DNA barcoding reveals an unexpected diversity in Old World Vermileonidae (Insecta: Diptera)

2022/09/08 by Kehlmaier, Christian
#COI #DNA barcoding #Diptera #Vermileonidae #systematics #wormlions

paper · doi:10.20363/bzb-2021.70.2.339

Abstract

Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood were used to analyse the DNA sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene of 69 wormlion specimens (Diptera: Vermileonidae). Most of the studied individuals belong to Old World taxa and belong to four genera, i.e., Vermileo (n=53), Lampromyia (n=13), Vermipardus (n=2), and Leptynoma (n=1). Species of the genus Vermileo were resolved into two distinct groups, with the analysed Nearctic species placed in a distinct grouping from the Palaearctic and Afrotropic taxa. Old World Vermileo species were divided into a western and eastern species group. Eight unnamed genetic lineages within the Palaearctic members of the genus Vermileo were identified, separated by a p distance of at least 0.038, and are regarded as putative species. Vermileo cylindraceus (Costa, 1844) stat. rev. is reinstated as a valid species.

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