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The stinging wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) include diverse groups such as vespid wasps, ants and bees. Phylogenetic relationships among major lineages of stinging wasps have been inferred from molecular and morphological data. However, the genomic features of the mitochondrial genomes and their phylogenetic utility remain to be explored. In this study, we determined 23 mitochondrial genomes from the Aculeata. Four Mutillidae species showed relatively low A + T content compared to other species of the Aculeata (69.7%-77.4%). Eleven out of 44 species, mainly from the Chrysididae and the Pompilidae, showed reversals of GC skews. Gene rearrangements occurred across the species. Patterns of tRNA rearrangement were conserved in some groups, including the Chrysididae, Bethylidae, Pompilidae, Scolioidea and Vespoidea. Rearrangement of protein-coding genes were found in 12 out of 44 species of the Aculeata, including all four species from the Chrysididae, both species from the Bethylidae, one species from the Dryinidae, all three Scolioidea species and two Apoidea species. Phylogenetic inference showed a long branch in species with unusual genomic features, such as in the Mutillidae and Bethylidae. By excluding these species, we found paraphyly of the Chrysidoidea and a sister group relationship between the Formicoidea and Vespoidea. These results improve our understanding of the evolution of mitochondrial genomes in the Aculeata and, in general, the evolution across this subclade., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Animal mitochondrial genomes usually exhibit conserved gene arrangement across major lineages, while those in the Hymenoptera are known to possess frequent rearrangements, as are those of several other orders of insects. Here, we sequenced two complete mitochondrial genomes of Trichogramma japonicum and Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Trichogrammatidae). In total, 37 mitochondrial genes were identified in both species. The same gene arrangement pattern was found in the two species, with extensive gene rearrangement compared with the ancestral insect mitochondrial genome. Most tRNA genes and all protein-coding genes were encoded on the minority strand. In total, 15 tRNA genes and seven protein-coding genes were rearranged. The rearrangements of cox1 and nad2 as well as most tRNA genes were novel. Phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequences of protein-coding genes and on gene arrangement patterns produced identical topologies that support the relationship of (Agaonidae + Pteromalidae) + Trichogrammatidae in Chalcidoidea. CREx analysis revealed eight rearrangement operations occurred from presumed ancestral gene order of Chalcidoidea to form the derived gene order of Trichogramma. Our study shows that gene rearrangement information in Chalcidoidea can potentially contribute to the phylogeny of Chalcidoidea when more mitochondrial genome sequences are available.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Allantus luctifer (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae: Allantinae) is reported in this study (GenBank accession No. KJ713152). This is the first mitochondrial genome from the subfamily Allantinae and the first completely sequenced mitochondrial genome from the Tenthredinoidea. The length of this mitochondrial genome is 15,418 bp with an A+T content of 81.13%, including 13 protein-coding, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA gene, and an A+T-rich region (Table 1). Gene arrangement is identical to the other two mitochondrial genomes of tenthredinoid species in nearly all region as in the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. The ancestral pattern of "A+T-rich region-trnI(+)-trnQ(-)-trnM(+)" was rearranged to "trnM(-)-trnQ(+)-A+T-rich region-trnI(+)", which is novel to the Hymenoptera. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon. Eleven protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, whereas one protein-coding gene uses incomplete stop codon TA and one uses T. The A+T-region is 463 bp long with an A+T content of 86.6%.

The mitochondrial genome of the Pristaulacus compressus (Spinola, 1808) (Hymenoptera: Aulacidae) (GenBank accession No. KF500406) is reported in this study. This is the first sequenced mitochondrial genome from the family Aulacidae of the order Hymenoptera. The length of this mitochondrial genome is 15,563 bp with an A + T content of 84%, including 13 protein-coding, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA gene, and an A + T-rich region (Table 1). Three tRNA and one protein-coding genes were rearranged in the P. compressus mitochondrial genome, in which, the trnY was inverted, while the trnQ was shuffled to the downstream of tRNA cluster trnI-trnQ-trnM. The trnS1 was translocated to the downstream of the A + T-rich region together with the protein-coding gene nad1. The gene arrangement pattern of this mitochondrial genome is new to the Hymenoptera. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon. Ten protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, whereas one protein-coding gene uses incomplete stop codon TA and two use T. The A + T-region is located between rrnS and trnS1 with a length of 780 bp.

