We newly sequenced mitogenomes of five skippers belonging to Lepidoptera to obtain further insight into characteristics of butterfly mitogenomes and performed phylogenetic reconstruction using all available gene sequences (PCGs, rRNAs, and tRNAs) from 85 species in 19 families in eight superfamilies. The general genomic features found in the butterflies also were found in the five skippers: a high A/T composition (79.3% - 80.9%), dominant usage of TAA stop codon, similar skewness pattern in various levels, consistently long intergenic spacer sequence between tRNAGln - ND2 (64-87 bp), the ATACTAA motif betweent RNASer(UCN) and ND1, and characteristic features of the A+T-rich region (the motif ATAGA, varying length of poly-T stretch, and poly-A stretch). The start codon for COI was CGA in four skippers as typical, but Lobocla bifasciatus evidently possessed canonical ATG as start codon. Phylogenetic analyses mainly yielded the consensus superfamilial relationships ((((((Bombycoidea + Noctuoidea + Geometroidea) + Pyraloidea) + Papilionoidea) + Tortricoidea) + Yponomeutoidea) + Hepialoidea) with a high support for most nodes, confirming the validity of Macroheterocera and its sister relationship to Pyraloidea. Within Rhopalocera the familial relationships (Papilionidae + (Hesperiidae + (Pieridae + ((Lycaenidae + Riodinidae) + Nymphalidae))) were strongly supported, confirming invalidity of the superfamily Hesperioidea. On the other hand, superfamilial relationships among Noctuoidea, Geometroidea, and Bombycoidea and the familial relationships among Saturniidae, Sphingidae, and Bombycidae were dubious, requiring further representative taxon sampling.

Lepidoptera is one of the largest insect orders, but the phylogenetic relationships within this order, have yet to be completely described. One of the unresolved relationships includes the monophyly of Papilionoidea in relationship with the monotypic superfamily Hesperioidea. We newly sequenced five hesperid mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes), representing four subfamilies: Pyrginae (Daimio tethys and Lobocla bifasciatus), Coeliadinae (Choaspes benjaminii), and Hesperiinae (Potanthus flavus), and Heteropterinae (Carterocephalus silvicola). Along with these newly sequenced hesperid genomes phylogenetic analysis was conducted with all available lepidopteran mitogenomes including three reported species of Hesperiidae that consisted of ~70 species in ten lepidopteran superfamilies. The test for the effect of optimization schemes, such as exclusion and inclusion of third codon position of 13 PCGs, other genes (22 tRNAs and two rRNAs), and with and without partitions also was performed. Majority of datasets consistently placed the monophyletic Hesperiidae the sister to ((Pieridae + Lycaenidae) + Nymphalidae), placing another true butterfly family Papilionidae as the basal lineage of this group, presenting the relationships (Papilionidae + (Hesperiidae + ((Pieridae + Lycaenidae) + Nymphalidae))). Consistent to previous result, Pyraloidea was placed as the sister to ((Bombycoidea + Geometroidea) + Noctuoidea), placing the Macrolepidoptera as non-monophyletic group.

Gene arrangement in the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) has been regarded as an important evolutionary event that is useful as a phylogenetic signal. The mountainous duskywing, Erynnis montanus, belongs to a lepidopteran family Hesperiidae. We sequenced 15,530-bp long complete mitogenome of the species. The genome has the typical gene content of animals (13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one major non-coding A+T-rich region). Further, E. montanus mitogenome also contained a high A/T content in the whole genome (81.7%) and the CGA (arginine) as the start codon for the COI gene, as typical in lepidopteran mitogenome. However, unlike other lepidopteran species, including two sequenced skippers, the E. montanus mitogenome has a unique arrangement tRNASer-tRNAAsn, instead of the tRNAAsn-tRNASer found unanimously in other lepidopteran species, providing a new gene arrangement in Lepidoptera. Such rearrangement probably was likely caused by duplication of gene block tRNASer-tRNAAsn and subsequent random loss of tRNAAsn in the first copy and tRNASer in the second copy, resulting in the arrangement tRNASer-tRNAAsn. Considering current phylogenetic relationships among available lepidopteran groups in connection with lepidopteran gene arrangement the new gene arrangement found in E. montanus seems to be apomorphy, requiring cautious interpretation as a phylogenetic signal.

