Phylogenetic analysis and temporal diversification of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) based on nuclear genes and morphology

• Published in: BMC evolutionary biology Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 298
• Main Authors: Reidenbach, Kyanne R, Cook, Shelley, Bertone, Matthew A, Harbach, Ralph E, Wiegmann, Brian M, Besansky, Nora J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 22.12.2009; BioMed Central Ltd; BMC
• Subjects: Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Animals; Anophelinae; Aquatic insects; Biogeography; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Nucleus - genetics; Cretaceous; Culicidae; Culicidae - anatomy & histology; Culicidae - classification; Culicidae - genetics; Culicinae; Data collection; Diptera; Disease control; Entomology; Evolution; Evolution, Molecular; Evolutionary Biology; Genetic aspects; Genetics; Genetics and Population Dynamics; Genomes; Kinases; Life Sciences; Mitochondrial DNA; Morphology; Mosquitoes; Museum exhibits; Phylogeny; Research Article; Ribosomal DNA; Sabethini; Studies; Surface water; Taxonomy; Arginine Kinase; Codon Position; Mosquito Species; Rapid Radiation; Maximum Parsimony
• ISSN: 1471-2148; 1471-2148
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-9-298

Background Phylogenetic analyses provide a framework for examining the evolution of morphological and molecular diversity, interpreting patterns in biogeography, and achieving a stable classification. The generic and suprageneric relationships within mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are poorly resolved, making these subjects difficult to address. Results We carried out maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood, including Bayesian, analyses on a data set consisting of six nuclear genes and 80 morphological characters to assess their ability to resolve relationships among 25 genera. We also estimated divergence times based on sequence data and fossil calibration points, using Bayesian relaxed clock methods. Strong support was recovered for the basal position and monophyly of the subfamily Anophelinae and the tribes Aedini and Sabethini of subfamily Culicinae. Divergence times for major culicid lineages date to the early Cretaceous. Conclusions Deeper relationships within the family remain poorly resolved, suggesting the need for additional taxonomic sampling. Our results support the notion of rapid radiations early in the diversification of mosquitoes.