Systematics and phylogeny of the genus Bucculatrix (Lepidoptera: Bucculatricidae) with special attention to larval mode of life and trophic relationships

Abstract

The hypotheses concerning position of the family Bucculatricidae in the modern lepidopteran classifications are shortly reviewed. The phylogenetic analysis of the genus Bucculatrix was carried out with maximum parsimony approach. Monophyly of the genus is supported by 5 synapomorphies. The genus is splitted into 5 early diverged taxa (species groups: albella, ceanothiella, gnaphaliella, lavaterella, magnella) and one monophyletic clade (species groups: (albedinella, armata, basifuscella, bechsteinella, cidarella, demaryella, endospiralis, formosa, frangutella, ilecella, ulmella) supported by a synapomorphy: a presence of longitudinal row of cornuti in aedeagus. The groups of magnella and gnaphaliella are both associated with Asteraceae, the former group retains the ancestral position of the bases of the male tegminal lobes. The group lavaterella retains the most archaic structure of the anellus of the male genitalia; all species develop on Malvaceae. Among two other early derivated species-groups, albella shows no autapomorphies and ceanothiella possesses derivatively bulbous base of the aedeagus, with only Rhamnaceae recorded as their food plants. The monophyletic clade is splitted into two subclades. The subclade formed by endospiralis and formosa seems to be more primitive, these taxa sharing the presence of the gnathos in males. Within the rest of groups forming another subclade, the relationships between cidarella, demaryella, and ulmella are supported by one synapomorphy: modified anellus of male genitalia; larvae often feed on amentiferous plants. Other groups, albedinella, armata, basifuscella, bechsteinella, frangutella, and ilecella share one derivative character: presence of spines or other sclerotizations in the ductus bursae of females; larvae are known as the miners of various arboreal plants, mainly belonging to the families Rhamnaceae and Rosaceae. Tendencies in the relationships between the moths and their host plants are discussed on the base of the obtained phylogenetic hypothesis.