The dung beetle, Copris tripartitus, has been listed as an endangered insect in Korea. In contrast to typical genomic characteristics, the 15,457-bp long, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of C. tripartitus has a few unusual characteristics. The genome has the trnP-trnT arrangement at the ND4L-ND6 junction, which is found only in two species of Scarabaeoidea, including C. tripartitus, in 53 available species. Twelve protein coding genes (PCGs) have typical ATT and ATG start codons, whereas COII had the start codon GTA, which is unprecedented in Scarabaeidae. The 297-bp A + T-rich region, which is the shortest available in Scarabaeidae, harbors three repeat units (26, 29, and 21 bp), each consisting of duplicated identical sequences interspersed in the A + T-rich region. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using the concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and two rRNA genes using both the Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods for the families Scarabaeidae and Lucanidae that are available for their mitogenomes in Scarabaeoidea. Our consensus phylogeny yielded monophylies of each family and the subfamily Scarabaeinae in Scarabaeidae with the high nodal supports (0.99-1 by BI and 79-100 by ML). Among the three tribes, represented by multiple genera in Scarabaeinae each Oniticellini and Onitini was supported as monophyletic groups with the highest nodal supports (1 by BI and 100 by ML), whereas Onthophagini was non-monophyletic group, presenting the tribe relationships: ((((Oniticellini + Onthophagini [Caccobius, Milichus, Onthophagus]) + Onthophagini [Digitonthophagus, Phalops]) + Onitini) + (Phanaeini + Eurysternini) + Coprini).

Currently, phylogenetic relationships of Bombycoidea have been reconstructed using molecular data, but generated several hypotheses on among-familial relationships [(especially, “Satruniidae+Bombycidae+Sphingidae” group)] within Bombycoidea. Thus, in this study, we sequenced 39 mitogenomes from both Bombycoidea and Lasiocampoidea. Consequently, one topology was obtained on the basis of ML and BI methods. It suggested the monophyly of the two superfamilies (Bombycoidea and Lasiocampoidea) consistently with a high nodal support; the sister relationship between Saturniidae and Sphingidae in “SBS”; and the sister relationships between Bombycidae and the Saturniidae + Sphingidae group.

The Acoptolabrus changeonleei Ishikawa et Kim, 1983 (Coleoptera: Carabidae), has been listed as an endangered insect in South Korea. The complete mitochondrial genome of the species was 16,831 bp with a typical set of genes (13 protein-coding genes [PCGs], 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes) and one non-coding region, with the arrangement identical to that observed in most insect genomes. Phylogenetic analyses with concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA genes, using the Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) methods, placed A. changeonleei as a sister to the within-subfamilial species Damaster mirabilissimus in Carabinae, with the highest nodal support by both analyses.

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.

Sanghuangporus sanghuang (Hymenochaetaceae, Agaricomycetes) is a medicinal mushroom which has gained particular attention in Korea as a natural immune booster and a cancer suppressor. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies clarified the species concept of S. sanghuang extensively used in Asia including Korea, China, and Japan. In this study, we assembled its mitochondrial genome and identified the locations and functions of genes and coding regions using next-generation sequencing. Raw sequencing data was produced using PacBio approach, and assembled through hierarchical genome assembly process (HGAP). Determining the mitocondrial regions GeSeq and Artemis annotation tools were used. And the resulting gene map was visualized using OGDraw software. A total of 108 reads was aligned with a coverage of 11.87X. The entire mitochondrial genome was 111,734 bp in length, in which 24 proteins and 46 transfer RNAs were recognized. The overall base composition is 38.37% A, 38.42% T, 11.05% C and 12.14% G with an GC content of 23.2%. This mitochondrial genome data can be used to understand its phylogenetic relationship and taxonomic resolution and as a source of markers for population and species delimitation.

Despite of a substantial effort, the phylogeny of Lepidoptera still has unstable taxa and unresolved relationships particularly form Apoditrysia to Ditrysia (e.g. phylogenetic position and familial relationships of Gelechioidea, the monophylies of Tineoidea and Zygaenoidea and so on). We performed phylogenetic analysis using ~13,000-bp length of mitogenome sequences form 50 species (with seven species in two superfamilies form this study) representing 13 superfamilies to improve the lepidopteran phylogeny from Apoditrysia to Ditrysia. A close relationship of Gelechioidea to Obtectomera than to apoditrysian taxa was noteworthy, although the nodal support is very weak (ML, 23%; BI, BPP = 0.94). Monophyly of Zygaenoidea without Epipyropidae (Epipomponia nawai) was also noteworthy in spite of weak nodal support (ML, 64%; BI, 1.0). Scrutinized analysis is currently underway.

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