Molecular phylogenetics of Amblycorypha (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae): a molecular morphometric and molecular taxonomic approach

WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Charles Benedict Sither (Creator)
Institution
Western Carolina University (WCU )
Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
Advisor
Kefyn Catley

Abstract: Genus Amblycorypha (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) is comprised of 14 nominal species exhibitinghighly similar morphologies. Three major morphologically similar species complexes exist in Amblycorypha – the uhleri, oblongifolia, and rotundifolia complexes. While each species ismorphological similar, the songs that males use to attract mates differ drastically among species. Recently collected male and female mating songs suggest multiple undescribed species exist within the rotundifoliacomplex. Using molecular techniques, I aim to delimit species groups within Amblycorypha and attempt to reconstruct their evolutionary histories. The ITS1 (~461 bp), 5.8S (174 bp), and ITS2 (240 bp) nuDNA regions and a partial CO1 (523 bp) mtDNA gene were sequenced using massively parallel sequencing technologies. The CO1 mtDNA region was the most variable (10.1% overall mean distance), followed by ITS2 (1.1% mean distance), ITS1 (0.9% mean distance), and 5.8S (0.02% mean distance). A single nucleotide polymorphism was present in 5.8S uniting the uhleri complex as a clade. K2P interspecificdifferences had large overlap in both nominal species groups and unknown species groups. ML and MSC phylogenetic analyses recovered the uhleri complex as monophyletic, while the oblongifolia and rotundifolia complexes were polyphyletic. Additionally, 6 distinct clades of ‘unknown specimens’ were recovered in ML and MSC analyses using all gene targets. Finally, A. bartrami may represent a species complex based on the molecular evidence presented here. This study represents the first molecularphylogeny for genus Amblycorypha. While incomplete, this study supports additional cryptic species within the rotundifolia complex that were initially detected based on male songs.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2018
Keywords
Amblycorypha, cryptic species, katydid, phylogenetics
Subjects
Katydids -- Phylogeny
Katydids -- Phylogeny -- Molecular aspects
Katydids -- Variation
Divergence (Biology)

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