Abstract. Two phylogenies of Morpho butterfl ies were previously published, founded on morphological data analysis. These phylogenies shared similarities but also several differences. In the present study we used partial sequences of the CO1 and Cyt b mitochondrial genes to infer the phylogenetic relationships between the subgenera. From the ten subgenera previously described, seven are shown to be monophyletic: Iphimedeia, Laurschwartzia, Iphixibia, Megamede, Grasseia, Balachowskyna and Deyrollia. Although no consensus came out about the deepest relationships between the subgenera, it seems that the clade (Laurschwartzia, Iphimedeia) diverged very early from the other Morpho butterfl ies. The results also consolidated the recent creation of the subgenus Deyrollia for two species previously included into the subgenus Cytheritis. The subgenus Balachowskyna may be included in Cytheritis but the unclear position of M. zephyritis make diffi cult to affi rm it. Morphological and molecular data, considered together, suggest that the Brazilian Pessonia species could be included in the subgenus Morpho.Résumé. Phylogénie du genre Morpho Fabricius 1807 à partir de deux gènes mitochondriaux (Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae). Les deux précédentes études phylogénétiques du genre Morpho reposaient sur l'analyse de caractères morphologiques. Leurs résultats montraient des similitudes, mais aussi des différences importantes. Cette nouvelle étude explore les relations phylogénétiques entre les différents sous-genres de Morpho en s'appuyant sur l'analyse de séquences partielles des gènes mitochondriaux CO1 et Cyt b. Sept des dix sous-genres antérieurement décrits apparaissent monophylétiques : Iphimedeia, Laurschwartzia, Iphixibia, Megamede, Grasseia, Balachowskyna et Deyrollia. Bien que les relations anciennes entre les sous-genres ne fassent l'objet d'aucun consensus, le clade (Laurschwartzia, Iphimedeia) semble avoir très tôt divergé des autres Morpho. Les espèces autrefois regroupées dans le sous-genre Cytheritis ne forment pas un groupe monophylétique. La création récente du sous-genre Deyrollia, pour deux espèces aux caractères morphologiques originaux, est renforcée par les données moléculaires. Le sous-genre Balachowskyna pourrait en fait constituer un groupe d'espèce au sein des Cytheritis mais le doute subsistant quant à la position de M. zephiritis interdit toute conclusion sur ce point. Les données morphologiques et moléculaires, considérées ensemble, suggèrent que les espèces brésiliennes du sous-genre Pessonia pourraient être incluses dans le sous-genre Morpho.
The monophyletic Morpho sulkowskyi butterfly group, endemic of Andean cloud forests, was studied to test the respective contributions of Mio‐Pliocene intense uplift period and Pleistocene glacial cycles on Andean biodiversity. We sampled nine taxa covering the whole geographical range of the group. Two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes were analysed using a Bayesian method. We established a dated phylogeny of the group using a relaxed clock method and a wide‐outgroup approach. To discriminate between two hypotheses, we used a biogeographical probabilistic method. Results suggest that the ancestor of the M. sulkowskyi group originated during the Middle–Late Miocene uplift of the Eastern Cordillera in northern Peru. Biogeographical inference suggests that the M. sulkowskyi and Morpho lympharis clades diverged in the northern Peruvian Andes. The subsequent divergences, from the Late Miocene to the Late Pliocene, should have resulted from a dispersal towards the Northern Andes (M. sulkowskyi clade), after the closure of the West Andean Portal separating the Central and Northern Andes, and a southwards dispersal along the Peruvian and Bolivian Eastern Cordilleras (M. lympharis clade). Only a few divergences occurred at the very end of the Pliocene or during the Pleistocene, a period when the more recent uplifts interfered with Pleistocene glacial cycles.
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