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Molecular phylogeny of the North American Simulium malyschevi ‐group species (Diptera: Simuliidae)
Author(s) -
CONFLITTI IDA M.,
SPIRONELLO MICHAEL,
CURRIE DOUGLAS C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
systematic entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1365-3113
pISSN - 0307-6970
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2012.00629.x
Subject(s) - monophyly , biology , maximum parsimony , phylogenetic tree , sister group , zoology , phylogenetics , species complex , evolutionary biology , clade , genetics , gene
We investigated species limits and phylogenetic relationships among chromosomally distinct North American members of the Simulium malyschevi species‐group. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses were conducted based on 12S , COII , cyt b and ITS‐1 gene sequences. In terms of species limits, monophyly was highly supported for each chromosomally and morphologically distinct taxon analysed ( S. decimatum , S. defoliarti , S. malyschevi , and S. murmanum ). In contrast, support for monophyly of morphologically homogeneous S. arcticum complex members was significant only in one case ( S. saxosum ) and not the other ( S. negativum ). Considering the overall topology, three principal conclusions were drawn: (i) the status of S. subvariegatum as a member of the S. malyschevi species‐group remains uncertain. This species either was excluded from the malyschevi ‐group or formed a sister group with S. malyschevi at the base of the tree; (ii) although S. murmanum and S. decimatum branch after S. malyschevi , the position of the two species relative to each other remains unresolved; and (iii) the structurally homogeneous S. arcticum species complex was not monophyletic due to the inclusion of S. defoliarti . Further investigation may warrant changes to current malyschevi ‐group classification. Molecular datasets alone may be insufficient for resolving relationships among particular lineages of black flies.