Reconstructing intraordinal relationships in Lepidoptera using mitochondrial genome data with the description of two newly sequenced lycaenids, Spindasis takanonis and Protantigius superans (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Lepidoptera is one of the largest insect orders, but the phylogenetic relationships within this order, have yet to be adequately described. Among these unresolved relationships include those regarding the monophyly of the Macrolepidoptera and interfamilial relationships of the true butterflies superfamily Papilionoidea. We present two new mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) belonging to the butterfly family Lycaenidae to explore the phylogenetic relationships existing among lepidopteran superfamilies and true butterfly families from a mitogenome perspective, and to evaluate the characteristics of the lepidopteran mitogenomes. Our consensus phylogeny of the Lepidoptera largely supported the superfamilial relationships (((((Bombycoidea + Geometroidea) + Noctuoidea) + Pyraloidea) + Papilionoidea) + Tortricoidea), signifying a lack of support for a traditionally defined Macrolepidoptera. The familial relationships of the true butterflies concordantly recovered the previously proposed phylogenetic hypothesis (((Lycaenidae + Nymphalidae) + Pieridae) + Papilionidae). The test for the effect of optimization schemes (exclusion and inclusion of third codon position of PCGs and two rRNA genes, with and without partitions) on the resolution and relationships within the Lepidoptera have demonstrated that the majority of analyses did not substantially alter the relevant topology and node support, possibly as the result of relatively strong signal in mitogenomes for intraordinal relationships in Lepidoptera.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► We present two new mitogenomes belonging to the true butterfly family Lycaenidae. ► Our consensus phylogeny of Lepidoptera supported non-monophytic Macrolepidoptera. ► In butterfly families, the sister between Lycaenidae and Nymphalidae was obtained. ► The test for the effect of optimization schemes was performed. ► The optimization schemes did not much alter topology.