Life history and mitochondrial genomes of Salassinae and Agliinae (Insecta, Lepidoptera): New insights into the loss of cocooning behaviour and phylogeny of Saturniidae.

The subfamilies Salassinae and Agliinae are two monogeneric groups of the family Saturniidae. They were regarded as the non-cocooning saturniids in Asia. Since very little information on their life history and mitogenome has been reported, their origin and evolution are still poorly understood. In this study, nature-imitated rearing is used to record the life history of two Aglia and five Salassa species. In addition, four complete mitogenomes are presented, which are the first ones of these two subfamilies. The results show that both Salassinae and Agliinae have lost their cocooning. Moreover, the phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that the subfamily Saturniinae is not monophyletic due to the inclusion of Agliinae and Salassinae.

Description of a new species and a new group of Salassa Moore, 1859 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) with a molecular study based on partial COI.

Salassa is a genus of the family Saturniidae. It comprises over 30 species that are widely distributed in Asia. This study describes a new species, Salassa sunwukongi sp. nov., found in Chinese Yunnan province. The first molecular study of Salassa was conducted using COI fragments. Molecular and morphological analyses revealed the presence of a monophyletic group, royi-group, distributed in the Himalayas. A key to members of the royi-group, along with species lists and distinguishing characteristics of all three groups of Salassa, is provided.

Descriptions and Barcoding of Five New Chinese Deuterophlebia Species Revealing This Genus in Both Holarctic and Oriental Realms (Diptera: Deuterophlebiidae).

The monotypic family Deuterophlebiidae of China was recorded twice previously from far northwest upon adults, the most parts of this country have not been investigated, leaving a huge blank of knowledge on their morphology, diversity, biology, or distribution. After deliberated collecting and rearing in recent years, we obtained more than one thousand specimens of Deuterophlebiidae, they are classified into five new species herein: Deuterophlebia sinensis sp. nov., D. yunnanensis sp. nov., D. wuyiensis sp. nov., D. acutirhina sp. nov. and D. alata sp. nov. Detailed descriptions and photographs of gathered life stages are given for these new species. Adults of them can be identified by chaetotaxy and length ratio of flagellomeres and legs, microtrichia on postgena and shape of their clypeus, pupae can be recognized by thoracic spines and abdominal chitin bands, and larvae can be separated by setae on thorax and abdomen. Genetic distances between species are 0.086-0.175 based on their COI genes. This contribution represents the first database of the enigmatic Deuterophlebiidae from China and shows a new distribution pattern of Deuterophlebia. In addition, the discovery throws some light on the origin and biogeography of the genus and family.

Comparative Mitogenome Analyses of Subgenera and Species Groups in Epeorus (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae).

Epeorus Eaton, 1881 is a diverse mayfly genus in Heptageniidae comprising more than 100 species which are further divided into nine subgenera and several species groups. However, the classification and the phylogenetic relationships among them are still uncertain. Here, 15 complete mitochondrial genomes of Epeorus were sequenced and compared together with six available ones of same genus in the NCBI database. Based on morphological classification, the 21 mitogenomes were classified into six subgenera (Proepeorus, Epeorus s.str., Belovius, Iron, Caucasiron and Siniron) and four species groups (G1, G2, montanus and longimanus). Among all analyzed mitogenomes, the gene rearrangement of trnI-trnM-trnQ-NCR-ND2 was first found occurring in three species of group G1, whereas the gene block trnI-trnM-trnQ-trnM-ND2 was observed in all other mitogenomes of Epeorus. Furthermore, the genetic composition and codon usage of species in group G1 were also significantly different from all other Epeorus species, except group longimanus. The intergenic spacer between trnA and trnR, which has the stem-loop secondary structure, occurred in all 21 mitogenomes, and the sequences of stems and loops were conserved within species groups. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analyses strongly support the monophyly of all species groups, although three of six recognized subgenera Proepeorus, Belovius, and Iron, were shown as the non-monophyletic groups.