On the value of Elongation factor-1alpha for reconstructing pterygote insect phylogeny.

Pterygota are traditionally divided in two lineages, the "Palaeoptera" and Neoptera. Despite several efforts neither morphology nor molecular systematics have resolved the phylogeny of the pterygote insects. Too few markers have yet been identified for adequately tracking mesozoic-aged divergences. We tested the Elongation factor-1alpha for its phylogenetic value in pterygote insect systematics. This highly conserved nuclear protein-coding gene has previously been reported to be useful in other groups for phylogenetic analyses at the intraordinal level as well as at the interordinal level. The analyses suggest that EF-1alpha DNA sequences as well as intron positions provide informative markers for pterygote phylogenetics.