The morphological features of germling cells were examined to identify an unspecified resting cyst (described as Cochlodinium cf. polykrikoides-like resting cyst) in the Korean coastal area. LSU rRNA gene sequences were also obtained from a strain established from the germling cells. The resting cysts isolated from Korean coastal sediment were characterized as being brown in color, having a large dark-red body, and fibrous lobed ornaments. The germling cells were ellipsoidal with an irregular outline and had an open comma-shaped ASC (apical structure complex), a wide and deep cingulum, and a deep sulcus. These morphological features were consistent with those of previously described harmful dinoflagellate Pseudocochlodinium profundisulcus. The molecular phylogeny revealed that the germling cells and P. profundisulcus were conspecific. Based on these morphological and phylogenetic data, this study documents the occurrence of P. profundisulcus in a Korean coastal area for the first time.

Miridae show remarkable diversity (>11,700 spp.), accounting for a quarter of all Heteroptera. However, their phylogeny and evolutional history is still remain unclear. In this work, we provide new suggestions for the phylogeny of Miridae using a larger dataset than previous studies. In addition, we suggest an alternative evolutionary history based on newly calibrated divergence dates for Miridae and its subordinate groups, and present probable factors of the family’s success in terms of species diversity. The entire dataset comprises 16 outgroups and 188 ingroup taxa including all seven known subfamilies and 37 out of 45 known tribes. Each species is aligned as 3,577 bp with six molecular loci (COI, 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA D3 region, H2A, and H3A).

Coccidae is one of the major families of scale insects, with many species considered to be serious agricultural or horticultural pests. However, the phylogenetic relationships among coccid subfamilies, tribes and genera are poorly understood because the previous hypotheses are based only on morphological characters and cladistic analysis. Here, we present the first molecular phylogeny of the family based on DNA fragments of a mitochondrial gene (COI), nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S and 28S), and elongation factor-1α (EF-1α). We recover a monophyletic family Coccidae with strong support. However, some genera (Coccus and Pulvinaria), tribes (Coccini, Paralecaniini, Pulvinariini and Saissetiini) and subfamilies (Coccinae and Filippiinae) within the family found to be paraphyletic- or polyphyletic. Moreover, particular types of wax formation, which have been used as important taxonomic characters in Coccidae, were found in several unrelated taxa.

최근 우리나라 연안에서 출현빈도가 점차 늘어나고 있는 침편모조류에 속하는 Chattonella는 대표적인 유해조류 중 하나로, 이들 종은 세포벽이 없어, 단순히 세포의 형태나 크기 등 광학현미경 관찰만으로는 정확하게 동정하는 것이 어렵다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 2017년 득량만에서 발생한 Chattonella 적조 시료를 대상으로 단일 세포를 분리하고, 이들 시료의 28s rDNA, rbcL, psaA 영역을 대상으로 single-cell PCR 기법을 이용하여 종 동정을 실시하였다. 현미경 관찰 결과 장축은 평균 74.0±10.1㎛이고 단축은 평균 33.1±3.6㎛로 일반적인 Chattonella의 형태적 특징을 보였다. 28s rDNA, rbcL, psaA 영역을 대상으로 한 염기서열 비교 결과에서는 세 영역 모두에서 하나의 종으로 명확히 구분되지는 않았다. 하지만 C. marina, C. marina var. antiqua, C. marina var. ovata 그룹과 99~100% 높은 서열 유사성을 보였다.

Family Pentatomidae has a worldwide distribution, and is considered as one of the largest groups within the Heteroptera. The family is subdivided into 10 different morphological lineages (subfamilies): Aphylinae, Asopinae, Cyrtocorinae, Discocephalinae, Edessinae, Pentatominae, Phyllocephalinae, Podopinae, Serbaninae and Stirotarsinae, however the internal phylogeny and subfamily level relationships of the group remain unstudied. In this talk, molecular markers COI, 16S RNA, 28S RNA and 18S RNA with more than 200 species have been used to test their monophylies and relationships. Based on the results, reclassification and reinterpretation of the characters and groupings should be necessary to understand the evolutionary lineages that make up the Pentatomidae family.

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.

