The evolutionary position of Lestoniidae revealed by molecular autapomorphies in the secondary structure of rRNA besides phylogenetic reconstruction (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

First formal record of the feeding habits of Saileriolidae (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Pentatomomorpha, Pentatomoidea), with redescription of Bannacorishyalinus (Schaefer & Ashlock, 1970), comb. nov. endemic to Vietnam

In the present study, the rare true bug Bannacorishyalinus (Schaefer & Ashlock, 1970), comb. nov. (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Pentatomomorpha, Pentatomoidea, Saileriolidae), which is endemic to Vietnam, is redescribed and transferred from the genus Saileriola China & Slater, 1956 to the genus Bannacoris Hsiao, 1964 based on morphological characteristics. Adults and nymphs of this species congregate in groups of several individuals and suck sap from the abaxial side of the leaves of Litsea sp. (Lauraceae). They cause visible feeding damage on the adaxial side of Litsea leaves, similar to that caused by members of the heteropteran family Tingidae Laporte, 1832 (Cimicomorpha, Miroidea). The new knowledge of B.hyalinus comb. nov. also represents the first formal record of the feeding habits of Saileriolidae China & Slater, 1956. An identification key to all four species of this family is provided.

Desert Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Thaumastellidae): New records and review of the distribution and habitat of this relict group

The known distribution and habitat information of the three described species of the genus Thaumastella Horváth, 1896 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha: Pentatomoidea: Thaumastellidae) are reviewed. In addition a fourth, undescribed species is reported from South Africa (Western Cape). Thaumastella aradoides Horváth, 1896, is recorded for the first time from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the states of Khartoum and Sennar in Sudan. Additional records of Thaumastella namaquensis Schaefer & Wilcox, 1971, from Namibia (Hardap, ||Kharas) and South Africa (Northern Cape), as well as information on habitat of Thaumastella namaquensis and Thaumastella elizabethae Jacobs, 1989, are provided. Photographs of the holotypes of the three already described species and their labels are also presented. The distribution of all four species is mapped.

New Molecular Phylogenetic Evidence Confirms Independent Origin of Coxal Combs in the Families of the 'Cydnoid' Complex (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea)

Coxal combs, found only in members of the 'cydnoid' complex (comprising four families: Cydnidae, Parastrachiidae, Thaumastellidae, and Thyreocoridae) within the superfamily Pentatomoidea, have long been regarded as a character confirming their close evolutionary relationship. However, many studies have demonstrated that these four families are phylogenetically distant. Others have been treated as subfamilies of the broadly defined Cydnidae, with the coxal combs as the only character linking them. This is the first study on the origin of coxal combs in species of all families and subfamilies that represent the broadly conceived Cydnidae (69 species in 39 genera). Moreover, this study presents the first 16S rDNA gene sequences providing a basis for such analyses. The analyses included DNA sequences of 62 species in 34 genera of Cydnidae sensu stricto, three species in two genera of Thyreocoridae, two species in two genera of Parastrachiidae, and two species in one genus of Thaumastellidae. The sequence analysis in the family Cydnidae covered 35 species representing 19 genera of the subfamily Cydninae, 16 species in eight genera of the subfamily Sehirinae, five species in two genera of Amnestinae, three species in three genera of Garsauriinae, two species in one genus of Cephalocteinae, and one species of Amaurocorinae. The results of our study demonstrate the independent origin of coxal combs in taxa of the 'cydnoid' complex within the superfamily Pentatomoidea. They confirm the polyphyly not only of the entire 'cydnoid' complex but also of the family Cydnidae itself.

Evolutionary and phylogenetic insights from the mitochondrial genomic analysis of Diceraeus melacanthus and D. furcatus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

The mitochondrial genomes of D. melacanthus and D. furcatus were sequenced and used to investigate the phylogenetic relationships with 54 species of Pentatomidae. Their mitogenomes are 17,197 and 15,444 bp-long, respectively, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22/21 transfer RNA genes, with conserved gene arrangement. Leu, Lys, and Ser were the most common amino acids in their PCGs. PCGs evolutionary analysis indicated their mitogenomes are under purifying selection, and the most conserved genes are from the cytochrome complex, reinforcing their suitability as markers for molecular taxonomy. We identified 490 mtSSRs in 56 Pentatomidae species, with large variation and a positive correlation between mtSSR number and genome size. Three mtSSRs were identified in each Diceraeus species. Only the mtSSR in the nad6 (D. melacanthus) and nad4 (D. furcatus) appear to have application as molecular markers for species characterization. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the monophyly of Pentatomidae. However, our analysis challenged the monophyly of Pentatominae and Podopinae. We also detected unexpected relationships among some tribes and genera, highlighting the complexity of the internal taxonomic structure of Pentatomidae. Both Diceraeus species were grouped in the same clade with the remaining Carpocorini analyzed.