In animal mitochondrial genomes, gene arrangements are usually conserved across major lineages but might be rearranged within derived groups, and might provide valuable phylogenetic characters. Here, we sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of Cephalonomia gallicola (Chrysidoidea: Bethylidae) and Wallacidia oculata (Vespoidea: Mutillidae). In Cephalonomia at least 11 tRNA and 2 protein-coding genes were rearranged, which is the first report of protein-coding gene rearrangements in the Aculeata. In the Hymenoptera, three types of protein-coding gene rearrangement events occur, i.e. reversal, transposition and reverse transposition. Venturia (Ichneumonidae) had the greatest number of common intervals with the ancestral gene arrangement pattern, whereas Philotrypesis (Agaonidae) had the fewest. The most similar rearrangement patterns are shared between Nasonia (Pteromalidae) and Philotrypesis, whereas the most differentiated rearrangements occur between Cotesia (Braconidae) and Philotrypesis. It is clear that protein-coding gene rearrangements in the Hymenoptera are evolutionarily independent across the major lineages but are conserved within groups such as the Chalcidoidea. Phylogenetic analyses supported the sister-group relationship of Orrussoidea and Apocrita, Ichneumonoidea and Aculeata, Vespidae and Apoidea, and the paraphyly of Vespoidea. The Evaniomorpha and phylogenetic relationships within Aculeata remain controversial, with discrepancy between analyses using protein-coding and RNA genes., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The family Trigonalyidae is considered to be one of the most basal lineages in the suborder Apocrita of Hymenoptera. Here, we determine the first complete mitochondrial genome of the Trigonalyidae, from the species Taeniogonalos taihorina (Bischoff, 1914). This mitochondrial genome is 15,927bp long, with a high A+T-content of 84.60%. It contains all of the 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and an A+T-rich region. The orders and directions of all genes are different from those of previously reported hymenopteran mitochondrial genomes. Eight tRNA genes, three protein-coding genes and the A+T-rich region were rearranged, with the dominant gene rearrangement events being translocation and local inversion. The arrangements of three tRNA clusters, trnY-trnM-trnI-trnQ, trnW-trnL2-trnC, and trnH-trnA-trnR-trnN-trnS-trnE-trnF, and the position of the cox1 gene, are novel to the Hymenoptera, even the insects. Six long intergenic spacers are present in the genome. The secondary structures of the RNA genes are normal, except for trnS2, in which the D-stem pairing is absent., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Simple Summary: Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) is one of the most economically valuable resource insects in China. Its mitochondrial genome provides essential information for the molecular identification and genetic study of this species. In this paper, we assembled the mitochondrial genome of E. pela. Gene rearrangement analysis showed that compared to other scale insects, E. pela's atp6, atp8, and a few tRNAs were obviously rearranged. Moreover, there were nine tRNAs identified to have obvious truncated structures. Synteny analysis based on the whole mitochondrial genomes showed that a significant rearrangement of homologous blocks had occurred within this Coccoidea species. The results revealed great variations in the intergenic regions among Coccoidea species and novel gene arrangement and truncated tRNA genes in the mitochondrial genome of E. pela. The Chinese white wax scale insect, Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccidae), is one of the scale insects with great economic value and has been dispersed and reared in China for over one thousand years. Its mitochondrial genome provides essential information for the molecular identification and genetic study of this species. We assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of E. pela based on PacBio sequencing and analyzed its genomic features. The genome was 17,766 bp in length with 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNA genes. The analysis results showed E. pela had significant gene rearrangements involving tRNAs compared with other Coccoidea species. Furthermore, E. pela's nine tRNAs were identified to have obvious truncated structures. The phylogenetic tree compiled of the species showed a long branch of the Coccoidea lineage, which indicated the high evolutionary rate in this group. Our study revealed the mitochondrial characteristics of E. pela and enriched the mitochondrial genetic information on Coccoidea species. It also determined the occurrence of gene rearrangement for the species in this superfamily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of theAllantus luctifer(Smith) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae: Allantinae) is reported in this study (GenBank accession No. KJ713152). This is the first mitochondrial genome from the subfamily Allantinae and the first completely sequenced mitochondrial genome from the Tenthredinoidea. The length of this mitochondrial genome is 15,418 bp with an A+T content of 81.13%, including 13 protein-coding, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA gene, and an A+T-rich region (Table 1). Gene arrangement is identical to the other two mitochondrial genomes of tenthredinoid species in nearly all region as in the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. The ancestral pattern of “A+T-rich region-trnI(+)-trnQ(-)-trnM(+)” was rearranged to “trnM(-)-trnQ(+)-A+T-rich region-trnI(+)”, which is novel to the Hymenoptera. