Phylogenetics, molecular diagnostics, and population genetics of sesiid moths (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae)

Partial DNA sequence data from the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome oxidase I and II genes were used to construct a molecular phylogeny based representative species from 10 of the 20 genera of Sesiidae. Maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian analysis were utilized. Sequencing of a 606-base pair region of the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI), tRNA leucine, and COII gene revealed 271 polymorphic sites among 20 species of Sesiidae. Genetic variation ranged from 0.8 to 21.2% among species. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analysis do not support the recent synonymy of Synansphecia as Pyropteran. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood support the recent divergence of Synanthedon pamphyla from Synanthedon culciformis, which are almost identical morphologically. Maximum likelihood, parsimony, and Bayesian analysis do not support the inclusion of Melittia cucurbitae in the Sesiinae subfamily. All analysis support Synanthedon included in the Sesiinae subfamily. All analyses also give support for Vitacea and Paranthrene forming the subfamily Paranthrenini. This is the first attempt to resolve relationships within Sesiidae with molecular data. Sesiidae are a divergent order of Lepidoptera in which many relationships should be examined more closely. Future studies should investigate nuclear markers to further support relationships supported by molecular data.;Researchers and growers often monitor for the presence of economically important sesiid adults using pheromone traps. These traps often attract more than one species of Sesiidae and specimens often degrade making identification difficult or impossible. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify a 606 bp region of the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI), tRNA leucine, and COII gene. Samples were sequenced and restriction sites identified. PCR-RFLP analysis was conducted on eight species of Sesiidae using two restriction enzymes, Dra I and Hinf I, and was able to differentiate all eight species of adult clearwing moths commonly found in traps baited with commercially available pheromone lures. This method is time efficient requiring less than 8 hours to perform and cost efficient with each sample about ;The lesser peachtree borer (LPTB), Synanthedon pictipes, belongs to the economically important Lepidopteran family Sesiidae. No studies on genetic variation or population structure on the genus Snyanthedon have been previously published. I examined DNA sequence variation in a 603 bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI), tRNA-leu and cytochrome oxidase II gene (COII) from three LPTB populations in Arkansas. From 114 LPTB collected from three populations, a total of 53 nucleotide positions were polymorphic, and 12 distinct haplotypes were observed. The most frequent haplotype occurred in 88% of the sampled LPTB's and in all three populations Sequence divergence among haplotypes ranged from 0.2% to 8.8%. According to the standard molecular clock proposed for lepidopteran mtDNA, the haplotypes have been diverging for up to 2.5 million years. The greatest amount of haplotype diversity was observed in the Fayetteville population where borer management is not maintained. High levels of gene flow were observed among the Clarksville, Springdale and Fayetteville populations suggesting the LPTB has a broad dispersal range. Examination of the genealogical relationships of 12 haplotypes suggests that distinct but morphologically indistinguishable subspecies may exist.