Family-level phylogeny of Orthoptera (Arthropoda: Insecta) Based on Complete Mitochondrial Genome Data

Authors

Kevin Hiatt, Brigham Young University
Dr. Michael Whiting, Brigham Young University

Keywords

orthoptera, Arthropida insecta, mitochondrial genome data

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

Abstract

The insect order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets) is the most diverse member of the group of polyneopteran insect orders, with more than 23,000 described species (Kevan 1982). Previous studies have recovered the monophyly of the two orthopteran suborders Caelifera (grasshoppers) and Ensifera (crickets and katydids); however, the family-level phylogeny of the order remains largely unresolved. Flook et al. (1995) sequenced the first entire orthopteran mitochondrial genome (mtgenome), and 25 complete mtgenomes are currently available on GenBank. These available mtgenomes only represent two caeliferan and four ensiferan families. Flook et al. (1995) also discovered a tRNA rearrangement (a reversal of the ancestral order tRNALys-tRNAAsp) that Fenn et al. (2008) later proposed to be a synapomorphy for Caelifera.

Recommended Citation

Hiatt, Kevin and Whiting, Dr. Michael (2013) "Family-level phylogeny of Orthoptera (Arthropoda: Insecta) Based on Complete Mitochondrial Genome Data," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 1112.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1112