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Invertebrate Systematics Invertebrate Systematics Society
Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography
Invertebrate Systematics

Invertebrate Systematics

Volume 28 Number 5 2014

IS13062Integrative taxonomy of Acrapex stem borers (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae : Apameini): combining morphology and Poisson Tree Process analyses

Bruno P. Le Ru, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Emmanuel F. A. Toussaint, Desmond Conlong, Johnnie Van den Berg, Beatrice Pallangyo, George Ong'amo, Gilson Chipabika, Richard Molo, William A. Overholt, James P. Cuda and Gael J. Kergoat
pp. 451-475

We reviewed ten African species of Acrapex of which six are new and three were found exclusively on cogongrass, one of the world’s worst weeds in tropical areas. The use of a combined approach based on morphology and molecular species delimitation analyses allowed us to assess with confidence the boundaries of new species. The study demonstrates the importance of integrative taxonomy for a complete resolution of the taxonomy of Acrapex and more generally of the subtribe Sesamiina.


The economically important kuruma shrimp is a species complex consisting of two sister species: Penaeus japonicas and P. pulchricaudatus. The study confirms their phylogenetic relatedness and revises their taxonomic status. Penaeus japonicas is confined to the East China Sea and neighbouring regions only and thus the invasive alien species in the Mediterranean is P. pulchricaudatus, not P. japonicas.


The first published molecular phylogeny including a representative of the coral-inhabiting gall crab family Cryptochiridae proposed that this taxon could be derived from the free-living crab family Grapsidae. Our study shows that Cryptochiridae should instead be considered an independent lineage within the monophyletic Thoracotremata. Further molecular and morphological studies are needed to elucidate the precise placement of this family within the Thoracotremata.


DNA barcoding efforts are useful for fast biodiversity and species identification and delimitation research, relying on one single genetic fragment (usually the ‘barcode’ known as ‘cox1’). We compared the efficacy of two most commonly used genetic fragments (cox1 and 16S) in a genus of spiders with well established morphological species. Our results show that 16S, not cox1, recovers species monophly of the multisampled species and is thus better suited for DNA species identification and delimitation in this group.


This work is a taxonomic study of a new genus and eight new species of plant bugs from Australia. They include new species collected during the Commonwealth Government Bush Blitz program. The species are mostly known from iconic plant genus Acacia, and their phylogenetic relationships are analysed. This work reinforces the notion that much of Australia’s biodiversity remains to be discovered and documented.


Sepsid flies are increasingly important models in comparative research and such research requires well-resolved phylogenetic trees. Here, we demonstrate the taxonomic validity of the European Sepsis nigripes and discuss whether two allopatric populations of Sepsis luteipes should be considered conspecific under different species concepts. We also place these species on the phylogeny of the Sepsidae, thus enabling future research on the evolution, ecology and behaviour of these Holarctic species.

Committee on Publication Ethics

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