The Evolution of Collembola Higher Taxa (Arthropoda, Hexapoda) Based on Mitogenome Data

Abstract

Mitogenomes represent useful tools for investigating the phylogeny of many metazoan clades. Regarding Collembola, the use of mitogenomics has already shown promising results, but few published works include sufficient taxon sampling to study its evolution and systematics on a broader scale. Here, we present a phylogenetic study based on the mitogenomes of 124 species from 24 subfamilies, 16 families, and four orders—one of the most comprehensive datasets used in a molecular study of Collembola evolution to date—and compare our results with the trees from recently published papers and traditional systematic hypotheses. Our main analysis supported the validity of the four orders and the clustering of Poduromorpha with Entomobryomorpha (the traditional Arthropleona). Our data also supported the split of Symphypleona s. str. into the Appendiciphora and Sminthuridida suborders, and the division of the Neelipleona into two subfamilies: Neelinae and Neelidinae subfam. nov. On the other hand, the traditional Symphypleona s. lat., Isotomoidea, and all the Isotomidae subfamilies were refuted by our analyses, indicating a need for a systematic revision of the latter family. Though our results are endorsed by many traditional and recent systematic findings, we highlight a need for additional mitogenomic data for some key taxa and the inclusion of nuclear markers to resolve some residual problematic relationships.

Systematics of Lepidocyrtinus boneti Denis, 1948 (Collembola, Seirinae) reveals a new position for the species within Seirinae

“…nov. to Seira as found in the present study, clustering the species with another congener, S. sanloemensis . Such topology was also recovered in Bellini et al (2023) , although in this latter study the authors considered L. boneti as a Seira species based on preliminary data of the present study. Contrarily, the use of “ Seira boneti ” in the online database of Bellinger et al (1996–2023) was possibly following the outdated classification of Yosii (1959 , 1961a ), in which Lepidocyrtinus was considered as a subgenus of Seira .…”

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Korean endemic springtailTomocerus caputiviolaceusLee 1975 (Collembola: Tomoceridae)

“… 2020 ; Bellini et al. 2022 ). The monophyly of the superfamily Tomoceroidea was also presented in the previous study (Yu et al.…”

Two new species of Sminthurididae (Hexapoda, Collembola, Symphypleona) from Brazil with notes on Denisiella Folsom & Mills and Sphaeridia Linnaniemi

“…For instance, the male antennal segments II and III are highly modified in Denisiella (vs very slightly modified in Sphaeridia ), Denisiella specimens have a regular unmodified corpus of the ventral tube (vs modified in Sphaeridia ), and the mucronal chaeta is only present in Denisiella ( Richards 1968 ; Betsch 1980 ; Bretfeld 1999 ; Palacios-Vargas et al 2018 ). Such similarities and discrepancies between these two genera make unclear their relationships with each other and with other genera of Sminthurididae , and the family as well as the Symphypleona as a whole are currently in need of phylogenetic revision ( Medeiros et al 2022 ; Bellini et al 2023 ).…”