We present the first comprehensive cladistic analysis of Miridae, the plant bugs, based on analysis of 3935 base pairs of mitochondrial (16S, COI) and nuclear (18S, 28SD3) DNA for 91 taxa in seven subfamilies. We analyzed the data using maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP), and Bayesian inference (BI) phylogenetic frameworks. A Bayesian relaxed molecular clock was used to examine divergence times, and ancestral feeding habits were reconstructed using parsimony and a Bayesian approach. Clades recovered in all analyses are as follows: Cimicomorpha, Miroidea, and Miridae; Bryocorinae: Bryocorini; Stenodemini; Mirinae; Deraeocorinae (Clevinemini + Deraeocorini); Cylapinae; Isometopinae; Bryocorinae: Dicyphini; Orthotylini; Phylinae (Phylini + Pilophorini), and Phylinae is sister-group to all the remaining mirid taxa. These results are largely congruent with former hypotheses based on morphological data with respect to the monophyly of various subfamilies and tribes however, our results indicate that the subfamily Bryocorinae is not a monophyletic group as the two tribes, Dicypini and Bryocorini, were separated in our phylogeny. Ancestral feeding state reconstructions based on Bayesian and parsimony inference were largely congruent and both reconstructed phytophagy at the root of the Miridae.

• Sunghoon Jung(Entomology Program, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Seunghwan Lee(Entomology Program, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National Univers)