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon. Eleven protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, whereas one protein-coding gene uses incomplete stop codon TA and one uses T. The A+T-region is 463 bp long with an A+T content of 86.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the turnip moth Agrotis segetum (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was determined (GenBank accession No. KC894725). This is the first sequenced mitogenome from the subfamily Noctuinae of Noctuidae. The length of this mitogenome is 15,378 bp with a A+T content of 80.7%. There are 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and a A+T-rich region. The tRNA gene trnM was the only rearranged gene compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA as in other lepidopteran species. Ten protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, whereas three protein-coding gene use incomplete stop codon T. The A+T-region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 332 bp and A+T content of 93.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the silver looper moth Argyrogramma agnata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (GenBank accession no. KC414791). The length of this mitogenome is 15,261 bp. All the 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes were found. The tRNA gene trnM was rearranged to the upstream of trnI- trnQ- trnM cluster compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA as in other lepidopteran species. Nine protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA. One protein-coding gene uses incomplete stop codon TA and three use T. The A+T region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 334 bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of the summer fruit tortrix moth Adoxophyes orana (Lepdioptera: Tortricidae) was determined (GenBank accession No. JX872403). The genome is 15,343 bp long with 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and an A+T-rich region. As in other sequenced mitochondrial genomes of Lepidoptera, trnM was rearranged to the upstream of trnI- trnQ- trnM cluster compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA start codon as in other lepidopteran species. Eight protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA. Five protein-coding genes use incomplete stop codons T. The A+T-region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 331 bp. This is the fifth completely sequenced mitochondrial genome from the family Tortricidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepodiptera: Noctuidae) was determined (GenBank accession number JX316220). The genome is 15,365 bp long with 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and an A+T-rich region. As in other sequenced mitochondrial genomes of Lepidoptera, trnM was rearranged to the upstream of trnI- trnQ- trnM cluster compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA as in other lepidopteran species. Eight protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA. Five protein-coding genes use incomplete stop codons TA or T. The A+T-rich region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 331 bp. This is the third completely sequenced mitochondrial genome from the family Noctuidae of Lepidoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of the codling moth Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) was determined. The genome is 15,253 bp long with 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and an A+T-rich region. All genes are arranged in their conserved positions compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects except for trnM, which was translocated to the upstream of the transfer RNA cluster trnI- trnQ as in all previously reported lepidopteran mitochondiral genomes. Seven portein-coding genes use ATG start codon and five use ATT. However, the cox1 gene uses the CGA start codon as it is found in all previous reported mitochondrial genomes of Lepidoptera. Nine protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA. Four protein-coding genes use incomplete stop codons TA or T. The A+T region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 331 bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the mitochondrial genome of theVespa mandariniaSmith (GenBank accession no. KR059904) for the subfamily Vespinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). This is the first completely sequenced mitochodrial genome from the genusVespa.All of the typical mitochondrial