Molecular Phylogeny of JapaneseCatocalaMoths Based on Nucleotide Sequences of the Mitochondrial ND5 Gene

Abstract

Phylogenetic relationships of 31 Japanese Catocala species were analyzed based on the partial nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene (762 bp). When several non-Catocala Noctuidae moths were designated as the outgroup, these Catocala species formed a monophyletic group. However, divergences between these Catocala species were very deep, and no close phylogenetic relationships were recognized among them except for that between the two recently separated species, C. xarippe and C. fulminea. The remote relationships implied for several pairs of species suggest that the color of the hindwings is a changeable characteristic, and does not reflect phylogenetic lineage. Continental specimens were analyzed in 20 of 31 Catocala species, and all of them showed a close relationship with their Japanese counterpart. However, the closeness of the nucleotide sequences between the Japanese and continental individuals of the same species varied from species to species, indicating that isolation between the Japanese and continental populations of these species occurred at many different times. The two analyzed species endemic to North America showed a close relationship with their morphologically inferred Japanese counterparts, indicating that the geographic separation and following speciation between these Eurasian and American species occurred much more recently compared with the speciation events among the Catocala species now found in Japan.

Phylogenomics resolves major relationships ofCatocalaunderwing moths

“…Additionally, among the 20 Groups defined by Barnes and McDunnough (1918), our analyses independently recovered 10 of those 15 Groups that could be tested; we also recovered their Groups V + IV as monophyletic, which they had only tentatively treated as separable. Lastly, we recovered the two foodplant groups proposed by Ishizuka et al (2015: 159) as monophyletic, although their included species differed nominally from ours (13 Salicaceae‐feeding species, corresponding to the nupta group sensu Borth, Kons, Saldaitis, & Gall, 2017; and 29 Juglandaceae‐feeding species, corresponding to our node 17, Figure 2).…”

“…As one of the most diverse genera of Noctuoidea, it is of particular interest to understand what factors played a role in the diversification and speciation of Catocala. For example, larvae of Catocala are known to feed on just ten families of broad-leaved trees and shrubs and are monophagous to only modestly oligophagous (Gall, 1991a;Ishizuka, 2011;Sargent, 1978). Accordingly, larval host plant preference has been thought to be phylogenetically conserved (see e.g., Gall, 1991a;Ishizuka et al, 2011Ishizuka et al, , 2015, but the lack of a comprehensive phylogeny for the genus has prevented detailed analysis.…”

“…Two recent studies by Ishizuka et al (2011Ishizuka et al ( , 2015 applied molecular phylogenetic approaches to examine relationships of Catocala species. Ishizuka et al (2011) focused mainly on the Japanese and mainland Eurasian faunas, sampling 33 species and a single mitochondrial gene, ND5.…”

“…Ishizuka et al (2011) focused mainly on the Japanese and mainland Eurasian faunas, sampling 33 species and a single mitochondrial gene, ND5. Ishizuka et al (2015) subsequently sampled the ITS2 and 28S genes across 144 species of Catocala from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America and mapped hindwing colour (binned as black, orange or red) onto their resulting tree. Despite the reasonably broad taxon sampling, these two molecular studies were limited to three or fewer loci, and results yielded low branch support at many nodes, especially at deeper parts of the tree.…”

“…Despite the reasonably broad taxon sampling, these two molecular studies were limited to three or fewer loci, and results yielded low branch support at many nodes, especially at deeper parts of the tree. However, Ishizuka et al (2015, p. 159) identified two groups with strong support among the Catocala they sampled and made two proposals about larval host plant associations. First, a set of 12 Nearctic species with red hindwings that feed on Salicaceae share a common ancestor with the Eurasian Salicaceae‐feeding Catocala nupta (Linnaeus).…”