A phylogeny of the subfamilyThiotrichinae(Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae) with a revision of the generic classification based on molecular and morphological analyses

Abstract

Thiotrichinae are a subfamily of Gelechiidae with approximately 180 described species in five genera: Calliprora Meyrick, Macrenches Meyrick, Palumbina Rondani, Polyhymno Chambers and Thiotricha Meyrick. The subfamily was established based on two species in a recent molecular phylogenetic study of Gelechiidae, but the monophyly of each genus and the phylogenetic relationships among the genera have not been tested. To address these questions, we performed the first phylogenetic analyses based on seven molecular markers (COI, EF‐1α, GAPDH, RpS5, CAD, Wg and MDH) and 95 morphological characters for 47 ingroup and 3 outgroup taxa. Each dataset was analysed separately and together using maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony methods. The maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses produced nearly identical tree topologies for ingroup relationships, but the parsimony analysis yielded different results for some lineages. In all our analyses, Thiotrichinae formed a strongly supported monophyletic group with two other gelechiid genera, Cnaphostola Meyrick (Gelechiinae) and Semnostoma Meyrick (Apatetrinae). The genus Macrenches was recognized as the sister‐group to all other species in this clade. Polyhymno + Calliprora were found to be sister to all remaining ingroup taxa. The species‐rich group Thiotricha was non‐monophyletic, and it clustered with Palumbina, Cnaphostola and Semnostoma. The type species of Thiotricha was included in a monophyletic clade with a majority of congeneric species in the parsimony analyses, but the clade was divided into two groups in the model‐based results. The generic placement of two species Thiotricha dissobola Meyrick and T. pyrphora Meyrick was not confirmed in this study and they were placed as incertae sedis. The monophyly of Palumbina was strongly supported by both molecular data and morphological evidence. Based on genetic and morphological affinities and examination of the type specimens, four genera are synonymized with Thiotricha: Blastovalva Janse syn.n., Cnaphostola syn.n., Hierangela Meyrick syn.n. and Semnostoma syn.n. We propose two new genera for newly recognized two sub‐clades: Pulchrala gen.n. and Tenupalpa gen.n., and 15 new combinations are made: Thiotricha adamantina (Meyrick) comb.n., T. exalbida (Omelko & Omelko) comb.n., Tenupalpa angustella (Omelko) comb.n., T. biformis (Omelko) comb.n., T. flavitermina (Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari) comb.n., T. glenias (Meyrick) comb.n., T. nephodesma (Meyrick) comb.n., T. venustalis (Omelko) comb.n., Pulchrala clidias (Meyrick) comb.n., P. chujaensis (Park) comb.n., P. elaeocarpiella (Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari) comb.n., P. epiclista (Meyrick) comb.n., P. melanacma (Bradley) comb.n., P. panglycera (Turner) comb.n., and P. saulotis (Meyrick) comb.n. Revised generic concepts are provided in the study. This published work has been registered on ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0E3C0EB5-503C-4ADC-BE87-A203230DE6CB.

Evolutionary genomics of three agricultural pest moths reveals rapid evolution of host adaptation and immune-related genes

“…S3 ). Finally, P. gossypiella , a member of subfamily Apatetrinae, is the sister taxon to all 4 Gelechiinae species in the phylogeny, supporting the current taxonomic arrangement [ 70 ] (Fig. 1 ).…”

Taxonomic study of Palumbina Rondani (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Thiotrichinae) in Japan: biology, immature stages, and a new species

“…However, in Pulchrala species (e.g., P. chujaensis (Park, 2016) and P. elaeocarpiella Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari, 2019: Kyaw et al 2019 ) and other Thiotrichinae species, the adults do not keep their hindlegs upwards when resting. Lee et al (2021) suggested a close relationship between Palumbina and Tenupalpa , and “the hind-tibia with a posterior spur extending 2/3–3/4 length of tarsomere I” as one of the synapomorphies, while “as long or slightly exceeding half the length of tarsomere I” in other Thiotrichinae genera. The longer spur of the hind-tibia shared in Palumbina and Tenupalpa seems to be correlated with their adult resting posture, keeping their hindlegs upward, but the adaptive significance of this behavior is unclear.…”

“… Lee et al (2021) showed that Palumbina , Thiotricha , Tenupalpa , and Pulchrala formed a monophyletic group, but the phylogenetic relationships of this group remain controversial. Some shared traits among this group such as “the number of R veins is four in the forewing venation, the pupal morphology such as a pair of sub-triangular projections on the prothorax, and their biological traits of making a portable case” seems to indicate monophyly of this group.…”

“…The genus Palumbina Rondani, 1876 has been treated as a member of Thiotrichinae based on morphological similarities ( Karsholt et al 2013 ). Recently, Lee et al (2021) reviewed the phylogenetic relationships among the genera of this subfamily with extensive molecular analysis based on seven markers (COI, EF-1α, GAPDH, RpS5, CAD, Wg, and MDH) and 95 morphological characters for 47 ingroup and three outgroup taxa. The analyses in their study showed that those Palumbina species formed a strongly supported monophyletic group, including the type species P. guerinii (Stainton, 1858).…”

Thiotricha sumpichi sp. nov. – a new species of Thiotrichinae (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) from south-eastern Europe

“… Thiotrichinae is a moderately small subfamily of Gelechiidae , with about 180 described species in seven genera ( Lee et al 2021 ) and is most diverse in Asia. Since the description of the subfamily in 2013, they have been the subject of several studies (e.g., Lee et al 2018 , 2021 ; Kyaw et al 2019 ; Lee and Hayden 2019 ). Lee et al (2021) presented a phylogeny of the subfamily with a revision of the generic classification based on molecular and morphological analyses.…”