Phylogenetic Studies of ribosomal RNA variation in higher moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera: Ditrysia)

S. J. Weller, T. P. Friedlander, J. A. Martin, D. P. Pashley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

The selection of exemplars has been shown both theoretically and empirically to affect tree topology, but the importance of the number and nature of taxa used to represent higher taxonomic lineages in molecular studies is rarely stressed. In our rRNA study of higher moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera: Ditrysia), the selection of different exemplars and outgroups caused major tree rearrangements. We also examined the effectiveness with which conserved rRNA regions track the diversification of Lepidoptera. Homoplasy is as prevalent at the few variable sites of conserved regions (18E, 18J, 28F) as at the many variable sites of a more rapidly evolving region (2813). Finally, 2813 sequence variation differs qualitatively among lepidopteran superfamilies of presumed comparable age, the Papilionoidea (true butterflies) and Noctuoidea (cutworm moths and relatives).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)312-337
Number of pages26
JournalMolecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
Volume1
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1992
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank J. Leblanc and J. Constable for assistance in manuscript preparation. All alignments will be deposited in EMBL. The manuscript was improved by suggestions from M. Buchheim, S. Hackett, M. Hafner, M. Goodman, R. Zink, and an anonymous reviewer. Partial funding for this research was provided by joint Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund, NSF/EPSCoR Grants 86LBR [48]-048-08, and NSF Grant BSR-9006273.

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