Solving basal phylogeny and some taxonomic problems within family Ceratopogonidae (Diptera) using 16S rDNA sequences
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Proccedings of the 6th International Congress of Dipterology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | Ceratopogonidae 16S phylogeny Diptera Dasyhelea |
| Description | The family Ceratopogonidae is a diverse and interesting family of biting flies containing vectors of viruses, protoza and nematodes as well. Sequences from the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene were analysed for 16 species of the family Ceratopogonidae representing 6 genera of 3 subfamilies. Phylogenetic reconstruction by NJ, MP and MP methods gave a strong support to the monophyly and the recent systematics of the family. The analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences supported the separation of the family to the subfamily and tribe level. We documented also the ability of 16S rRNA gene sequences to distinguish species within a genus. Obtained results in general confirmed the intrageneric classification and helped to resolve some taxonomical problems, i.e. supported the validity of species Dasyhelea saxicola, D. versicolor and D. septuosa, which are very variable in their morphological characters and difficult to identify on the basis of their morphology. The only phylogenetic study based on molecular data analysed sequences of the cox2 gene and supported the monophyly of the family as well as the recent classification based on morphological characters (Beckenbach & Borkent 2003). However, cox2 gene was not tested for its usefullnes on interspecific level. First, we used the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences to analyse a molecular phylogeny of the family and compared the generic relationships with the established phylogeny of this group based on morphology and fossil records. Second, we tested the usefullnes of 16S gene marker on the genus and species level and by using these sequences we tried to revise the validity of problematic taxa from the genus Dasyhelea. The study was financially supported by the PhD Research Fellowship of Ministry of Education GA ČR 524/05/H536 and grant MSM No. 0021622416 of the Masaryk University. |
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