Cen Wei, Li Jia-Wen, He Jia-Tao, Chen Xin-Yu, Li Luo-Ying, Storey Kenneth B, Yu Dan-Na, Zhang Jia-Yong
College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China.
Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
Insects. 2025 Apr 25;16(5):452. doi: 10.3390/insects16050452.
Archaeognatha (bristletails) represent an evolutionarily significant but understudied insect group. Notably, the morphological identification method proposed by Mendes for Archaeognatha has certain limitations, which may lead to the underestimation or misidentification of some cryptic species. To address this issue, we employed an integrated strategy that combines morphological and molecular identification methods. Therefore, this study aimed to (1) identify cryptic diversity within using mitogenomic data; (2) clarify phylogenetic relationships among Archaeognatha lineages; and (3) estimate divergence times for key taxonomic splits. We analyzed mitochondrial genomes from six populations (Liaoning, Jilin, and Hebei Provinces) alongside 14 published Archaeognatha genomes. Key findings include the following: (1) Integrative analyses of genetic distances, phylogenetic reconstruction, bPTP-based molecular species delimitation, and divergence time estimation collectively revealed four evolutionarily distinct lineages within . (2) Machilidae and Machilinae were non-monophyletic, whereas Petrobiellinae showed close affinity to Meinertellidae. (3) Archaeognatha originated ~301.19 Mya (Late Carboniferous); the Machilinae-Petrobiinae split occurred approximately 153.99 Mya (Jurassic). This study underscores the critical importance of mitogenomic analysis in elucidating cryptic biodiversity, while emphasizing the necessity of integrating morphological identification with molecular characterization for comprehensive species delineation in future taxonomic investigations.
石蛃目（石蛃）代表了一个在进化上具有重要意义但研究不足的昆虫类群。值得注意的是，门德斯提出的石蛃目形态鉴定方法存在一定局限性，这可能导致一些隐性物种被低估或误鉴定。为了解决这个问题，我们采用了一种将形态学和分子鉴定方法相结合的综合策略。因此，本研究旨在：（1）利用线粒体基因组数据识别石蛃目内的隐性多样性；（2）阐明石蛃目各谱系之间的系统发育关系；（3）估计关键分类分歧的分化时间。我们分析了来自六个石蛃目种群（辽宁省、吉林省和河北省）的线粒体基因组以及14个已发表的石蛃目基因组。主要发现如下：（1）对遗传距离、系统发育重建、基于bPTP的分子物种界定和分化时间估计的综合分析共同揭示了石蛃目内四个进化上不同的谱系。（2）石蛃科和石蛃亚科不是单系的，而毛石蛃亚科与米氏石蛃科关系密切。（3）石蛃目起源于约3.0119亿年前（晚石炭世）；石蛃亚科 - 毛石蛃亚科的分化发生在大约1.5399亿年前（侏罗纪）。本研究强调了线粒体基因组分析在阐明隐性生物多样性方面的关键重要性，同时强调了在未来分类学研究中为全面物种划分将形态鉴定与分子特征相结合的必要性。
