Abstract
The phylogenetic relationships among all taxa within the Acrididae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) were largely unknown until now. In this study, to further investigations, 24 species of Acrididae from China were used as sample taxa. The sequence constitutions and variations were analyzed and the molecular phylogenetic trees were reconstructed based on the combined sequence data (795 bp length in total) of 12S rDNA and 16S rDNA, using the grasshopper Pyrgomorpha conica of Pyrgomorphidae as the outgroup. The results showed that the rates of the two kinds of transitions are obviously much higher than that of the four kinds of transversions in these combined 12S+16S rDNA sequence data. The saturation of nucleotide substitutions happened in 12S and 16S rDNA sequence data. The molecular phylogenetic trees indicated that Oedipodinae is a monophyletic group and this subfamily is a natural one, but Catantopinae and Acridinae are non-monophyletic. Oedipodnae is a relatively primitive group within the Acrididae, whereas the Oxyinae may have diverged later than Oedipodinae, but earlier than most other species of Acridide.
Highlights
The phylogenetic relationships among all taxa within the Acrididae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) were largely unknown until now
What are the phylogenetic relationships of some taxa within the Acrididae? Is each subfamily within the Acrididae a monophyletic group? In this study, using Pyrgomorpha conica of Pyrgomorphidae as the outgroup, the molecular phylogenetic trees were reconstructed based upon the combined data of the 12S rDNA of 17 species, the homologous sequences of 8 species and 16S rDNA of 25 species in Acrididae grasshoppers to reassess their phylogenetic relationships, so as to further clarify these unresolved issues
1.1 Samples and DNA extraction Seventeen species of grasshoppers from the Acrididae were collected from China (Tab. 1) and the samples were stored in absolute ethanol at −20°C
Summary
1.1 Samples and DNA extraction Seventeen species of grasshoppers from the Acrididae were collected from China (Tab. 1) and the samples were stored in absolute ethanol at −20°C. Two different types of phylogenetic analyses were performed as below: the minimum evolution (ME) and the Bayesian inference. The relations between clusters were identical for Clade I, Clade II, and Clade III in ME and Bayesian trees, but topologies of Clade IV were different in the two trees It was same between the two trees that S. prasiniferum sinense (Spathosterninae), S. prasiniferum prasiniferum (Spathosterninae) and To. sinensis (Melanoplinae) were clustered into one cluster, Xe. brachycerus (Catantopinae) and Xe. humilis (Catantopinae) were clustered into one cluster, Ch. rosea rosea (Cytacanthacridinae) and Pa. succincta (Cytacanthacridinae) clustered into one cluster, and Ce. fasciata szemaoensis (Acridinae) and Ce. fasciata fasciata (Acridinae) clustered into one cluster. These nodes were supported by high values of interior branch test (Fig. 1) or posterior probability values (Fig.2)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
