Comparative mitochondrial genome analysis of Spilarctia subcarnea and other noctuid insects

This study was performed to better understand the phylogenetic relationships within the lepidopteran superfamily Noctuoidea. The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) has been extensively used for studying phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels. In this study, the complete mitogenome of Spilarctia subcarnea (Noctuoidea: Erebidae) was sequenced and annotated. The mitogenome is 15,441 bp in length, containing 13 typical protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) and a noncoding control region (CR). The order and orientation of genes of S. subcarnea mitogenome with the order trnM-trnI-trnQ-nad2 is different from the ancestral insects in which trnM is located between trnQ and nad2 (trnI-trnQ-trnM-nad2). The phylogenetic relationships based on mitochondrial sequences using Bayesian inference and Maximum likelihood methods showed that S. subcarnea was closely related to Lemyra melli, supporting that S. subcarnea belongs to Erebidae. These analyses confirm that Lymantriidae should be included as subfamilies within Erebidae. The Erebidae was sister to (Nolidae + (Euteliidae + Noctuidae)); Notodontidae is sister to the other families of Noctuoidea in our study.