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A molecular phylogeny of Eumorpha ( L epidoptera: S phingidae) and the evolution of anti‐predator larval eyespots
Author(s) -
PONCE FRANCESCA V.,
BREINHOLT JESSE W.,
HOSSIE THOMAS,
BARBER JESSE R.,
JANZEN DANIEL H.,
HALLWACHS WINNIE,
KAWAHARA AKITO Y.
Publication year - 2015
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/syen.12111
Subject(s) - eyespot , biology , phylogenetic tree , vertebrate , larva , phylogenetics , evolutionary biology , zoology , taxon , predator , ecology , predation , gene , genetics
Many insects possess conspicuous external circular ring markings that resemble the eye of a vertebrate. These ‘eyespots’ typically function to startle or otherwise deter predators, but few studies have examined how eyespots have evolved. We study the evolution of the posterior larval eyespot in the charismatic N ew W orld hawkmoth genus Eumorpha . While Eumorpha has a range of posterior larval eyespot shapes and sizes, little is known of how this trait has evolved because phylogenetic relationships of Eumorpha remain largely unknown. In this study, we included 62 individuals from 23 of 26 described Eumorpha species, and sequenced four genes ( CAD , EF ‐ 1α , W ingless and COI ), totaling 3773 base pairs. Maximum likelihood and B ayesian phylogenetic methods produced largely congruent trees with well‐supported relationships. Our analyses reveal that Eumorpha probably had an ancestor with a posterior larval eyespot and that the eyespot was subsequently lost in at least three lineages. Eumorpha appears to have originated in C entral and S outh A merica and expanded its distribution to N orth A merica.