coding genes of U. puerana began with the start codon ATN, while 5 Mileewa species had the abnormal initiation codon TTG in ND5 and ATP8. Moreover, M. rufivena had an intergenic spacer of 17 bp that could not be found in other mileewine species. Phylogenetic analysis based on three datasets (PCG123, PCG12 and AA) with two methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) recovered the Mileewinae as a monophyletic group with strong support values. All results in our study indicate that Mileewinae has a closer phylogenetic relationship to Typhlocybinae compared to Cicadellinae. Additionally, six species within Mileewini revealed the relationship (U. puerana + (M. ponta + (M. rufivena + M. alara) + (M. albovittata + M. margheritae))) in most of our phylogenetic trees. These results contribute to the study of the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships of Mileewinae.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two erythroneurine leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae, Erythroneurini) with assessment of the phylogenetic status and relationships of tribes of Typhlocybinae

The number and classification of tribes in the leafhopper subfamily Typhlocybinae are not yet fully clear, and molecular data has recently been used to help resolve the problem. In this study, the mitochondrial genomes of Mitjaeviashibingensis Chen, Song & Webb, 2020 and M.dworakowskae Chen, Song & Webb, 2020 of the tribe Erythroneurini (Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae) were sequenced. Most protein-coding genes (PCGs) start with ATN and end with TAA or TAG, and the AT content of these three codons were found differ from previous results that show that the first codon has the highest incidence. Two rRNA genes are highly conserved, and the AT content in 16S is higher than that of 12S. The nucleotide diversity and genetic distance among 13 PCGs of the four tribes from Typhlocybinae show that Empoascini nucleotide diversity is significantly less than in the other three tribes, and have the largest distance from the others, while Typhlocybini and Zyginellini have the smallest distance, indicating that the relationship between the two is the closest. The nad2, nad4, nad4L, and nad5 genes have greater nucleotide diversity, showing potential for use as the main markers for species identification. The phylogenetic analysis yielded a well-supported topology with most branches receiving maximum support and a few branches pertaining to relationships within Zyginellini and Typhlocybini receiving lower support. The species of these two tribes are intertwined, and it was impossible to resolve them into separate branches. In addition, the tribes Empoascini and Erythroneurini were recovered as monophyletic, and Alebrini was placed at the base of the tree as the most primitive. These results are broadly in line with other molecular phylogenetical studies which differ from traditional morphological classification.

Mitogenome and phylogenetic analysis of typhlocybine leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Mitogenomes have been widely used to estimate phylogenetic relationships among insects and provide data useful for augmenting traditional morphological characters in delimiting species. Here, complete mitogenome sequences of two closely related typhlocybine leafhoppers, Cassianeuracassiae (Ahmed, 1970) and C. bimaculata Dworakowska, 1984, were obtained and found to be 15,423 bp and 14,597 bp in length, respectively. The gene order was found to be similar to other published leafhopper mitogenomes, but the control region of C.bimaculata is the shortest among known leafhoppers and lacks tandem repeats. Phylogenetic analysis of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), the first and second codons of 13 PCGs, 13 PCGs and two rRNAs formed three well-supported tree topologies. The topologies of phylogenetic trees inferred from three datasets were almost identical, which was consistent with previous molecular phylogenies of this group. Comparative morphological study of the ovipositors revealed several characters potentially useful for diagnosing genera and resolving their phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic analysis of these and other morphological characters yielded a tree that is mostly consistent with the tree obtained from analysis of mitogenome sequences. In both molecular and morphological phylogenenies, Typhlocybini and Zyginellini clustered into one clade, but neither was recovered as monophyletic.

First Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Melyridae (Coleoptera, Cleroidea): Genome Description and Phylogenetic Implications

To explore the characteristics of the mitogenome of Melyridae and reveal phylogenetic relationships, the mitogenome of Cordylepherus sp. was sequenced and annotated. This is the first time a complete mitochondrial genome has beengenerated in this family. Consistent with previous observations of Cleroidea species, the mitogenome of Cordylepherus sp. is highly conserved in gene size, organization and codon usage, and secondary structures oftRNAs. All protein-coding genes(PCGs) initiate withthe standard start codon ATN,except ND1, which starts with TTG, and terminate with the complete stop codons of TAA and TAG, or incomplete forms, TA- and T-. MosttRNAs have the typical clover-leaf structure, except trnS1 (Ser, AGN), whose dihydrouridine (DHU) armis reduced. In the A+T-rich region, three types of tandem repeat sequence units are found, including a 115 bp sequence tandemly repeated twice, a 16 bp sequence tandemly repeated three timeswith a partial third repeat and a 10 bp sequence tandemly repeated seven times. Phylogenetic analyses based on 13 protein-coding genes by both Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods suggest that Melyridae sensu lato is polyphyletic, and Dasytinae and Malchiinae are supported as independent families.