A complex interplay of evolutionary forces continues to shape ancient co-occurring symbiont genomes.

Many insects depend on ancient associations with intracellular bacteria for essential nutrition. The genomes of these bacteria are often highly reduced. Although drift is a major driver of symbiont evolution, other evolutionary forces continue to influence them. To understand how ongoing molecular evolution and gene loss shape symbiont genomes, we sequenced two of the most ancient symbionts known, and , from 20 Hawaiian leafhoppers. We leveraged the parallel divergence of lineages throughout Hawaii as a natural experimental framework. and experience ongoing-but divergent-gene loss, often in a convergent fashion. Although some genes are under relaxed selection, purifying and positive selection are also important drivers of genome evolution, particularly in maintaining certain nutritional and cellular functions. Our results further demonstrate that symbionts experience dramatically different evolutionary environments, as evidenced by the finding that and have one of the slowest and fastest rates of molecular evolution known.