Phylogenetic relationships and the evolution of mimicry in the Chauliognathus yellow-black species complex (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) inferred from mitochondrial COI sequences

Abstract

The phylogenetic relationships of twelve species of Chauliognathus were investigated by studying the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene. A 678 bp fragment of the COI gene was sequenced to test the hypothesis that the Müllerian mimicry species of the "yellow-black" complex make up a monophyletic clade, separated from species with other colour patterns. The data set was analysed by neighbour-joining, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood procedures.The results support a single origin of the yellow-black colour pattern during the evolution of the genus, with one main clade formed by Chauliognathus lineatus, C. tetrapunctatus, C. riograndensis, C. flavipes, C. octomaculatus, C. fallax, and another one formed by two species, C. expansus and C sp 1, plus an orange-black-coloured species. The nucleotide divergences found between C. sp 3 (black) and the other species studied fall within the level expected for species from different genera. The similarity of colour patterns of the yellow-black species has been considered an example of Müllerian mimicry by conservation of the ancestral state with some minor modifications.

Dynamics of the evolution of Batesian mimicry: molecular phylogenetic analysis of ant‐mimicking Myrmarachne (Araneae: Salticidae) species and their ant models

“…The use of phylogenetics in determining evolutionary dynamics between two taxonomically distinct groups has so far only focussed on host–parasite (Brooks, 1988; Paterson et al. , 1993; Charleston & Robertson, 2002), or Müllerian mimicry evolution (Simmons & Weller, 2002; Machado et al. , 2004).…”

Identification and Synthesis of the Male-Produced Sex Pheromone of the Soldier BeetleChauliognathus fallax(Coleoptera: Cantharidae)

“…The species shows a high degree of color polymorphism on the elytra and is a target of long-term studies, indicating that the origin of this polymorphism in species of the so called yellow-black complex goes back to a common ancestor, suggesting evidence of a Müllerian mimicry. 6 However, the explanation for the maintenance of the polymorphism is still unclear and could be caused by assortative mating, natural selection or other natural processes. 7 The study of chemical ecology as well as other ecological aspects of this species could help on the discovery and development of an environmentally friendly approach to the control of chrysomelid beetles.…”

Conservative Coevolution of Müllerian Mimicry in a Group of Rift Lake Catfish

“…However, a third potential mechanism for the evolution of Müllerian mimicry exists that circumvents theoretical concerns arising from this assumption: diversification of an unpalatable, aposematic species with subsequent conservative mutualistic coevolution of its daughter lineages. Such a mechanism was advocated by Brower et al (1963), and has been proposed to underlie the aposematic similarity of Cauliognathus beetles (Machado et al 2004), although it appears to have received little additional consideration.…”