Phylogenomic Analyses of the Tenthredinoidea Support the Familial Rank of Athaliidae (Insecta, Tenthredinoidea)

Gengyun Niu (1) , Mahir Budak (2) , Ertan Mahir Korkmaz (2) , Özgül Doğan (2) , André Nel (3) , Siying Wan (4) , Chenyang Cai (5) , Corentin Jouault (3, 6, 7) , Min Li (1) , Meicai Wei (1)

1 Jiangxi Normal University
2 Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi, Sivas
3 ISYEB - Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité
4 Jiangxi Normal University
5 NIGPAS-CAS - Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology
6 GR - Géosciences Rennes
7 UMR ISEM - Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier

The systematic status of the genus Athalia and related genera is a perennial controversy in sawfly taxonomy. Several authors have hypothesized that the placement of Athalia within the Tenthredinidae is artificial, but no studies have focused on this topic. If the hypothesis that Athalia does not belong to Tenthredinidae can be supported, the taxonomic framework of Tenthredinoidea needs revision. We present a comprehensive phylogenomic study of Tenthredinoidae, focusing on the positions of Athalia and related genera by sampling 97 representatives mainly of the Tenthredinoidea, including Heptamelinae and Blasticotomidae. Our phylogenetic reconstructions based on nuclear genes and mitochondrial (mt) sequences support Athalia and related genera as a distinct clade sister to Tenthredinidae + (Cimbicidae + Diprionidae). A comparison of symphytan mitochondrial genomes reveals an innovative gene rearrangement pattern in Athaliidae, in which Dentathalia demonstrates a more ancestral pattern than Athalia and Hypsathalia. The lineage specificity of mt rRNA secondary structures also provides sufficient support to consider Athaliidae as a separate family. In summary, the phylogeny and genomic structural changes unanimously support the taxonomic treatment of Athaliidae as a family and the re-establishment of Dentathalia as a valid genus

Mots clés: Tenthredinidae; phylogeny; rare genomic changes; gene rearrangement; RNA secondary structure

Domaines: Paléontologie

Gengyun Niu, Mahir Budak, Ertan Mahir Korkmaz, Özgül Doğan, André Nel, et al.. Phylogenomic Analyses of the Tenthredinoidea Support the Familial Rank of Athaliidae (Insecta, Tenthredinoidea). Insects, 2022, 13 (10), pp.858. ⟨10.3390/insects13100858⟩. ⟨insu-03783207⟩