Molecular Phylogenetics and Taxonomy of Lepidoptera
Summary
The Lepidoptera, encompassing butterflies and moths, represent one of the most species-rich orders of insects. Molecular phylogenetics has revolutionised our understanding of their evolutionary history by employing DNA sequence data—often mitochondrial and nuclear loci—to infer cladistic relationships and to test longstanding morphological hypotheses. Advances in high-throughput sequencing and gene-target capture now permit resolution across both deep and shallow divergences, elucidating patterns of clade diversification, biogeographical dispersal and host-plant associations. Integrative taxonomy, combining molecular markers with classical morphology, has exposed cryptic species complexes and refined species boundaries, while also reshaping higher-level classification. These developments have had far-reaching implications for biodiversity assessment, conservation planning and pest management by providing robust frameworks for species identification and for tracing trait evolution across lineages worldwide.
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Molecular Phylogenetics and Taxonomy of Lepidoptera publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in molecular phylogenetics and taxonomy of lepidoptera across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Molecular phylogenetics: The inference of evolutionary relationships among organisms using DNA sequence data.
Taxonomy: The science of naming, describing and classifying organisms into a hierarchical framework.
DNA barcoding: The use of a standardised short DNA sequence—commonly from the mitochondrial COI gene—to identify species.
Cryptic species: Distinct species that are morphologically very similar and often only distinguishable through genetic analysis.
Zoogeography: The study of the geographical distribution of animal species and lineages.
References
- Review of the Neotropical Species of the Elachista praelineata Species Group (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, Elachistinae) with Identification Keys and Description of a New Species from Bolivia. Insects (2023).
- Global Biodiversity of the Family Lecithoceridae (Gelechioidea) with a Brief Historical Review. Diversity (2022).
- Annotated check list of the Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) of America North of Mexico. ZooKeys (2015).
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