Family Nitidulidae is the second largest family in Cucujoidea which includes ten subfamilies. Because of their morphological and biological diversity, the phylogenetic relationship within Nitidulidae is one of the most debated topics among Cucujoidea phylogeny and yet, is still open to many questions. To recover the internal relationship of Nitidulidae, we performed ML and BI analyses that targeted on five gene regions (COI, 28s, CAD, H3, Wingless) for 73 taxa. We include 67 ingroups containing nine of the ten currently recognized subfamilies of Nitidulidae and 6 outgroups. The phylogenetic results suggest followings i) Subfamilial status of Prometopinae is reconfirmed; ii) Epuraeinae is paraphyletic with inclusion of Calonecrinae; iii) Nitidulinae is paraphyletic with inclusion of Meligethinae and Cillaeinae. In addition, the generic relationships within Nitidulinae and the evolutionary history of their feeding behaviors are also briefly discussed.

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.

Calaphidinae is one of the most species rich group in Aphididae. However their phylogenetic relationship is poorly understood. In this study, we reconstructed phylogenetic relationship of Calaphidinae and closely related groups to confirm the taxon boundary and ingroup relationship such as tribe and genera. In addition, evolutionary hypothesis of ancestral host-plant relationship was tested. We performed Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses of combined 4 mitochondrial (ATP6, COI, COII, CytB) and 1 nuclear (EF1α) sequences. Phylogenetic results suggested that Calaphidinae is not a monophyletic and Saltusaphidinae is nested in Calaphidinae. Phyllaphidinae forms a basal clade as the most primitive group of Calaphidinae. Reconstruction of ancestral host plant of Calaphidinae indicated that Calaphidinae might have evolved on members of Fagales plants.

Currently, phylogenetic relationships of Macroheterocera with the inclusion of Bombycoidea have been reconstructed using molecular data, but generated several hypotheses on familial relationships within Bombycoidea and among-superfamilial relationships within Macroheterocera. Thus, in this study, mitogenome-based superfamilial relationships of Macroheterocera and familial relationships among macroheteroceran superfamily, Bombycoidea, were tested with different algorithms and partition schemes. Additionally, two unrecorded species of Bombycoidea (Saturnia jonasii and Kentrochrysalis streckeri) detected in Korea using morphological and molecular data are presented.

The spotted-wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an Asian species introduced into North America and Europe. It damages a wide variety of thin-skinned fruits. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of D. suzukii to better understand the mitogenomic characteristics of this species and understand phylogentic relationships of Drosophila. The 16,230-bp complete mitogenome of the species consists of a typical set of genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes, and one major non-coding A+T-rich region, with an arrangement typical of insects. Twelve PCGs began with the typical ATN codon, whereas the COI began with TCG, which has been designated as the start codon for other Drosophila species. The 1,525-bp A+T-rich region is the second longest in Drosophila species for which the whole mitogenome has been sequenced, after D. melanogaster. Phylogenetic analysis with the 13 PCGs of the Drosophila species using Bayesian Inference and Maximum likelihood methods both placed D. suzukii at the basal lineage of the previously defined Melanogaster group, with a strong support.

The soft scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae) are plant-sucking insects, some of which are considered as serious agricultural pests. Here, we performed phylogenetic analysis of Coccidae, based on molecular fragments 1813bp containing mitochondrial DNA (COI), nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S and 28S), and elongation factor 1α (EF1-α). Data sets of 64 taxa were analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI). Our molecular analyses represent: 1) Monophyletic clade of Ceroplastinae is nested within the major clade of Coccinae; 2) Four tribes of Coccinae are paraphyletic, especially Megapulvinaria and Paralecanium not clustered within the major clade of Coccinae; 3) Didesmococcus is separated from the clade of Eulecaniinae; 4) Filippiinae and Cardiococcinae are paraphyletic with respect to some of Coccinae and Eulecaniinae.

For reviewing Korean species of Denticollinae and reconstructing phylogenetic relationships between subfamilies in Elateridae, three kinds of studies were conducted: 1) taxonomic review based on morphology; 2) DNA barcode for Denticollinae; 3) molecular phylogenetic study of Elateridae using 12 genetic markers. In taxonomic study, a total of 54 species were reviewed including 13 new species and then unrecorded species. In DNA barcoding, six cryptic and/or pseudocryptic species were confirmed by their sympatric or allopatric distribution. We propose a conservative threshold of 3.6% for convenient molecular operational taxonomic unit identification in Denticollinae. From this study, we confirmed that COI sequence is useful for reassessing species diversity for polymorphic and polytypic species occurring in sympatric and allopatric distributions. In molecular phylogenetic study, the phylogenetic inference constructed robust phylogeny with almost very strongly supported nodal values(>90%) and showed that Hypnoidinae, Oxynopterinae and Denticollinae are monophyletic; Elaterinae, Hemiopinae and Melanotinae are a monophyletic group; and two tribes in Denticollinae are paraphyletic, it is needed to reclassify their systematic accounts.