익산지역에서 벼 줄점팔랑나비(Parnara guttata)는 1년에 3세대를 경과하며, 5월중 하순부터 월동처에서 우화하여 논으로 이동한 다음 벼 잎에 산란하기 시작하였다. 유충에 의한 벼의 피해는 7월 하순부터 증가하여 8월 중 하순 사이에 가장 많은 것으로 관찰되었으며, 3세대 성충이 우화하기 시작하는 시기는 9월 중순이었다. 벼의 이망시기와 줄점팔랑나비에 의한 피해는 만식한 논에서 켰다. 살충제를 유충발생 최성기 약 1주일 전인 7월 하순에 처리하였을 때 91.2%의 방제효과를 나타낸 반면 8월 초순에 처리할 경우에는 방제효과가 57.2%로 낮았다.

벼줄점팔랑나비(P. guttata)에 대한 형태적 특징과 생활사에 대한 조사를 2001년부터 2002년까지 수행하였다. 성충은 황갈색으로 체장은 암수 각각 17.4 mm, 16.2 mm이었고, 각각의 날개편길이는 35.2 mm, 30.6 mm이었다. 난은 핑크색으로 반구형이며, 유충은 유백색-황녹색으로 체장은 2.9-30.6 mm이고, 용은 회색으로 체장은 23.8-25.7mm이었다. 실온조건에서 난기간은 4.5일, 유충기간 30.2일, 그리고 용기간은 6.9일이었다. 또한 성충의 수명은 암컷이 10.1일이었고, 산란수는 205.5개이었다.

To conserve the population of a hesperiid butterfly, Leptalina unicolor, inhabiting the protected areas of Jaeyaksan, we provide ecological information on their behavior and propose habitat conservation measures, such as the creation of alternative habitats based on comprehensive information. The behavioral study used a method of re-capture after releasing the butterfly with enamel marks on the wings. Adult behaviors were shown in four patterns: flying, settling on a plant, nectar absorption, and water absorption. Both males and females had the highest proportion of flight movement overall; however, males had a slightly higher proportion of flight movement. As for duration, females spent more time settling on plants to select spawning sites, and males seemed to take a longer time for water absorption activities, to absorb minerals needed to form the spermatophore. The average travel distance of butterflies was 27.5 m for females and 46.7 m for males, with daily activity ranges from 11.2 m to 43.8 m, and 21.4 to 57.6 m, respectively. The most important condition to preserve the habitat of Leptalina unicolor is to maintain the community of Miscanthus sinensis, a food plant. Additionally, because this butterfly has a high rate of water absorption activities, wetlands should be maintained.

Leptalina unicolor is a hesperiid butterfly with a restricted distribution in Korea, Japan, China, and Russia. Recently, the number of individuals is rapidly decreased in their natural habitat. This skipper has been classified as an endangered species in the ‘Red Data Book’, and according to an IUCN report, is under threat of extinction. Therefore, the conservation and restoration of this species both locally and globally are urgently needed. A population of L. unicolor was found in an unknown habitat in Jaeyaksan, Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea in 2011, and these individuals were used in the present study. Here, the life cycle, characteristics of each instar larva and breeding information were determined by breeding L. unicolor in the laboratory from 2012 to 2015. The results indicated that L. unicolor occurs twice a year and over-winter as a fifth instar larva. A springform female individual laid 17.25±5.52 eggs, and summer form laid 29.00±5.86 eggs; it takes 53.79±0.73 days for L. unicolor to develop from eggs to adults. After spawning, the eggs developed in 6.16±0.18 days, and larvae developed in 33.71±0.58 days; the pre-pupal stage to emergence required 14.22±0.31 days. Based on these results, we presented effective breeding information for the restoration and proliferation of the species. Several candidate plants species have been reported in the literature as a food source for L. unicolor, but we found that the preferred diet this butterfly was Miscanthus sinensis. The larvae could move easily when their preferred diet was planted in 80% the cage floor area Year-round breeding was achieved by placing overwintering individuals in low temperatures in autumn. To our knowledge, this is the first study to the biology of L. unicolor in Korea, and the results of this study could be used as preliminary information for the conservation and restoration of this species in its natural habitat.