Tribal assignment of the genus Eumera Staudinger, 1892, using multi-gene analysis, with description of a new species from Iran (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae).

The geometrid moth genus Eumera Staudinger, 1892 consists of five yellow-orange-pinkish species distributed in the western Palearctic, with uncertain tribal classification within the geometrid subfamily Ennominae. In this study, we explored the phylogenetic position of the genus Eumera. Therefore, a concatenated dataset was analyzed, which includes one mitochondrial and up to ten protein-coding genetic markers per taxa. Moreover, we compared some external and internal morphological traits to other closely related genera. Our phylogenetic inference and comparative morphology suggested that Eumera should be included in the tribe Prosopolophini. In addition, a new species, Eumera rajaeii sp. nov. Wanke & Shirvani is described from southern Iran, and diagnosed by molecular data and morphological features. The distribution of the Iranian species is shown on a map. We illustrate external characters and male genitalia of three closely related Eumera species.

Systematics and integrative taxonomic revision of the tribe Scopulini Duponchel, 1845 in Iran (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Sterrhinae).

The Iranian taxa of the tribe Scopulini are taxonomically revised. The systematic positions of the genera Cinglis Guene, 1858, Glossotrophia Prout, 1913, Pseudocinglis Hausmann, 1994 and Scopuloides Hausmann, 1994, with uncertain validity and/or position within the tribe Scopulini Duponchel, 1845 (Lepidoptera: Sterrhinae), are further elucidated by use of one mitochondrial and up to nine protein-coding nuclear gene regions. Available type specimens of the described species and more than 2,600 additional specimens were morphologically investigated. In addition, over 400 genitalia preparations were made and examined together with distribution data and DNA barcodes. As a result of the multi-gene analysis, the genera Cinglis stat. rev. and Scopuloides stat. rev. are re-validated at the genus level. The genus Pseudocinglis syn. nov. is regarded as a junior synonym of the genus Cinglis stat. rev. and Glossotrophia syn. nov. is regarded as a junior synonym of the genus Scopula. Cinglis eurata (Prout, 1913) comb. nov. and Cinglis benigna (Brandt, 1941) comb. nov. are combined with the genus Cinglis. Additionally, Cinglis benigna amseli (Wiltshire, 1967) syn. nov. is regarded as a synonym of C. benigna. Scopula adulteraria (Erschov, 1874) stat. nov. is raised from subspecies to species rank; Scopula iranaria Bytinski-Salz & Brandt, 1937 syn. nov. is synonymized with S. flaccidaria (Zeller, 1852); S. transcaspica taftanica Brandt, 1941 syn. nov. is synonymized with S. transcaspica Prout, 1935; S. diffinaria asiatica (Brandt, 1938) syn. nov. is synonymized with S. diffinaria (Prout, 1913) and Glossotrophia bullata Vojnits, 1986 syn. nov. is synonymized with Scopula sacraria ariana (Ebert, 1965). The female genitalia of Scopula lactarioides Brandt, 1941 are described and illustrated for the first time. In total, the presence of 33 species of Scopulini in Iran is confirmed. Wing patterns, male and female genitalia and diagnostic characters of most Iranian Scopulini species are depicted and their distribution ranges are mapped.

Evolution of sexual dimorphism and polychromatism in a lineage of tiger moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae): advancing knowledge of a taxonomically chaotic group.

Pericopina is divided into 36 genera, with the greatest diversity recorded in the Neotropics. Studies on the taxonomy and systematics of pericopines are scarce, and one of the few phylogenetic hypotheses available in the literature places some Afro-Indo-Malayan lineages among the Neotropical representatives. Through a survey of adult morphological characters, we analyzed the phylogenetic relationships in Pericopina including Nyctemera and other Afro-Indo-Malayan genera as putative members of this subtribe. Additionally, we tested the monophyly of Dysschema, a key genus to understanding the evolutionary patterns of the extreme sexual dimorphism and polychromatism in Pericopina. Our cladistic analysis, based on 162 morphological characters, suggests that Pericopina is a polyphyletic group. Xenosoma is the only genus among the Neotropical pericopines related to the Afro-Indo-Malayan species; Scearctia is closely related to Lithosiini, and Pteroodes shows morphological similarities with Phaegopterina. Additionally, Seileria is a new junior subjective synonym of Thyrgis. The monophyly of Dysschema is supported only if the monotypic genera Myserla and Are are included. These are herein designated new synonyms of Dysschema. Our findings suggest that intersexual polychromatism and intersexual polymorphism for wing characters have arisen multiple times in the evolutionary history of Pericopina. Intersexual polychromatism is also widely distributed within Dysschema, perhaps representing a derived feature with multiple origins in the genus.

