Mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses provide novel insights into the taxonomic problems of several hesperiid taxa (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae).

Here, we present new molecular and morphological evidence that contributes towards clarifying the phylogenetic relations within the family Hesperiidae, and overcomes taxonomic problems regarding this family. First, nine new complete mitogenomes, comprising seven newly sequenced species and two samples of previously sequenced species collected from different localities, were obtained and assembled to analyze characteristics. The length of the mitogenomes ranges from 15,284 to 15,853 bp and encodes 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region. Two model-based methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships. Based on the mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses and morphological evidence, we claim that the lineage that comprises two Asian genera, Apostictopterus Leech and Barca de Nicéville, should be a tribe Barcini stat. nov. of the subfamily Trapezitinae, Pseudocoladenia dea (Leech, 1894), P. festa (Evans, 1949), and Abraximorpha esta Evans, 1949 are considered distinct species. Finally, we suggest that Lotongus saralus chinensis Evans, 1932 should belong to the genus Acerbas de Nicéville, 1895, namely Acerbas saralus chinensis (Evans, 1932) comb. nov..

Terahertz Enhanced Sensing of Uric Acid Based on Metallic Slot Array Metamaterial.

An enzyme-free terahertz uric acid sensor based on a metallic slot array metamaterial was proposed and realized both theoretically and experimentally. The sensing model was verified in simulation and femtosecond laser processing technology was employed to ablate slots in the copper plate to fabricate metamaterials. Analytes were tested with liquid phase deposition on the metamaterial by a terahertz frequency domain spectroscopy system. Gradient concentrations of uric acid, ascorbic acid, and a mixture of them were measured separately with a good linear response. A significant decrease in sensitivity was observed in the ascorbic acid assay compared with the uric acid assay. The test results of the mixture also proved that our device is resistant to ascorbic acid. It is a simple and effective method for monitoring uric acid concentrations and the strategy of eliminating interference while modulating the resonance peak location mentioned here can be rationally projected for the development of other sensors.

Ion channels in sulfonated copolymer-grafted nanoparticles in ionic liquids.

The use of ionic liquids as solvents for polymers or polymer-grafted nanoparticles provides an exciting feature to explore electrolyte-polymer interactions. 1-Hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (HMIm-TFSI) can have specific interactions with the polymer through ion-dipole forces or hydrogen bonding. In this work, poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PMMA-b-PSS) copolymer-grafted Fe3O4 nanoparticles with different sulfonation levels (∼4.9 to 10.9 mol% SS) were synthesized, and their concentration dependent ionic conductivities were reported in acetonitrile and HMIm-TFSI/acetonitrile mixtures. We found that conductivity enhancement with the particle concentration in acetonitrile was due to the aggregation of grafted particles, resulting in sulfonic domain connectivity. The ionic conductivity was found to be related to the effective hopping transfer within ionic channels. On the contrary, the conductivity decreased or remained constant with increasing particle concentration in HMIm-TFSI/acetonitrile. This result was attributed to the ion coupling between ionic liquids and copolymer domains.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two skipper genera (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) and their associated phylogenetic analysis.

The systematic positions of two hesperiid genera, Apostictopterus and Barca (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), remain ambiguous. We sequenced and annotated the two mitogenomes of Apostictopterus fuliginosus and Barca bicolor and inferred the phylogenetic positions of the two genera within the Hesperiidae based on the available mitogenomes. The lengths of the two circular mitogenomes of A. fuliginosus and B. bicolor are 15,417 and 15,574 base pairs (bp), respectively. These two mitogenomes show similar AT skew, GC skew, codon usage and nucleotide bias of AT: the GC skew of the two species is negative, and the AT skew of A. fuliginosus is negative, while the AT skew of B. bicolor is slightly positive. The largest intergenic spacer is located at the same position between trnQ and ND2 in A. fuliginosus (73 bp) and B. bicolor (72 bp). Thirteen protein-coding genes (PCGs) start with ATN codons except for COI, which starts with CGA. The control regions of both mitogenomes possess a long tandem repeat, which is 30 bp long in A. fuliginosus, and 18 bp in B. bicolor. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods were employed to infer the phylogenetic relationships, which suggested that A. fuliginosus and B. bicolor belong in the subfamily Hesperiinae.

Systematics of the genus Zinaida Evans, 1937 (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae: Baorini).

Traditionally, species of the genus Zinaida were assigned to the genus Polytremis, until molecular evidence revealed that the former is a distinct genus. Nine species in Polytremis sensu Evans have since been removed and assigned to Zinaida; however, there is still uncertainty as to the taxonomic status of an additional seven Polytremis species. Moreover, the interspecific relationships within Zinaida have remained unresolved. To further investigate the taxonomic statuses and interspecific relationships within Zinaida, a molecular phylogeny of most species of Zinaida and its allies was inferred based on regions of the mitochondrial COI-COII and 16S and nuclear EF-1α genes (3006 bp). The results revealed that Zinaida is monophyletic and consists of four intra-generic clades that correspond to morphological characteristics. Clade A (Z. suprema group) consists of P. kiraizana, Z. suprema, and P. gigantea, with the latter two as sister species. Clade B (Z. nascens group) consists of seven species, and is the sister group of Clade C (Z. pellucida group), which comprises sister species Z. pellucida and Z. zina. In Clade B, Z. caerulescens and Z. gotama, and Z. theca and Z. fukia are sister species, respectively. On the basis of our molecular evidence and morphological features, we have moved P. gigantea, P. kiraizana, P. jigongi, and P. micropunctata to the genus Zinaida as new combinations. We review morphological characteristics and discuss the distribution of each of these groups in the light of our phylogenetic hypothesis, and provide a comprehensive taxonomic checklist.