phylogenetic relationshipsof seven European Ips (Scolytidae, Ipinae) species

• Published in: Insect molecular biology Vol. 6; no. 3; pp. 233 - 240
• Main Authors: Stauffer, C, Lakatos, F, Hewitt, G. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.08.1997
• Subjects: bark beetles; cytochrome-c oxidase; genes; genetic markers; host specificity; Ips; Orthotomicus erosus; phylogeny; Pityokteines; Tomicus minor; wood; Central European region
• ISSN: 0962-1075; 1365-2583
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2583.1997.00177.x

In Central Europe seven Ips species are characterized by differences in morphology, structure of galleries, host specificity and aggressiveness. These species were analysed by allozyme markers and by sequencing 567 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene, in order to define their phylogenetic relationships. Orthotomicus erosus and Tomicus minor were taken as outgroup species. The data revealed high inter‐specific and low intra‐specific sequence divergence. Plotting the observed sequence divergence caused by transversions (Tv) and transitions (Ts) and the level of saturation for Ts and Tv of each codon position showed that the third positions were highly saturated by multiple substitutions. Maximum parsimony analysis produced two groups: (1) I. typographus, I. cembrae, I. amitinus, I. duplicatus and I. acuminatus; (2) I. mannsfeldi, I. sexdentatus and the two outgroups. In all analyses the species of the first cluster were put together and I. typographus and I. cembrae, and I. mannsfeldi and O. erosus emerged as sister pairs. The data do not support a common ancestor for the seven European Ips species. The eight‐spined bark beetles (except I. mannsfeldi) and I. acuminatus formed a monophyletic group. The close relationship of I. mannsfeldi and O. erosus supports the latter belonging to the genus Ips as proposed by Wood (1982) and Escherich (1923). However, more genetic markers and more species of the genera Orthotomicus and Pityokteines have to be analysed to resolve the phylogenetic positions of I. sexdentatus and I. mannsfeldi within the tribe Ipini.