Molecular Phylogenetics of Geometrid Moths

Molecular phylogenetics has transformed our understanding of the evolutionary history of Geometridae, one of the largest families of Lepidoptera. By analysing sequence data from mitochondrial and nuclear genes, researchers have clarified the relationships among subfamilies, resolved long-standing uncertainties in tribal classifications and uncovered patterns of diversification across global biogeographical regions. Advances in high-throughput sequencing and phylogenomic methods now allow the interrogation of hundreds to thousands of loci, enabling robust tests of monophyly, detection of phylogenetic incongruence and refined estimates of divergence times. These insights underpin taxonomic revisions, reveal cryptic lineages and illuminate the timing and drivers of major radiations within this hyperdiverse group. The integration of molecular clocks with fossil calibration points, coupled with comprehensive taxon sampling, has yielded a more coherent picture of how geological events and climatic shifts have shaped the present-day diversity and distribution of geometrid moths.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A remarkable discovery of a geometrid caterpillar preserved in Eocene Baltic amber has provided the oldest direct evidence for modern lineages within the family. Morphological examination of the fossil, assigned to the tribe Boarmiini, extends the minimum age of that lineage to around 44 million years. This finding offers a critical calibration point for molecular-clock analyses, strengthening estimates of subfamily divergence and corroborating hypotheses of an early Eocene radiation following the angiosperm expansion. The integration of this fossil into phylogenetic frameworks has improved temporal resolution and reinforced the deep antiquity of core geometrid subfamilies.

Molecular Phylogenetics of Geometrid Moths publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in molecular phylogenetics of geometrid moths across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Phylogenomic: Analysis of evolutionary relationships using genome-scale molecular data.

Molecular clock: A method for estimating the timing of evolutionary events based on rates of genetic change.

Monophyly: A group comprising an ancestor and all of its descendants.

Maximum likelihood: A statistical approach to infer phylogenetic trees by maximising the probability of observed sequence data under a specified model.

Calibration point: A dated fossil or geological event used to constrain divergence-time estimates in molecular-clock analyses.

References

1. A phylogenomic perspective on the relationships of subfamilies in the family Geometridae (Lepidoptera). Systematic Entomology (2023).
2. Geometrid caterpillar in Eocene Baltic amber (Lepidoptera, Geometridae). Scientific Reports (2019).
3. Molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography and diversification patterns of a diverse group of moths (Geometridae: Boarmiini). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2021).
4. A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Geometridae (Lepidoptera) with a focus on enigmatic small subfamilies. PeerJ (2019).