Phylogenetic placement and comparative analysis of the mitochondrial genomes of Idiostoloidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

The classification system and the higher level phylogenetic relationships of Pentatomomorpha, the second largest infraorder of Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera), have been debated and remain controversial over decades. In particular, the placement and phylogenetic relationship of Idiostoloidea are not well resolved, which hampers a better understanding of the evolutionary history of Pentatomomorpha. In this study, for the first time, we reported the complete mitochondrial genome for two narrowly distributed families of Idiostoloidea (including Idiostolidae and Henicocoridae), respectively. The length of the mitochondrial genome of Monteithocoris hirsutus and Henicocoris sp. is 16,632 and 16,013 bp, respectively. The content of AT is ranging from 75.15% to 80.48%. The mitogenomic structure of Idiostoloidea is highly conservative and there are no gene arrangements. By using the Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian site-heterogeneous mixture model, we inferred the phylogenetic relationships within Pentatomomorpha and estimated their divergence times based on concatenated mitogenomes and nuclear ribosomal genes. Our results support the classification system of six superfamilies within Pentatomomorpha and confirm the monophyletic groups of each superfamily, with the following phylogenetic relationships: (Aradoidea + (Pentatomoidea + (Idiostoloidea + (Coreoidea + (Pyrrhocoroidea + Lygaeoidea))))). Furthermore, estimated divergence times revealed that most pentatomomorphan superfamilies and families diverged during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, which coincides with the explosive radiation of angiosperms.

Inconsistencies in the Classification of the Family Cydnidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea) Revealed by Molecular Apomorphies in the Secondary and Tertiary Structures of 18S rRNA Length-Variable Region L (LVR L)

The SSU nuclear rDNA (encoding 18S ribosomal RNA) is one of the most frequently sequenced genes in the molecular analysis of insects. Molecular apomorphies in the secondary and tertiary structures of several 18S rRNA length-variable regions (LVRs) located within the V2, V4, and V7 hypervariable regions can be good indicators for recovering monophyletic groups within some heteropteran families. Among the LVRs that have been analysed, the LVR L in the V4 hypervariable region is the longest and most crucial for such assessments. We analysed the 18S rRNA V4 hypervariable region sequences of 45 species from the family Cydnidae, including all 6 subfamilies (Amaurocorinae, Amnestinae, Cephalocteinae, Cydninae, Garsauriinae, and Sehirinae) and three pentatomoid families (Parastrachiidae, Thaumastellidae, and Thyreocoridae), which have often been included in the broadly defined Cydnidae family. This is the first time that representatives of all Cydnidae subfamilies have been included in a molecular analysis. Only taxa from two subfamilies, Sehirinae and Cydninae, have been used in previous molecular studies. The secondary and tertiary structures of the LVR L were predicted for each species using the two-step procedure already accepted for such analyses to recover any molecular apomorphy essential for determining monophyly. The results of our comparative studies contradict the current understanding of the relationships among burrowing bugs and the current family classification.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Cyclopelta obscura (Lepeletier & Serville, 1825) (Hemiptera: Pentatomoidea: Dinidoridae) and phylogenetic analysis of Pentatomoidea species

Cyclopelta obscura is a crop pest, which mainly damages legumes, especially Robinia pseudoacacia and Cercis chinensis. In recent years, many mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences of C. obscura have been sequenced and used for phylogenetic inference. However, the complete mitogenome has not been reported yet and studies on the phylogenetic relationships within Dinidoridae are rare. In this study, we sequenced the mitogenome of C. obscura and conducted comparative mitogenomic analyses of seven Dinidoridae species based on several different factors. The length of the mitogenome is 15,426 bp, which includes 37 typical mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs) and a control region (796 bp long), as well as 13 intergenic spacers and 8 overlapping regions. Most PCGs of C. obscura began with the classical start codon ATN, while cox1 and nad4l used TTG, and nad1 used GTG. The Dinidoridae mitogenomes are highly conserved in terms of nucleotide composition, the codon usage of PCGs, and the secondary structure of tRNA. Phylogenetic analysis based on four datasets with two methods recovered the Dinidoridae as a monophyletic group with strong support values. All results indicate that Dinidoridae formed a sister group to Tessaratomidae, and (Tessaratomidae + Dinidoridae) formed a sister group to Cydnidae in most of the phylogenetic trees. Additionally, seven species within the Dinidoridae, we observed the following relationship: (Eumenotes sp. + (Cyclopelta parva + C. obscura)) + ((Megymenum gracilicorne + Megymenum brevicorne) + (Coridius chinensis + Coridius brunneu)).

Tribe Acalyptaini (Hemiptera: Tingidae: Tinginae) Revisited: Can Apomorphies in Secondary and Tertiary Structures of 18S rRNA Length-Variable Regions (LVRs) Support Tribe Validity?

