Molecular phylogeny of the butterfly genus Polytremis (Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae, Baorini) in China.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The genus Polytremis, restricted to the continental part of the southeastern Palaearctic and northern Oriental regions, is one of the largest and most diverse lineages of the tribe Baorini. Previous studies on the genus were focused mainly on morphological classification and identification of new species. Due to the lack of effective and homologous traits of morphology, there were many challenges in the traditional classification. In this report, we reconstruct the phylogeny to provide a solid framework for these studies and to test the traditional limits and relationships of taxa.

Methodology and principal findings

We sequenced a mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments, coupled with an evaluation of traditional morphological characters, to determine the ph

SUBMITTER: Jiang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3877198 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature