Mills, P.J., & Cook, L.G. 2014 Rapid chromosomal evolution in a morphologically cryptic radiation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 77: 126-135

Keywords:

  • DNA sequencing
  • chromosomes
  • evolution
  • karyotype
  • Notes: Here we investigate the potential role of chromosomal change in driving speciation in the karyotypically diverse scale insect genus Apiomorpha, focussing on four species placed in the same species group (the A. minor species group Gullan, 1984). Using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data, we find that Apiomorpha minor is not monophyletic and consists of at least nine cryptic species. Diploid chromosome counts range from 2n = 4 to 2n = 84 across the four currently recognized species, and some of the chromosomal variation exists in the absence of other genetic or host use differences, consistent with karyotypic changes being involved in lineage divergence and the generation of cryptic species.