A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Geometridae (Lepidoptera) with a focus on enigmatic small subfamilies
Author
Murillo-Ramos, Leidys
Author
Brehm, Gunnar
Author
Sihvonen, Pasi
Author
Hausmann, Axel
Author
Holm, Sille
Author
Ghanavi, Hamid Reza
Author
Õunap, Erki
Author
Truuverk, Andro
Author
Staude, Hermann
Author
Friedrich, Egbert
Author
Tammaru, Toomas
Author
Wahlberg, Niklas
text
PeerJ
2019
2019-08-27
7
1
39
journal article
10.7717/peerj.7386
41ff7b58-5204-42ec-b85a-75a6904af370
PMC6716565
31523494
5767530
Sterrhinae Meyrick, 1892
We included 74
Sterrhinae
taxa in our analyses, with all tribes recognized in
Forum Herbulot (2007)
being represented. The recovered patterns generally agree with previous phylogenetic hypotheses of the subfamily (
Sihvonen
& Kaila, 2004
,
Sihvonen
et al., 2011
). The genera
Ergavia
Walker, 1866
,
Ametris
Guenée, 1858
and
Macrotes
Westwood, 1841
, which currently are placed in
Oenochrominae
were found to form a well-defined lineage within
Sterrhinae
with strong support (SH-Like = 99 UFBoot2 = 100). These genera are distributed in the New World, whereas the range of true
Oenochrominae
is restricted to the Australian and Oriental Regions.
Sihvonen
et al. (2011)
already found that
Ergavia
and
Afrophyla
Warren, 1895
belong to
Sterrhinae
and suggested more extensive analyses to clarify the position of these genera, which we did.
Afrophyla
was transferred to
Sterrhinae
by
Sihvonen
& Staude (2011)
and
Ergavia
,
Ametris
and
Macrotes
(plus
Almodes
Guenée, (1858))
will be transferred by P.
Sihvonen
et al. (2019, unpublished data).
Cosymbiini
,
Timandrini
,
Rhodometrini
and
Lythriini
are closely related as shown previously (
Sihvonen
& Kaila, 2004
;
Õunap, Viidalepp & Saarma, 2008
;
Sihvonenetal
., 2011
).
Cosymbiini
appear as sister to the
Timandrini
+
Traminda
Saalmüller, 1891
+
Pseudosterrha
Warren, 1888
and
Rhodometrini
+
Lythriini
clade.
Lythriini
are closely related to
Rhodometrini
as shown by
Õunap, Viidalepp & Saarma (2008)
with both molecular and morphological data.
Traminda
(
Timandrini
) and
Pseudosterrha
(
Cosymbiini
) grouped together forming a lineage that is sister to the
Rhodometrini
+
Lythriini
clade (
Fig. 2
).
Rhodostrophiini
and
Cyllopodini
were recovered as polyphyletic with species of
Cyllopodini
clustering within
Rhodostrophiini
. Similar results were recovered previously (
Sihvonen
& Kaila, 2004
;
Sihvonen
et al., 2011
), suggesting that additional work is needed to be done to clarify the status and systematic positions of these tribes.
Sterrhini
and
Scopulini
were recovered as sister taxa as proposed by
Sihvonen
& Kaila (2004)
,
Hausmann (2004)
,
Õunap, Viidalepp & Saarma (2008)
and
Sihvonenetal
. (2011)
.
Our new phylogenetic hypothesis constitutes a large step towards understanding the evolutionary relationships of the major lineages of
Sterrhinae
. Further taxonomic changes and more detailed interpretation of the clades will be dealt with by P.
Sihvonen
et al. (2019, unpublisheddata).