Diversification of mitogenomes in three sympatric Altica flea beetles (Insecta, Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

The Asian flea beetles Altica cirsicola, Altica fragariae and Altica viridicyanea are broadly sympatric and morphologically highly similar but feed on distantly related host plants. They have been suggested as a model for ecological speciation studies. However, their phylogeny and species limits remain uncertain. In this study, we added mitochondrial genomes from multiple individuals of each species to the growing database. Phylogenetic analyses based on 15 genes showed clear interspecific divergences of A. fragariae from the other species, but A. cirsicola and A. viridicyanea were not distinguishable by distance‐based or tree‐based methods of species delimitation due to non‐monophyly of mitogenomes relative to the morphologically defined entities, possibly affected by interspecific introgression. This was confirmed by wider sampling of mitochondrial COX1 (58 individuals) and the second internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal RNA cluster (ITS2; 68 individuals), which showed that ITS2, but not COX1, coincided with the morphological species limits. The full mitochondrial genomes are not able to shed further light on the species status, even with the most sensitive approach based on diagnostic characters, yet the whole mitogenome is useful to get improved estimates of intra‐ and interspecific variation, not affected by the stochastic error seen in individual genes.

First Report of Complete Mitochondrial Genome in the Tribes Coomaniellini and Dicercini (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and Phylogenetic Implications

“…In the past two decades, mitogenome emerged as an important source on phylogenetic analysis [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ], evolution strategies [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], and genetic diversity [ 32 , 33 , 34 ] and species delimitation [ 35 ]. In 2009, the first mitogenome in Buprestidae ( Chrysochroa fulgidissima ) was published [ 36 ].…”

Species boundary and phylogeographical pattern provide new insights into the management efforts of Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), a bean bug invading North America

“…An effective but often overlooked solution is to conduct species delimitation analyses in conjunction with other closely related species, in addition to extensive sampling of the species, to determine whether it is intraspecific diversification or speciation 60,62,63 . Searching for a barcode gap between intraspecific diversification and speciation may be a simple and effective method 64,65 . In this study, we compared the interspecific mean distance between Megacopta species and the mean distance between the three phylogenetic clades, and a clear‐cut barcode gap was discovered (Tables 2 and S2), indicating that the genetic distance between M. cribraria and M. punctatissima was not significant.…”

“…60,62,63 Searching for a barcode gap between intraspecific diversification and speciation may be a simple and effective method. 64,65 In this study, we compared the interspecific mean distance between Megacopta species and the mean distance between the three phylogenetic clades, and a clear-cut barcode gap was discovered (Tables 2 and S2), indicating that the genetic distance between M. cribraria and M. punctatissima was not significant. Based on the taxonomic history and delimitation results achieved in this study and considering the instability of morphological distinctions (Figure 4), the similarity of sequences, the commonality of destructive crops and the confusion for pest management and invasion interception between M. cribraria and M. punctatissima, we suggest that M. punctatissima should not be considered a distinct species but rather a variety of M. cribraria.…”

Mitochondrial genomes of Sternochetus species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the phylogenetic implications

“…mangiferae , S. gravis – S. olivieri and S. mangiferae – S. olivieri , respectively (Table 3). The divergences of the congeneric species are much higher than those of six Culex species (0.1%–4.2%) (Demari‐Silva et al, 2015) and three Altica species (0.69%–2.73%) (Nie et al, 2019), suggesting that these three Sternochetus species diverged a long time ago.…”