Phylogenetic Relationship Of Some Dendrolimus Species Based On Ultrastructures

In order to support some research on the phylogenetic relationship of Dendrolimus species, especially the relationship between D. tabulaeformis Tsai et Liu and D. punctata punctata (Walker), the ultrastructures and characteristics, which of fore-and hind-wing scales of both male and female moths, and which of antennae and antennal sensilla of male moths, were observed by light microscope and scanning electronic microscope and analyzed with SPSS18.0. The results are stated below.1. The ultrastructures and characteristics of fore-and hind-wing scales of both male and female moths leads to the result that, there are ground scales and cover scales, both of them are hollow scales and their type of covering are type-2bilayer scale covering. There are no obvious correlations existed between the length and width of scales and the length of wings. There are no significant differences in scales between male and female moths, forewings and hind wings, upside-wings and underside-wings either. The discrepancies existing in the width and the ridge-distance of the scales among the5species moths are inconspicuous while the corresponding part of the length and the mix-ridge-number of scales between species are striking. Through the graph generated by hierarchical cluster analysis, the similarity of wing scales between different geographic populations of the same moth is higher. That is, different geographic populations of the same species usually cluster together. Research just by wing scales cannot ensure the relationship between D. punctata punctata and D. tabulaeformis.2. The morphology and ultrastructure of the antennae and sensilla of male Dendrolimus species and a male Trabala vishnou gigantina Yang (Lepidoptera:Lasiocampidae) were studied to show the result that, six morphological types of sensilla (S. trichoder, S. chaetica, S. styloconica, S. coeloconica, Bohm bristles, and foot-like sensilla) were identified. Six of the Dendrolimus moths and Trabala vishnou gigantina Yang share the same morphological sensilla type, as do various geographic populations of the same species. The exception, Dendrolimus spectabilis Butler, has foot-like sensilla. However, the sensilla subtypes were significantly different among species and/or populations. There were no remarkable differences in the width of the scape, pedicel, subflagellum, and the side-branches between the male species studied. However, we observed significant differences in the number of flagellomere and the length of scape, pedicel, sub-flagellums, and side-branches. The length and basal diameter of various types of sensilla did not vary significantly among Dendrolimus moths. Beyond that, there were no differences among populations of the same kind of species. Hierarchical cluster analysis suggest that D. punctata punctata, D. punctata wenshanensis, D. tabulaeformis, and D. spectabilis should be the same species as they cannot be clearly distinguished.Take perior researchers’results and our consequences into comprehensive consideration, we make a conclusion that D. tabulaeformis is a geographic subspecies of D. punctata punctata.