A database and checklist of geometrid moths (Lepidoptera) from Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Molecular DNA sequence data allow unprecedented advances in biodiversity assessments, monitoring schemes and taxonomic works, particularly in poorly-explored areas. They allow, for instance, the sorting of material rapidly into operational taxonomic units (such as BINs - Barcode Index Numbers), sequences can be subject to diverse analyses and, with linked metadata and physical vouchers, they can be examined further by experts. However, a prerequisite for their exploitation is the construction of reference libraries of DNA sequences that represent the existing biodiversity. To achieve these goals for Geometridae (Lepidoptera) moths in Colombia, expeditions were carried out to 26 localities in the northern part of the country in 2015-2019. The aim was to collect specimens and sequence their DNA barcodes and to record a fraction of the species richness and occurrences in one of the most biodiversity-rich countries. These data are the beginning of an identification guide to Colombian geometrid moths, whose identities are currently often provisional only, being morpho species or operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Prior to the current dataset, 99 Geometridae sequences forming 44 BINs from Colombia were publicly available on the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), covering 20 species only. NEW INFORMATION: We enrich the Colombian Geometridae database significantly by including DNA barcodes, two nuclear markers, photos of vouchers and georeferenced occurrences of 281 specimens of geometrid moths from different localities. These specimens are classified into 80 genera. Analytical tools on BOLD clustered 157 of the mentioned sequences to existing BINs identified to species level, identified earlier by experts. Another 115 were assigned to BINs that were identified to genus or tribe level only. Eleven specimens did not match any existing BIN on BOLD and are, therefore, new additions to the database. It is likely that many BINs represent undescribed species. Nine short sequences (< 500bp) were not assigned to BINs, but identified to the lowest taxonomic category by expert taxonomists and with comparisons of type material photos. The released new genetic information will help to further progress the systematics of Geometridae. An illustrated catalogue of all new records allows validation of our identifications; it is also the first document of this kind for Colombian Geometridae. All specimens are deposited at the Museo de Zoología of Universidad de Sucre (MZUS), North Colombia. DNA BINs are reported in this study through dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-GEOCO, the species occurrences are available on SIB Colombia https://sibcolombia.net/ and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) https://www.gbif.org/ through https://doi.org/10.15472/ucfmkh.

Insect taxonomy can be difficult: a noctuid moth (Agaristinae: Aletopus imperialis) and a geometrid moth (Sterrhinae: Cartaletis dargei) combined into a cryptic species complex in eastern Africa (Lepidoptera).

The systematic position of a large and strikingly coloured reddish-black moth, Cartaletis dargei Herbulot, 2003 (Geometridae: Sterrhinae) from Tanzania, has remained questionable since its description. Here we present molecular and morphological evidence showing that Cartaletis dargei only superficially resembles true Cartaletis Warren, 1894 (the relative name currently considered a junior synonym of Aletis Hübner, 1820), which are unpalatable diurnal moths superficially resembling butterflies, and that it is misplaced in the family Geometridae. We transfer it to Noctuidae: Agaristinae, and combine it with the genus Aletopus Jordan, 1926, from Tanzania, as Aletopus dargei (Herbulot, 2003) (new combination). We revise the genus Aletopus to contain three species, but find that it is a cryptic species complex that needs to be revised with more extensive taxon sampling. Our results demonstrate the difficulties in interpreting and classifying biological diversity. We discuss the problems in species delimitation and the potential drivers of evolution in eastern Africa that led to phenotypic similarity in unrelated lepidopteran lineages.

Molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography and diversification patterns of a diverse group of moths (Geometridae: Boarmiini).

Understanding how and why some groups have become more species-rich than others, and how past biogeography may have shaped their current distribution, are questions that evolutionary biologists have long attempted to answer. We investigated diversification patterns and historical biogeography of a hyperdiverse lineage of Lepidoptera, the geometrid moths, by studying its most species-rich tribe Boarmiini, which comprises ca. 200 genera and ca. known 3000 species. We inferred the evolutionary relationships of Boarmiini based on a dataset of 346 taxa, with up to eight genetic markers under a maximum likelihood approach. The monophyly of Boarmiini is strongly supported. However, the phylogenetic position of many taxa does not agree with current taxonomy, although the monophyly of most major genera within the tribe is supported after minor adjustments. Three genera are synonymized, one new combination is proposed, and four species are placed in incertae sedis within Boarmiini. Our results support the idea of a rapid initial diversification of Boarmiini, which also implies that no major taxonomic subdivisions of the group can currently be proposed. A time-calibrated tree and biogeographical analyses suggest that boarmiines appeared in Laurasia ca. 52 Mya, followed by dispersal events throughout the Australasian, African and Neotropical regions. Most of the transcontinental dispersal events occurred in the Eocene, a period of intense geological activity and rapid climate change. Diversification analyses showed a relatively constant diversification rate for all Boarmiini, except in one clade containing the species-rich genus Cleora. The present work represents a substantial contribution towards understanding the evolutionary origin of Boarmiini moths. Our results, inevitably biased by taxon sampling, highlight the difficulties with working on species-rich groups that have not received much attention outside of Europe. Specifically, poor knowledge of the natural history of geometrids (particularly in tropical clades) limits our ability to identify key innovations underlying the diversification of boarmiines.

