Jul 2026· Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny· Vol 84, pp. 565-581· 0 citations· 44 references
TL;DR
Phylogenetic analyses based on mitogenomic datasets recovered the monophyly of Chinemesa, with the translocation of trnI - trnQ as a potential molecular synapomorphy for the genus.
Abstract
Abstract
The thread-legged bug genus
Chinemesa
Wygodzinsky, 1966 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Emesini) is a small group of five species endemic to the Oriental Region. However, the species diversity of this genus is still far from completely explored, especially in the mainland of Asia. Here we describe three new species,
C. ornata
sp. n
.,
C. pulchella
sp. n
. and
C. weilingfengi
sp. n
., from southern China. Based on the newly sequenced mitochondrial genomes of four
Chinemesa
species, we detected two gene rearrangement patterns in the genus: a translocation of
trnI
and
trnQ
in all four species, and a loss of
trnW
in
C. pulchella
sp. n
. Both gene rearrangements are novel within Reduviidae as well as Heteroptera, and can be explained by the tandem duplication-random loss (TDRL) model. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitogenomic datasets recovered the monophyly of
Chinemesa
, with the translocation of
trnI
-
trnQ
as a potential molecular synapomorphy for the genus.
Abstract Neotrichoporoides belongs to the family Eulophidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). As a group of parasitic wasps, it plays an indispensable role in the biological control of agricultural and forest pests and in maintaining ecosystem balance. To date, only nine complete mitochondrial genomes of Eulophidae have been sequenced worldwide, including the two newly sequenced species in this study. To enrich our understanding of the mitochondrial genomic diversity of Eulophidae and to provide preliminary insights into its phylogenetic relationships, we sequenced and comparatively analyzed the mitochondrial genomes of two Neotrichoporoides species. The mitogenomes of N. nyemitawus (GenBank: PZ188956; 15,164 bp) and N. viridimaculatus (GenBank: PX794932; 15,297 bp) contain 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and one control region (CR), and exhibit a strong AT bias, with AT contents of 85.5% and 85.0%, respectively. We further analyzed mitochondrial gene rearrangements across 17 species from Encyrtidae, Eulophidae and Pteromalidae and summarized family-specific rearrangement characteristics. tRNA rearrangements were detected in all three families. Eulophidae harbors conserved PCGs, while the inverse transposition of trnA and transposition of trnV are likely reported for the first time within this family. The two Neotrichoporoides species differ only in the arrangement of several tRNAs. Comparative analysis of PCGs revealed differences in molecular evolutionary rates among genes, with ATP8, ND2 and ND4 evolving faster than the others. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial genome sequences showed that species from two subfamilies formed a monophyletic group, and congeneric species clustered into a single clade. This study contributes to resolving phylogenetic relationships within Eulophidae and further deepens our understanding of this family.
Jun Wen, Xiang-Xiang Jin, Wen-Jian Li et al.· ZooKeys· 0 citations
Since the establishment of the tribe Cloresmini by Stål in 1873, five genera have been recognized: three distributed in the Oriental region and two in the Oceanian region. In this study, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of 15 species – representing all genera within the Oriental clade – using mitochondrial genomes alongside nuclear 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA loci. Molecular analyses revealed that the genus
Cloresmus
is paraphyletic group (
Notobitus
+ (
Cloresmus
+ (
Cloresmus
+
Notobitiella
))), a result morphologically supported by the complete fusion of the median fissure and the M vein of the corium. Consequently, we formally establish a new genus
Gemenesis
gen. nov
. and propose two new combinations:
Gemenesis pulchellus
comb. nov
. and
G. yunnanensis
comb. nov
. Furthermore, by integrating molecular and morphological evidence, we describe a new species,
Cloresmus tibiaspinus
sp. nov
., illustrating its diagnostic characters and detailing interspecific genetic distances. This study clarifies the evolutionary relationships and taxonomic boundaries within the Oriental clade of Cloresmini, providing a robust framework for future systematic revisions and evolutionary studies of the entire tribe.
Kun Jiang, Chenguang Zheng, Si-Qi Wang et al.· ZooKeys· 0 citations
The genus Arhopala (Lycaenidae: Theclinae) is one of the most diverse groups of butterflies in the Oriental region, yet molecular data for Indian species remain limited. In this study, we sequenced the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) gene from five species collected in Northwestern India: Arhopala amantes (Hewitson, 1862), A. rama (Kollar, 1844), A. ganesa (Moore, 1858), A. dodonaea (Moore, 1858) and Surendra quercetorum (Moore, 1858) (Outgroup), generating seven new COI sequences. Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses were conducted using 54 sequences encompassing 49 Arhopala species and relevant outgroups. The results confirmed the monophyly of the Centaurus, Eumolphus, Epimuta, and Rama groups, whereas the Amphimuta and Muta subgroups were polyphyletic. Genetic divergence among Arhopala species ranged from 0.6% to 13.3%, with intergeneric divergence from outgroups up to 13.5%, supporting the utility of COI barcoding for species delineation. This study provides the first molecular records for these species in India, establishes DNA barcodes, clarifies their phylogenetic positions, and contributes to the understanding of evolutionary relationships within Arhopala.
Diksha Chopra, G. Walia, A. K. Sidhu· Journal of the Entomological...· 0 citations
Abstract Two novel species, Ophiocordyceps yuanyangensis and O. gotrae, along with a new record, O. cylindrospora, parasitic on hymenopteran hosts, were collected in Yunnan, China. Morphological observations and multi-gene (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1, and rpb2) phylogenetic analyses confirmed their placement in the Hymenostilbe clade within the genus Ophiocordyceps. When compared with closely related species, O. gotrae is distinguished by a smaller fertile head and shorter asci, whereas O. yuanyangensis shows smaller fertile parts and asci but larger perithecia and part-spores. Phylogenetic evidence supports their recognition as distinct taxa. To date, 24 species in the Hymenostilbe clade have been reported parasitizing Hymenoptera. This study enriches the species diversity of the Hymenostilbe clade and highlights the importance of integrating morphological and molecular data for accurate taxonomic identification.