The lace bug tribe Acalyptaini (Tingidae: Tinginae) includes five genera, Acalypta, Derephysia, Dictyonota, Kalama, and Recaredus, and it was recently resurrected based on morphological and karyological characters. We aimed to validate the distinctiveness of this tribe using 18S rDNA sequences, which have not been used in previous Tingidae phylogenomic studies. Our results confirmed the monophyly of the tribe. Moreover, the monophyly of the subfamily Cantacaderinae and its basal position within the family Tingidae were indicated, as well as the position of the tribe Litadeini as sister to all other Tinginae. In addition, we attempted to determine the apomorphic morpho-molecular characters in the secondary and tertiary structures of length-variable regions of the 18S rRNA sequences of the analysed species. The results showed that two LVRs (LVR X and LVR L) of the hypervariable region V4 exhibited significant variability in the number of nucleotides and could be considered for apomorphic recognition.

Molecular Apomorphies in the Secondary and Tertiary Structures of Length-Variable Regions (LVRs) of 18S rRNA Shed Light on the Systematic Position of the Family Thaumastellidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea)

The SSU nrDNA, a small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (coding 18S rRNA), is one of the most frequently sequenced genes in molecular studies in Hexapoda. In insects, including true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), only its primary structures (i.e., aligned sequences) are predominantly used in phylogenetic reconstructions. It is known that including RNA secondary structures in the alignment procedure is essential for improving accuracy and robustness in phylogenetic tree reconstruction. Moreover, local plasticity in rRNAs might impact their tertiary structures and corresponding functions. To determine the systematic position of Thaumastellidae within the superfamily Pentatomoidea, the secondary and-for the first time among all Hexapoda-tertiary structures of 18S rRNAs in twelve pentatomoid families were compared and analysed. Results indicate that the shapes of the secondary and tertiary structures of the length-variable regions (LVRs) in the 18S rRNA are phylogenetically highly informative. Based on these results, it is suggested that the Thaumastellidae is maintained as an independent family within the superfamily Pentatomoidea, rather than as a part of the family Cydnidae. Moreover, the analyses indicate a close relationship between Sehirinae and Parastrachiidae, expressed in morpho-molecular synapomorphies in the predicted secondary and tertiary structures of the length-variable region L (LVR L).

External structures of the metathoracic scent gland efferent system in the true bug superfamily Pyrrhocoroidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha)

Pyrrhocoroidea represents an important group of true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) which includes fire bugs, cotton stainers and other taxa widely used in experimental studies or known as pests. However, the morphology and phylogeny of Pyrrhocoroidea have been only poorly studied so far. Here, structures of the external scent efferent system of the metathoracic scent glands are examined in 64 out of 71 currently valid genera of Pyrrhocoroidea and scanning electron micrographs are provided for most taxa. Several characters are revealed which define each of the three higher taxa within Pyrrhocoroidea: Larginae (small auriculate peritreme lacking manubrium and median furrow; metathoracic spiracle never surrounded by evaporatorium), Physopeltinae (large, widely open ostiole; large peritremal disc with manubrium [new term], lacking median furrow; mace-like mycoid filter processes of equal shape and size on both anterior and posterior margins of metathoracic spiracle), and Pyrrhocoridae (elongate auriculate peritreme with deep median furrow). Within Pyrrhocoridae, three main types (A, B and C) of the external scent efferent system are distinguished, differring in the amount of reductions. The findings are interpreted in the context of phylogenetic hypotheses available for Pyrrhocoroidea and their close relatives, Coreoidea and Lygaeoidea. An updated identification key to the families and subfamilies of Pyrrhocoroidea applicable for both sexes is provided.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Pentatoma rufipes (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae) and its phylogenetic implications

Pentatoma rufipes (Linnaeus, 1758) is an important agroforestry pest widely distributed in the Palaearctic region. In this study, we sequence and annotate the complete mitochondrial genome of P. rufipes and reconstruct the phylogenetic trees for Pentatomoidea using existing data for eight families published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. The mitogenome of P. rufipes is 15,887-bp-long, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region, with an A+T content of 77.7%. The genome structure, gene order, nucleotide composition, and codon usage of the mitogenome of P. rufipes were consistent with those of typical Hemiptera insects. Among the protein-coding genes of Pentatomoidea, the evolutionary rate of ATP8 was the fastest, and COX1 was found to be the most conservative gene in the superfamily. Substitution saturation assessment indicated that neither transition nor transversion substitutions were saturated in the analyzed datasets. Phylogenetic analysis using the Bayesian inference method showed that P. rufipes belonged to Pentatomidae. The node support values based on the dataset concatenated from protein-coding and RNA genes were the highest. Our results enrich the mitochondrial genome database of Pentatomoidea and provide a reference for further studies of phylogenetic systematics.