Molecular phylogeny of the fungus gnat subfamilies Sciophilinae and Leiinae (Mycetophilidae), with notes on Sciaroidea incertae sedis (Diptera: Bibionomorpha)

Abstract

Abstract The phylogeny of the subfamilies Sciophilinae and Leiinae (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) is reconstructed, based on three nuclear (18S, 28S, CAD) and three mitochondrial (16S, COI, Cytb) gene fragments. The analysis supports the monophyly of Sciophilinae in a strict sense, without the Paratinia Mik, 1874 genus group and genera Aneura Marshall, 1896 and Taxicnemis Tonnoir and Edwards, 1927, the latter two revealed as being the most plesiomorphic within Mycetophilidae. The subfamily Leiinae is found monophyletic, but only in much narrower sense than it was defined based on recent morphological analyses. The genus TaiwanosciaroidesSaigusa, 2018 synon. nov. is considered to be a junior synonym of DeimyiaKallweit, 2002. A new molecular phylogeny of Sciaroidea is presented, based on longer sequences of nuclear genes (18S, 28S, CAD) and three mitochondrial gene fragments (12S, 16S, COI), including 10 genera of the Sciaroidea incertae sedis group. Eight of them grouped together (ufboot2 = 93), including RangomaramaJaschhof and Didham, 2002 (family Rangomaramidae). Two outlier genera, Ohakunea Edwards, 1927 and HeterotrichaChandler, 2002, grouped within Sciophilinae and as the sister-taxon to Sciaridae, respectively. Our results spark a debate over how to interpret and combine molecular and morphological data, and we refrain from reclassifications at this point.