genes were sequenced with a length of 15 902 bp. In theV. mandariniamitochondrial genome, four rearrangement events occurred compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects, corresponding to the shuffling oftrnQandtrnM, translocation oftrnYto the region between A + T-rich region andtrnI-trnM-trnQ, shuffling oftrnS1andtrnEin the tRNA cluster oftrnA-trnR-trnN-trnS1-trnE-trnF, and translocation oftrnL1from a location betweennad1andrrnLto the upstream ofnad1gene. Phylogenetic analysis using the Bayesian method based on all codon positions of the 13 protein-coding genes supports the monophyly of Vespidae and Formicidae. Within the Formicidae, the Myrmicinae and Dolichoderinae form a sister group, while within the Vespidae, the Eumeninae sister to lineage of Vespinae + Polistinae. Our study showed that the mitochondrial genomes between Vespinae and Polistinae shared more arrangement patterns than that between Vespinae and Eumeninae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report the first representative mitochondrial genome of the subfamily Vespinae (Hymenopterea: Vespidae) from theVespa bicolorFabricius (GenBank accession No. KJ735511). Nearly complete mitochondrial genome was sequenced with a length of 16,937 bp, including 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA and 20 tRNA genes, as well as a portion of A+T-rich region. Two tRNA genes, i.e.trnIandtrnY, were failed to sequence, which were presumed to be located within a region between A+T-rich region andtrnM-trnQ-nad2. In theV. bicolormitochondrial genome, at least three tRNA genes were rearranged.trnYwas rearranged to the unsequenced region between A+T-rich region andtrnM-trnQ-nad2. trnL1was rearranged from a location betweennad1andrrnLto the upstream ofnad1gene.trnS1andtrnEwere shuffled in the tRNA cluster oftrnA-trnR-trnN-trnS1-trnE-trnF. Our study showed that the mitochondrial genomes between Vespinae and Polistinae shared more arrangement pattern than that between Vespinae and Eumeninae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sequenced the nearly complete mitochondrial genome of the parasitic wasps Diadromus collaris, the fourth sequenced mitogenome in the family Ichneumonidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera). The sequenced segment is 14,621 bp, including 13 protein-coding genes, 19 transfer RNA genes and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. Four tRNAs are rearranged comparing to the ancestral insect mitochondrial gene arrangements, which coincides with the fact that the most rearranged genes are tRNA genes in the Ichneumonidae, and trnI-trnQ-trnM is a hot-spot of gene rearrangement. The lrRNA secondary structure was predicted, containing six domains (I-VI) and 49 helics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the first complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) for the superfamily Cossoidea of Lepidoptera from the seabuckthorn carpenter moth Eogystia hippophaecolus (GenBank accession No. KC831443). The length of this mitogenome is 15,431 bp with 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and an A + T-rich region. The tRNA gene trnM was rearranged to the upstream of trnI-trnQ-trnM cluster compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA as in other lepidopteran species. Eight protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA. One protein-coding gene uses incomplete stop codon TA and four use T. The A + T region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 317 bp and A + T content of 92.74%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Apoidea represent a large and common superfamily of the Hymenoptera including the bees and sphecid wasps. A robust phylogenetic tree is essential to understanding the diversity, taxonomy and evolution of the Apoidea. In this study, features of apoid mitochondrial genomes were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships. Twelve apoid mitochondrial genomes were newly sequenced, representing six families and nine subfamilies. Gene rearrangement events have occurred in all apoid mitochondrial genomes sequenced to date. Sphecid wasps have both tRNA and protein-coding gene rearrangements in 5 of 8 species. In bees, the only rearranged genes are tRNAs; long-tongued bees (Apidae + Megachilidae) are characterized by movement of trnA to the trnI-trnQ-trnM tRNA cluster. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial gene sequences support the known paraphyly of sphecid wasps, with bees nested within this clade. The Ampulicidae is sister to the remaining Apoidea. Crabronidae is paraphyletic, split into Crabronidae s.s. and Philanthidae, with the latter group a sister clade to bees. The monophyletic bees are either classified into two clades, long-tongued bees (Apidae + Megachilidae) and short-tongued bees (Andrenidae + Halictidae + Colletidae + Melitidae), or three groups with the Melitidae sister to the other bees. Our study showed that both gene sequences and arrangements provide information on the phylogeny of apoid families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]