Three species, Luciola unmunsana and L. papariensis, endemic to Korea and L. tsushimana, endemic to Japan, have been taxonomically controversial whether they are independent or a single species for a long time. Therefore, we examined genetic diversity and evolutionary history of these species as well as including the related congeners using COI gene sequences (DNA barcoding region). Interestingly, we found seven paraphyletic groups from three species: two paraphyletic groups from L. papariensis, three paraphyletic groups from L. unmunsana and two paraphyletic groups from L. tsushimana. Among them, the group III of L. unmunsana collected from Jeolla-do province has never been recognized in the previous studies. A molecular clock analysis indicated that the origin of the major lineages of L. unmunsana, L. papariensis and L. tsushimana occurred between ~5.62 to 3.16 Ma. The origin of the major lineages of the group II and III of L. unmunsana, the group II of L. papariensis and the three groups of L. tsushimana occurred in 3.49 Ma (4.45–2.51 Ma, 95% HPD), which is consistent with the final disconnection of Japan from Korean Peninsula. The subsequent divergences of these paraphyletic groups clearly showed they have undergone allopatric speciation associated with geologic events in Korea and the sea level changes between Korea and Japan.

Bemisia tabaci is a species complex consisting of at least 40 species which are morphologically indistinguishable. Althoughgenetic diversity of B. tabaci have been studied in many countries, its information is lack in Bangladesh. The COI sequencewas determined from 91 samples collected in Bangladesh and the phylogenetic relationship was constructed. Four crypticspecies (Asia I, Asia II-1, Asia II-5 and Asia II-10) were present in different regions. While both Asia I and Asia II-1was widely distributed in all around the country, Asia II-5 was central and southern regions, and Asia II-10 was onlyin the central region. Otherwise, our results showed that Asia II-5 had the highest haplotype and nucleotide diversity.Genetic groups of B. tabaci in Bangladesh were most similar with those of Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, China, and Indiabut did not show any aggressive cryptic species such as MED and MEAM-1.

The JpL species is one of the 31 species belonging to the Bemisia tabaci complex and is distributed in two countries, Korea and Japan. To clarify genetic relationships among different populations of the JpL species in Korea, 83 cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences generated from 83 individuals collected from eight Korean provinces were analyzed together with published 16 Korean COI sequences. A total of eight haplotypes were detected from the 99 COI sequences, and 82 COI sequences shared one haplotype, hap-2. The remaining 17 COI sequences were assigned to seven haplotypes, hap-1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The median-joining networks of the eight haplotypes revealed that the Korean JpL species has undergone genetic variations separately according to two groups, Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island. In addition, the phylogenetic trees constructed based on the 99 COI sequences and published seven Japanese COI sequences were divided into two clades: clade(A) consisted of 97 COI sequences from the Korean Peninsula group, and clade(B) consisted of 19 COI sequences from the Jeju Island and Japan groups. Our study suggests that the Korean populations of the JpL species might have spread and be undergoing genetic variations separately according to the two groups, Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island.

Field surveys for the Bemisia tabaci complex were conducted from 2009 to 2013 in Korea, and the results were compared with published data of the B. tabaci complex. Three species, MED, MEAM1, and JpL, were collected from several provinces. The MED was mainly collected in greenhouses, displacing the earlier invasive species, MEAM1, and the JpL species was collected in the field. JpL is newly confirmed as a unique species of B. tabaci species complex in Korea and Japan.

Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is one of the most important insect pests in the world. In the present study, the taxonomic status of B. tabaci and the number of species composing the B. tabaci complex were determined based on 1,059 COI sequences of B. tabaci and 509 COI sequences of 153 hemipteran species. The genetic divergence within B. tabaci was conspicuously higher (on average, 11.1%) than interspecific genetic divergence within the respective genera of the 153 species (on average, 6.5%). This result indicates that B. tabaci is composed of multiple species that may belong to different genera or subfamilies. A phylogenetic tree constructed based on 212 COI sequences without duplications revealed that the B. tabaci complex is composed of a total of 31 putative species, including a new species, JpL. However, genetic divergence within six species (Asia II 1, Asia II 7, Australia, Mediterranean, New World, and Sub Saharan Africa 1) was higher than 3.5%, which has been used as a threshold of species boundaries within the B. tabaci complex. These results suggest that it is necessary to increase the threshold for species boundaries up to 4% to distinguish the constituent species in the B. tabaci complex.

The coastal Aleochara fucicola Sharp species complex include A. fucicola Sharp, A. hayamai Yamamoto and Maruyama, A. puetzi (Assing), and A. segregata Yamamoto and Maruyama. To clarify the delineation and phylogenetic relationships of the A. fucicola species complex, we conducted phylogenetic analyses based on molecular characters and detailed morphological characters by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The dataset comprised two mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase I and COII) and three nuclear protein coding genes (CAD, EF1-a, and Wingless) for 34 populations of four species of A. fucicola species complex. We found strong disagreement between mitochondrial and nuclear gene trees. Two species, A. puetzi and A. segregata, were not distinguished by mitochondrial DNA data, but distinguished by nuclear DNA data and SEM characters. A multilocus phylogeny and SEM images revealed four well-supported species lineages. Based on a multicolus phylogeny and SEM images, we conclude the following the taxonomic status of the Aleochara fucicola species complex with four species (A. fucicola, A. hayamai, A. puetzi, and A. segregata).

Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is one of the most important insect pests in the world. In the present study, the taxonomic status of B. tabaci and the number of species consisting of the B. tabaci complex were determined based on 1059 COI sequences of B. tabaci and 509 COI sequences of 153 hemipteran species. The genetic divergence within B. tabaci was conspicuously higher (onaverage,11.1%) than interspecific genetic divergence within the respective genera of the 153 hemipteran species (on average, 6.5%). This result indicates that B. tabaci is composed of multiple biological species that may belong to different genera or subfamilies. The phylogenetic tree constructed based on 212 COI sequences without duplications revealed that the B. tabaci complex is composed of a total of 31 putative species, including a new species, JpL. However, genetic divergences within five species, Asia III, Asia II 7, Mediterranean, New world, and Sub Saharan Africa 1, were higher than 3.5%, which has previously been used as a threshold of genetic boundary in distinguishing species of the B. tabaci complex. These results suggest the necessity to redefine the threshold for species boundaries to best distinguish the constituent species in the B.tabaci complex.

Field surveys for the B. tabaci species complex were conducted from 2009 to 2013 in Korea, and the results were compared with published data of the B. tabaci complex. Three species, Mediterranean, Middle East-Asia Minor 1, and JpL, were determined from several regions based on mitochondrial COI sequences. The Mediterranean was mainly collected in greenhouses, displacing the earlier invasive species, Middle East-Asia Minor, and the JpL was collected in the field. The JpL is newly confirmed as a unique species of B. tabaci complex in Korea and Japan.