Mitochondrial genome of Poecilimon cretensis (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae): Strong phylogenetic signals in gene overlapping regions.

We report the complete mitochondrial genome of the Cretan bush cricket Poecilimon cretensis. The mitogenome consists of 13 protein-coding regions, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and one control region. The length of mitogenome in P. cretensis varies between15477 and 15631 bp, mainly due to variability in control region. The start and stop codons of protein coding genes exhibit the general pattern in Phaneropterinae. Phylogenetic tree constructed with the mitogenome obtained during this study and 12 mitogenomes of Phaneropterinae downloaded from GenBank, placed P. cretensis in Barbitistini as sister group to Poecilimon luschani. Data indicate that the gene overlapping pattern exhibit strong phylogenetic signals.

Anatolian endemic genus Bolua (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Tettigoniinae): genetic and phenotypic data indicate inconsistent diversity and evolutionary patterns.

Anatolia harbours diverse and unique biodiversity. Nearly half of the genera and more than 80% of the species belonging to the tettigoniid subfamily Tettigoniinae are endemic to Anatolia. Although the Anatolian Tettigoniinae have been well studied, proper documentation of Tettigoniinae biodiversity requires studies using contemporary approaches and techniques. We attempted to study the taxonomy, phylogeny, and phylogeography of the Bolua, a monotypic genus endemic to northwest Anatolia. Species delimitation tests applied to three mitochondrial and two nuclear gene segments indicated three putative species in the genus. Analyses suggested inversely related genetic and phenotypic divergence. By integrating these results, we reached the following conclusions. (i) The plausible taxonomic composition recognizes three species in the genus; the type species Bolua turkiyae and two new species B. balikesirensis sp. n. and B. bursaensis sp. n., (ii) the radiation steps in Bolua correspond to the starting of the Pliocene, Mid Pleistocene Transition (MPT) and end of cold periods of Günz and Riss glacial. By considering intra generic divergence steps and habitat preference plus the distribution pattern of the species, ecological speciation seems to be the mode of generic radiation, (iii) possibly due to habitat conservatism, the isolated relict populations on highlands evolved under similar selection pressures, and this led to a conserved phenotype, consequently morphologically poorly diverged species, though genetic divergence is deep and (iv) although morphological diagnoses is poor, genetic divergence between species is deep, and each species fulfils the criteria of several species concepts.

Review of emUvarovistia/em (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Tettigoniinae): genetic data indicate a new cryptic species, emUvarovistia/em emmunzurensis/em sp.n.

Genus Uvarovistia ranged along the Zagros Mountain belt. We presented first genetic data from three species of the genus and a taxonomic rectification indicated by these data. Sequences of three mitochondrial and two nuclear gene segments were obtained from different populations. Phylogenetic and automatic species delimitation analyses consistently suggested three distinct phylogroups as U. zebra, U. satunini and the third a new species, U. munzurensis Uluar Yahyaoglu sp. n. Time estimation and population genetic analyses supported consistent results. The following conclusions were reached: (i) five species in the genus constitute two distinct species groups named as Zebra Group and Satunini Group, (ii) data suggest intra generic relationships as U. zebra + ((U. satunini + U. munzurensis) + (U. bakhtiara +U. iraka)), (iii) molecular clock estimations indicated a deep divergence time and no gene flow between U. satunini and U. munzurensis, (iv) although these two species cannot be clearly distinguished by morphology, range of U. munzurensis seems to be isolated from other by lowlands of Euphrates Valley, and (v) age of generic ancestor is around five million years a time corresponding to connection of Anatolian and Zagros plates, and genus radiated along Zagros belt after dispersal of ancestral stock here.

Review of Poecilimon species with inflated pronotum: description of four new taxa within an acoustically diverse group.

Poecilimon Fischer (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) consists of about 130 species and a functional taxonomy of the genus requires arranging species into phylogenetic groups. However, this is a task that requires detailed empirical testing. This paper documents data on Poecilimon species with an inflated pronotum. The Poecilimon (Poecilimon) inflatus group is a lineage ranging along a narrow zone in the south-west corner of Anatolia and in Crete plus some other Aegean islands. By producing data of morphology and calling songs of males and responding songs of females the composition and intra-group diversity of P. inflatus group are studied. Both morphology and male calling and female responding songs, exhibited a considerable intra-group diversity. In the light of data obtained the following nomenclatural changes were made. The genus Parapoecilimon Karabag, 1975 syn. n. is synonymised with Poecilimon Fischer and Parapoecilimon antalyaensis Karabag, 1975 is given a new combination, Poecilimon antalyaensis (Karabag, 1975) comb. n. Four new taxa are described in the group: (i) Poecilimon isopterus sp.n.; (ii) Poecilimon inflatus lyciae subsp. n.; (iii) Poecilimon antalyaensis myrae subsp. n., and (iv) Poecilimon antalyaensis anemurium subsp. n. The Poecilimon (P.) inflatus species group consists of the following species: (i) Poecilimon inflatus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1891; (ii) Poecilimon martinae Heller, 2004; (iii) Poecilimon cretensis Werner, 1903; (iv) Poecilimon antalyaensis (Karabag, 1975) comb. n.; (v) Poecilimon bilgeri Karabag, 1953 and (vi) Poecilimon isopterus sp.n. The species group is defined by a combination of characters including the pronotum inflated in metazona and a male cerci mostly black in their apical 1/2-1/3. The male calling song has typically two types of short syllables and the females respond acoustically with very short latency times. By using combination of morphology and song data we suggest three main lineages in the group: (i) P. bilgeri, (ii) P. antalyaensis and (iii) the other four species.