Hideyuki Chiba

Clarification of the Phylogenetic Framework of the Tribe Baorini (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae) Inferred from Multiple Gene Sequences

Members of the skipper tribe Baorini generally resemble each other and are characterized by dark brown wings with hyaline white spots. These shared characteristics have caused difficulties with revealing the relationships among genera and species in the group, and some conflicting taxonomic views remain unresolved. The present study aims to infer a more comprehensive phylogeny of the tribe using molecular data, to test the monophyly of the tribe as well as the genera it includes in order to clarify their taxonomic status, and finally to revise the current classification of the group. In order to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree, the mitochondrial COI-COII and 16S genes as well as the nuclear EF-1α and 28S genes were analyzed using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference. The analysis included 67 specimens of 41 species, and we confirmed the monophyly of Baorini, and revealed that 14 genera are well supported. The genus Borbo is separated into three clades: Borbo, Pseudoborbo, and Larsenia gen. nov. We confirmed that Polytremis is polyphyletic and separated into three genera: Polytremis, Zinaida, and Zenonoida gen. nov., and also confirmed that the genus Prusiana is a member of the tribe. Relationships among some genera were strongly supported. For example, Zenonia and Zenonoida were found to be sister taxa, closely related to Zinaida and Iton, while Pelopidas and Baoris were also found to cluster together.

A new species of Potanthus from montane forests in Taiwan providing additional evidence of biotic relationship between the Philippines and the Asian continent (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae; Hesperiinae)

A previously undescribed, montane forest-dwelling Potanthus is reported as a species endemic to Taiwan. Its closest relatives are suggested to be P. flavus, distributed from the continental Asia to Japan, and P. niobe from the Philippines, based upon two synapomorphies in the genital structures of both sexes. This new species inhabits altitudes higher than all the congeneric members previously known from Taiwan. Its presence fills the gap in the P. flavus + P. niobe distribution between the Philippines and the Asian continent, demonstrating a biotic connection between these regions.

Systematics of the genus Zinaida Evans, 1937 (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae: Baorini)

Traditionally, species of the genus Zinaida were assigned to the genus Polytremis, until molecular evidence revealed that the former is a distinct genus. Nine species in Polytremis sensu Evans have since been removed and assigned to Zinaida; however, there is still uncertainty as to the taxonomic status of an additional seven Polytremis species. Moreover, the interspecific relationships within Zinaida have remained unresolved. To further investigate the taxonomic statuses and interspecific relationships within Zinaida, a molecular phylogeny of most species of Zinaida and its allies was inferred based on regions of the mitochondrial COI-COII and 16S and nuclear EF-1α genes (3006 bp). The results revealed that Zinaida is monophyletic and consists of four intra-generic clades that correspond to morphological characteristics. Clade A (Z. suprema group) consists of P. kiraizana, Z. suprema, and P. gigantea, with the latter two as sister species. Clade B (Z. nascens group) consists of seven species, and is the sister group of Clade C (Z. pellucida group), which comprises sister species Z. pellucida and Z. zina. In Clade B, Z. caerulescens and Z. gotama, and Z. theca and Z. fukia are sister species, respectively. On the basis of our molecular evidence and morphological features, we have moved P. gigantea, P. kiraizana, P. jigongi, and P. micropunctata to the genus Zinaida as new combinations. We review morphological characteristics and discuss the distribution of each of these groups in the light of our phylogenetic hypothesis, and provide a comprehensive taxonomic checklist.

Tsukiyamaia, a new genus of the tribe Baorini (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae)

Abstract Skippers of the tribe Baorini are evidently a monophyletic group in the subfamily Hesperiinae. In this study, a new Baorini member Tsukiyamaia albimacula gen. n. et sp. n. is described from north Myanmar, southwest China and north Vietnam. Despite its peculiar and striking wing-pattern, this new genus has some important characters of Baorini, such as a broad and bifid uncus and a well-developed gnathos. Based on an analysis of male genitalia and the molecular phylogenies inferred from both mitochondrial and nuclear genes (28 taxa, total aligned length: 2968 bp), it is proposed that the genus Tsukiyamaia is closely related to the genus Polytremis, which has high species diversity in China. This study not only describes a new skipper but also highlights that Tsukiyamaia is important in clarifying phylogenetic relationship of Polytremis and its allies.

A preliminary molecular phylogeny of the genus Scobura, with a synonym of Scobura masutaroi (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae)

Abstract A molecular phylogeny of the genus Scobura based on the mitochondrial COI and the nuclear EF-1α genes using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference is proposed. The analyses include 19 specimens from nine ingroup species. The monophyly of Scobura is not strongly supported, but two strongly supported monophyletic groups within the genus are recognized: the Scobura coniata group and the Scobura woolletti group. Judging from combination of the molecular evidence and morphological features, the former consists of six species, including Scobura masutaroi, while four species belong to the latter. Scobura mouchai Krajcik, 2013 is confirmed to be a syn. n. of Scobura masutaroi Sugiyama, 1996. The key to the species of the genus Scobura is modified to reflect these results.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two skipper genera (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) and their associated phylogenetic analysis

The systematic positions of two hesperiid genera, Apostictopterus and Barca (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), remain ambiguous. We sequenced and annotated the two mitogenomes of Apostictopterus fuliginosus and Barca bicolor and inferred the phylogenetic positions of the two genera within the Hesperiidae based on the available mitogenomes. The lengths of the two circular mitogenomes of A. fuliginosus and B. bicolor are 15,417 and 15,574 base pairs (bp), respectively. These two mitogenomes show similar AT skew, GC skew, codon usage and nucleotide bias of AT: the GC skew of the two species is negative, and the AT skew of A. fuliginosus is negative, while the AT skew of B. bicolor is slightly positive. The largest intergenic spacer is located at the same position between trnQ and ND2 in A. fuliginosus (73 bp) and B. bicolor (72 bp). Thirteen protein-coding genes (PCGs) start with ATN codons except for COI, which starts with CGA. The control regions of both mitogenomes possess a long tandem repeat, which is 30 bp long in A. fuliginosus, and 18 bp in B. bicolor. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods were employed to infer the phylogenetic relationships, which suggested that A. fuliginosus and B. bicolor belong in the subfamily Hesperiinae.

Establishment of a new genus for Abraximorpha heringi and A. pieridoide s (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Pyrginae: Tagiadini)

A new hesperiid genus, Albiphasma gen. nov., is described with Abraximorpha heringi as the type species. The new genus consists of two species: Al. heringi comb. nov. and Al. pieridoides comb. nov. The genitalia and hair tuft on the hind tibiae suggest that the new genus is related to the genus Pintara rather than the genus Abraximorpha to which the two species have been assigned. The geographic distribution is currently restricted to southern China and Vietnam. The adult, hind leg, wing venation and male genitalia of Al. heringi as well as relevant species are illustrated.

The maculosus group of the genus Celaenorrhinus Hübner, 1819 from China, with discovery of female C. kuznetsovi Devyatkin, 2000 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Pyrginae)

The maculosus group of the genus Celaenorrhinus from China is reviewed, in which 7 species are treated. Taiwanese maculosus taiwanus is reinstated to full species rank. The hitherto unknown female of C. kuznetsovi, as well as the female genitalia of C. maculosus and C. major are described. Adults and genitalia are illustrated, and a brief description of each species is given. A Key to the Chinese species of the maculosus group is provided.