More hidden diversity in a cryptic species complex: a new subspecies of Leptideasinapis (Lepidoptera, Pieridae) from Northern Iran.

A new subspecies of Leptideasinapis from Northern Iran, discovered by means of DNA barcoding, is described as Leptideasinapistabarestanassp. nov. The new subspecies is allopatric with respect to other populations of L.sinapis and is genetically distinct, appearing as a well-supported sister clade to all other populations in COI-based phylogenetic reconstructions. Details on karyotype, genitalia, ecology and behaviour for the new subspecies are given and a biogeographical speciation scenario is proposed.

Next generation sequencing-aided comprehensive geographic coverage sheds light on the status of rare and extinct populations of Aporia butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae).

The Black-veined White Aporia crataegi (Linnaeus, 1758), a common and widespread butterfly ranging from northwestern Africa to Europe and Asia, has been extinct in Britain since the 1920s and is on a steady decline in several other parts of its range. In order to investigate genetic diversity within A. crataegi and its correspondence with current subspecies-level taxonomy, we barcoded 173 specimens from across its range including, for the first time, extinct populations from Britain and Korea. Using next generation sequencing we also obtained a sequence for Aporia joubini, a peculiar taxon from China known only by its type specimen collected in the early twentieth century. Our phylogenetic analysis placed A. joubini sister to A. oberthuri, although further taxon sampling may reveal a different scheme. Within A. crataegi, we observed a shallow and weak mitogenomic structure with only a few distinct lineages in North Africa, Sicily, Iran, and Japan. Eurasian populations, including those extinct in Britain and Korea, clustered into a large set of closely allied lineages, consistent with a recent expansion during the Late Pleistocene glacial period. This study highlights the importance of museum collections and the unique opportunities they provide in documenting species diversity and helping conservation efforts.

Phylogenetic position of the 'extinct' Fijian coconut moth, Levuana iridescens (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae).

Levuana iridescens Bethune-Baker, 1906, a day-flying moth purported to be endemic to the Fijian Island of Viti Levu and a former pest of its coconut palm trees, was last observed in 1956 and has been officially declared extinct by IUCN since 1996. The controversial classical biological control method that resulted in the (presumed) demise of this moth has given this species an iconic status in biological control studies. We investigated the sister-group relationships and phylogenetic placement of this moth using NGS-obtained ancient DNA sequences from museum specimens of L. iridescens collected in the 1920s, combined with 31 morphological characters used in earlier studies and 2 new characters. Our findings show that Levuana is most closely related to the Australian genus Myrtartona. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Review of Neopalpa Povolný, 1998 with description of a new species from California and Baja California, Mexico (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae).

The monotypic genus Neopalpa was described in 1998 by Czech entomologist Dalibor Povolný based on two male specimens from Santa Catalina Island, California, which he named Neopalpa neonata. The female of this species was discovered recently based on a DNA barcode match and is described. In addition, a new species with marked differences in morphology and DNA barcodes from southern California and Baja California Mexico is described as Neopalpa donaldtrumpisp. n. Adults and genitalia of both species are illustrated, new diagnosis for the genus Neopalpa is provided, and its position within Gelechiidae is briefly discussed.

Century-Old DNA Barcodes Reveal Phylogenetic Placement of the Extinct Jamaican Sunset Moth, Urania sloanus Cramer (Lepidoptera: Uraniidae).

Analysis of the DNA barcode region of the cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene from a specimen of the extinct Jamaican sunset moth, Urania sloanus, places this species as a sister to the Central American U. fulgens. We found that all Urania F. species were closely related (<2.8% maximum divergence at COI), with the Cuban endemic U. boisduvalii appearing as sister to the rest. The low divergence in DNA barcodes and genitalic structures indicate that the Cuban U. poeyi and eastern Brazilian U. brasiliensis are geographic segregates of U. fulgens and U. leilus respectively, so the former two taxa are accordingly recognized as subspecies.

Shared but overlooked: 30 species of Holarctic Microlepidoptera revealed by DNA barcodes and morphology.

