Phylogeny and evolution of parthenogenesis in Finnish bagworm moth species (Lepidoptera : Psychidae : Naryciinae) based on mtDNA-markers

Abstract

We investigated species diversity and evolution of parthenogenesis among bagworm moth species of Dahlica and Siederia using mitochondrial DNA sequencing. Parthenogenesis is rare among Lepidoptera other than Psychidae. Genera Dahlica and Siederia form a confusing group with controversial species boundaries and widely overlapping morphological features that make species determination difficult. We evaluated the reliability of species determination based on wing scale morphology by comparing it with a phylogenetic tree obtained using mtDNA. Species determination based on morphological characteristics did not correspond to species determination based on mtDNA markers. On the basis of the molecular phylogeny, the status of these two genera is questionable. Our results indicate that parthenogenetic D. fennicella, D. triquetrella and D. lichenella evolved independently from different sexual ancestors suggesting that asexual reproduction is favoured in this group.