In the present study, we report the first complete mitochondrial DNA genome of the genus Callipogon based on C.relictus, a natural monument and endangered species in South Korea. The mitogenome is 15,742 base pairs with 13 proteincoding genes (PCGs), two rRNAs, 22 tRNAs, and a 1033 bp long AT-rich region. The overall base composition was67.3% AT and 32.7 GC. Among 13 PCGs, seven genes (Nad2, Atp8, Atp6, Nad4L, Nad6, Cob, Nad1) harbour the typicalstop codon TAA or TAG, whereas remaining five genes terminate with T. Interestingly, Cox3 employs AGA as the terminationcodon.

We have determined the mitochondrial genome of Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto, 1968. The total length of the R. speratus kyushuensis is 15,898 bp with 65.3% A + T content. It consists of 13 protein–coding, 22 tRNA, 2 rRNA genes and an A+T–rich control region. All the protein–coding genes used ATN as start codon. But the stop codons were TAA, TAG, and an incomplete termination codon (T) abutting an adjacent tRNA gene. The A+T–rich control region was 1,105 bp in length with 67.8% A + T content

The number of reported mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from the monotypic Lasiocampoidea has been limited until recently. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of the lappet moth, Kunugia undans (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), and compared it to those of other lasiocampid species and macroheteroceran superfamilies (59 species in six superfamilies). The 15,570-bp long K. undans genome had the typical set of genes found in animal mitogenomes, with the exception of one additional trnR that are located between trnA and trnN loci. Considering that the two trnR copies are located in tandem with proper secondary structures and identical anticodons, a gene duplication event might be responsible for the presence of the two tRNAs. In summary, the general mitogenome characteristics of Lasiocampoidea did not differ greatly from the remaining macroheteroceran superfamilies, but it did exhibit some unique features.

The Gelechioidea is the second most species-rich group of Lepidoptera, but only limited number of mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences is available. Thus, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of a gelechioid Hieromantis kurokoi (Lepidoptera: Stathmopodidae) to use the data for future study for the higher phylogeny of Ditrysia in Lepidoptera. The arrangement of the genome was identical to typical one found in Ditrysia (trnM-trnI-trnQ) (underline for inverted gene). The COI began with CGA, which has been designated as the start codon for majority of lepidopteran species, whereas other protein-coding genes (PCGs) began with the typical ATN codon. The 360-bp long A+T-rich region harbored the conserved sequence blocks Phylogenetic analysis using the 13 PCGs both by Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum-likelihood (ML) methods indicated that H. kurokoi belonging to the family Stathmopodidae grouped together with within-familial species Atrijuglans hetaohei with the highest nodal support (BI, 1.0; ML, 100%).

In this study, we tested the effect of a range of insect orders including Trichoptera as outgroups for lepidopteran phylogeny. Phylogenetic analyses performed with four different partitioning schemes using the maximum-likelihood method provided four different topologies (T1-T4) and topological test most supported T1 topology. When the means of first principle component for nucleotide frequency between A/T and G/C of PCGs was considered Trichoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Orthoptera tended to result in T1 topology more frequently in the given ingroup taxa and outgroups tested. This result contradicts to the general view that the sister taxon might be the best outgroup. The T1 topology was largely consistent with a recent large molecular dataset-based lepidopteran phylogeney, presenting the relationships ((((((((((Noctuoidea + Geometroidea) + (Bombycoidea + Lasiocampoidea)) + Drepanoidea) + Mimallonoidea) + Pyraloidea) + Gelechioidea) + Papilionoidea) + Tortricoidea) + (Gracillaroidea + Yponomeutoidea)) + Hepialoidea).

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Camponotus atrox (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that is distributed only in Korea. This genome is 16,540 bp in size, contains typical sets of genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs). The C. atrox A+T-rich region is the longest in the sequenced ants as 1,402 bp and is comprised of an identical tandem repeat consisting of six 100-bp copies and one 96-bp copy. A total of 315 bp of intergenic-spacer sequences were spread over 23 regions. An attempt to align spacer sequences in ants turned out that alignment was mostly feasible among congeneric species, with a substantial sequence divergence, indicating the potential of these sequences as congeneric molecular markers. The A/T content in first and second codon positions of PCGs are similar in ants including C. atrox (73.9 vs. 72.3% on average). Estimation of degree of genetic divergence (e.g. non-synonymous substitution rate) with an increased taxon sampling among hymenopteran superfamilies indicated the presence of different rates of divergence between the suborders Symphyta and Apocrita as has previously been reported. The C. atrox mt genome has a unique gene arrangement, trnI-trnM-trnQ at the A+T-rich region and ND2 junction (underline for inverted gene), possibly originated from tandem duplication of trnM-trnI, resulting in trnM-trnI-trnM-trnI-trnQ and loss of first trnM and second trnI, resulting in trnI-trnM-trnQ.

The mulberry white caterpillar, Rondotia menciana, belongs to the lepidopteran family Bombycidae, in which the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori is included. In this study, we describe the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences of the species in terms of general genomic features and characteristic features found in the A+T-rich region. The 15,364-bp long genome consisted of a typical set of genes (13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes and 22 tRNA genes) and one major non-coding A+T-rich region, with the typical arrangement found in Lepidoptera. Twelve of the 13 PCGs start with typical ATN codons, except for the COI, which begins with CGA. Twelve of the 13 PCGs have complete stop codon, except for COII, which ends up with a single T. The 360-bp long A+T-rich region harbored the conserved sequence blocks that are typically found in lepidopteran insects. Additionally, the A+T-rich region of R. menciana contained one tRNAMet-like structure, which has a proper anticodon and secondary structure.

We report the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Apodemia mormo, which belongs to the lepidopteran family Riodinidae. The 15,262-bp long complete genome is comprised of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one major non-coding A+T-rich region, with the arrangement typically found in majority of Lepidoptera. The genes of A. mormo are interleaved with a total of 168 bp, which are spread over 16 regions and overlap in a total of 58 bp at eight locations. All tRNAs of the A. mormo mitogenome formed typical cloverleaf structure, except for tRNASer(AGN), which formed the truncated dihydrouridine arm. COI gene started with CGA, instead of canonical ATN as seen in other Lepidoptera. The 349-bp long A+T-rich region harbored the conserved sequence blocks, such as ATAGA motif, poly-T stretch, the conserved ATTTA sequence, and microsatellite A/T repeat that are typically found in Lepidoptera, but absent for tRNA-like pseudogene.