This study reports 30 species of Lepidoptera previously known from either the Palearctic or the Nearctic that are newly recorded as Holarctic. For 28 of these species, their intercontinental distributions were initially detected through DNA barcode analysis and subsequently confirmed by morphological examination; two Palearctic species were first detected in North America through morphology and then barcoded. When possible, the origin and status of each species (introduced, overlooked Holarctic species, or unknowingly re-described) is discussed, and its morphology is diagnosed and illustrated. The species involved include Tineidae: Scardia amurensis Zagulajev, Triaxomera parasitella (Hübner), Nemapogon cloacella (Haworth), Elatobia montelliella (Schantz), Tinea svenssoni Opheim; Gracillariidae: Caloptilia suberinella (Tengström), Parornix betulae (Stainton); Phyllonorycter maestingella (Müller); Yponomeutidae: Paraswammerdamia albicapitella (Scharfenberg), P. conspersella (Tengström); Plutellidae: Plutella hyperboreella Strand; Lyonetiidae: Lyonetia pulverulentella Zeller; Autostichidae: Oegoconia deauratella (Herrich-Schäffer), O. novimundi (Busck); Blastobasidae: Blastobasis glandulella (Riley), B. maroccanella (Amsel), B. tarda Meyrick; Depressariidae: Agonopterix conterminella (Zeller), Depressaria depressana (F.); Coleophoridae: Coleophora atriplicis Meyrick, C. glitzella Hofmann, C. granulatella Zeller, C. texanella Chambers, C. vitisella Gregson; Scythrididae: Scythris sinensis (Felder & Rogenhofer); Gelechiidae: Altenia perspersella (Wocke), Gnorimoschema jalavai Povolný, Scrobipalpa acuminatella (Sircom), Sophronia gelidella Nordman; Choreutidae: Anthophila fabriciana (L.); and Tortricidae: Phiaris bipunctana (F.). These cases of previously unrecognized faunal overlap have led to their redescription in several instances. Five new synonyms are proposed: Blastobasis glandulella (Riley, 1871) = B. huemeri Sinev, 1993, syn. nov.; B. tarda Meyrick, 1902 = Neoblastobasis ligurica Nel & Varenne, 2004, syn. nov.; Coleophora atriplicis Meyrick, 1928 = C. cervinella McDunnough, 1946, syn. nov.; C. texanella Chambers, 1878 = C. coxi Baldizzone & van der Wolf, 2007, syn. nov., and = C. vagans Walsingham, 1907, syn. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Blastobasis tarda Meyrick and Coleophora texanella Chambers. Type specimens were examined where pertinent to establish new synonymies. We identify 12 previously overlooked cases of species introductions, highlighting the power of DNA barcoding as a tool for biosurveillance.

Phylogeny, historical biogeography, and taxonomic ranking of Parnassiinae (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) based on morphology and seven genes.

We tested the taxonomic utility of morphology and seven mitochondrial or nuclear genes in a phylogenetic reconstruction of swallowtail butterflies in the subfamily Parnassiinae. Our data included 236 morphological characters and DNA sequences for seven genes that are commonly used to infer lepidopteran relationships (COI+COII, ND5, ND1, 16S, EF-1alpha, and wg; total 5775 bp). Nuclear genes performed best for inferring phylogenies, particularly at higher taxonomic levels, while there was substantial variation in performance among mitochondrial genes. Multiple analyses of molecular data (MP, ML and Bayesian) consistently produced a tree topology different from that obtained by morphology alone. Based on molecular evidence, sister-group relationships were confirmed between the genera Hypermnestra and Parnassius, as well as between Archon and Luehdorfia, while the monophyly of the subfamily was weakly supported. We recognize three tribes within Parnassiinae, with Archon and Luehdorfia forming the tribe Luehdorfiini Tutt, 1896 [stat. rev.]. Three fossil taxa were incorporated into a molecular clock analysis with biogeographic time constraints. Based on dispersal-vicariance (DIVA) analysis, the most recent common ancestor of Parnassiinae occurred in the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia to China. Early diversification of Parnassiinae took place at the same time that India collided into Eurasia, 65-42 million years ago.