Mitochondrial Genomes Provide New Phylogenetic and Evolutionary Insights into Psilidae (Diptera: Brachycera)

A review of the subgenus Loxocera Meigen, 1803 (Diptera, Brachycera, Psilidae) in China

The subgenus Loxocera (Loxocera Meigen, 1803) (Diptera, Brachycera, Psilidae) in China is reviewed. Six species are recognized, including four new species: L. (L.) chikunisp. nov., L. (L.) lonsdaleisp. nov., L. (L.) maculithoraxsp. nov., and L. (L.) obscurasp. nov. Two species originally placed in the subgenus Loxocera, L.anulata Wang & Yang, 1998 and L.tianmuensis Wang & Yang, 1998, are transferred to the subgenus Loxocera (Imantimyia Frey, 1925). A key to the species of the subgenus Loxocera occurring in China is provided.

Features and evolution of control regions in leafroller moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) inferred from mitochondrial genomes and phylogeny

The control region (CR) of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) represents a major noncoding fragment with several special structural features that are thought to be responsible for the initiation of mitogenome transcription and replication. However, few studies have revealed the evolutionary patterns of CR in the phylogenetic context. Here, we explain the characteristics and evolution of CR in Tortricidae, inferred from a mitogenome-based phylogeny. The first complete mitogenomes of the genera Meiligma and Matsumuraeses were sequenced. Both mitogenomes are double-stranded circular DNA molecules with lengths of 15,675 bp and 15,330 bp, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses derived from 13 protein-coding genes and two ribosomal RNAs showed that most tribes, including subfamilies Olethreutinae and Tortricinae, were recovered as monophyletic clades, similar to previous studies based on morphological or nuclear data. Moreover, comprehensive comparative analyses of the structural organization and role of tandem replications on the length variation and high AT content of CR sequences were conducted. The results reveal a significant positive correlation between the total length and AT content of tandem repeats and whole CR sequences in Tortricidae. The structural organization in CR sequences is diverse, even between closely related tribes, which demonstrates the plasticity of the mitochondrial DNA molecule in Tortricidae.

Comparative Mitogenomics of Flesh Flies: Implications for Phylogeny

Flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) represent a rapid radiation belonging to the Calyptratae. With more than 3000 known species, they are extraordinarily diverse in terms of their breeding habits and are therefore of particular importance in human and veterinary medicine, forensics, and ecology. To better comprehend the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary characteristics of the Sarcophagidae, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of five species of flesh flies and performed mitogenomic comparisons amongst the three subfamilies. The mitochondrial genomes match the hypothetical condition of the insect ancestor in terms of gene content and gene arrangement. The evolutionary rates of the subfamilies of Sarcophagidae differ significantly, with Miltogramminae exhibiting a higher rate than the other two subfamilies. The monophyly of the Sarcophagidae and each subfamily is strongly supported by phylogenetic analysis, with the subfamily-level relationship inferred as (Sarcophaginae, (Miltogramminae, Paramacronychiinae)). This study suggests that phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial genomes may not be appropriate for rapidly evolving groups such as Miltogramminae and that the third-codon positions could play a considerable role in reconstructing the phylogeny of Sarcophagidae. The protein-coding genes ND2 and ND6 have the potential to be employed as DNA markers for species identification and delimitation in flesh flies.