A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Geometridae (Lepidoptera) with a focus on enigmatic small subfamilies.

Our study aims to investigate the relationships of the major lineages within the moth family Geometridae, with a focus on the poorly studied Oenochrominae-Desmobathrinae complex, and to translate some of the results into a coherent subfamilial and tribal level classification for the family. We analyzed a molecular dataset of 1,206 Geometroidea terminal taxa from all biogeographical regions comprising up to 11 molecular markers that includes one mitochondrial (COI) and 10 protein-coding nuclear gene regions (wingless, ArgK, MDH, RpS5, GAPDH, IDH, Ca-ATPase, Nex9, EF-1alpha, CAD). The molecular data set was analyzed using maximum likelihood as implemented in IQ-TREE and RAxML. We found high support for the subfamilies Larentiinae, Geometrinae and Ennominae in their traditional scopes. Sterrhinae becomes monophyletic only if Ergavia Walker, Ametris Hübner and Macrotes Westwood, which are currently placed in Oenochrominae, are formally transferred to Sterrhinae. Desmobathrinae and Oenochrominae are found to be polyphyletic. The concepts of Oenochrominae and Desmobathrinae required major revision and, after appropriate rearrangements, these groups also form monophyletic subfamily-level entities. Oenochrominae s.str. as originally conceived by Guenée is phylogenetically distant from Epidesmia and its close relatives. The latter is hereby described as the subfamily Epidesmiinae Murillo-Ramos, Sihvonen & Brehm, subfam. nov. Epidesmiinae are a lineage of "slender-bodied Oenochrominae" that include the genera Ecphyas Turner, Systatica Turner, Adeixis Warren, Dichromodes Guenée, Phrixocomes Turner, Abraxaphantes Warren, Epidesmia Duncan & Westwood and Phrataria Walker. Archiearinae are monophyletic when Dirce and Acalyphes are formally transferred to Ennominae. We also found that many tribes were para- or polyphyletic and therefore propose tens of taxonomic changes at the tribe and subfamily levels. Archaeobalbini stat. rev. Viidalepp (Geometrinae) is raised from synonymy with Pseudoterpnini Warren to tribal rank. Chlorodontoperini Murillo-Ramos, Sihvonen & Brehm, trib. nov. and Drepanogynini Murillo-Ramos, Sihvonen & Brehm, trib. nov. are described as new tribes in Geometrinae and Ennominae, respectively.

New insights on the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the Neotropical genus Phoebis (Pieridae: Coliadinae) revealed by molecular and morphological data.

Phoebis Hübner (1819) is a genus of the Neotropical subfamily Coliadinae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). The highest diversity is found in the Greater Antilles islands in the Caribbean region. Although from the taxonomic point of view, Phoebis seems to be a stable genus, there is no phylogenetic hypothesis corroborating the monophyly of the genus. In this study, we used both morphological characters and a genetic dataset consisting of one mitochondrial (COI) and three nuclear markers (RpS5, MDH, Wingless). The matrix was concatenated and analysed with parsimony under implied weights (IW). Also, the concatenated data set was analysed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference evolutionary methods, and ancestral states reconstruction with characters traditionally used for classification of Phoebis was carried out. The same topology was recovered by Parsimony, ML and BI analysis, and suggest that Phoebis is not a monophyletic genus, with Aphrissa and Rhabdodryas nested within it. Our findings allow us to consider the genera Rhabdodryas syn.rev. and Aphrissa syn.rev. to be synonyms of Phoebis. These results have implications for the systematics of Phoebis and the genera that should be accepted in Coliadinae.

The phylogenetic position of Aphrissa (Lepidoptera: Pieridae: Coliadinae) within its relatives the ancient American Catopsilias.

The American Catopsilias are pierids, commonly known as sulphurs. These butterflies were grouped based on morphology and secondary sexual characters of the male, but this grouping was not taxonomically established. In Catopsilia were included genera such as Anteos, Aphrissa, Rhabdodryas, and Phoebis. Aphrissa is a genus taxonomically stable, but its phylogenetic position within Coliadinae is not clear. In this research, we used morphological data to establish the phylogenetic position of the genus Aphrissa and its phylogenetic relationships within the ancient American Catopsilias. We included four outgroups: Colias, Zerene, Eurema and Kricogonia. A maximum parsimony analysis was employed under equal and implied weights. We used 32 morphological characters, 18 were coded as binary and 14 as multistate. A well-resolved cladogram was obtained. The American Catopsilias are not a monophyletic group. The analyses support the following relationships, clade A: Eurema + (Anteos + (Colias + Zerene) and clade B: Prestonia + (Aphrissa + (Rhabdodryas + Phoebis)). Kricogonia remained as the sister taxon of the whole group. Characters that support clade A include the morphology of male genitalia, while the clade B is supported by female genitalia and morphology of the chorion.