Skip to main content
Dryad

Phylogeny of Rhus gall aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) reveals an earlier origin than their primary host plant

Data files

Mar 21, 2025 version files 57.50 MB

Abstract

Rhus gall aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Eriosomatinae: Fordini) only use Rhus species (Anacardiaceae) as their primary host plants, and each aphid specifically lives on only one or two sister host plants with the same disjunct distribution pattern between Eastern Asia and Eastern North America. We assembled complete mitochondrial genomes and universal single-copy nuclear genes for Rhus gall aphids using a genome skimming method, and the phylogenetic relationships strongly supported the monophyly of the Rhus gall aphids and two genera, Floraphis and Melaphis. However, the relationships among genera are inconsistent across different datasets. The cpDNA analysis on the host plant Rhus species strongly supported the Rhus monophyly and relationship of the Rhus interspecies. Cophylogeny analysis indicated that the origin of Rhus gall aphids was earlier than that of their host plants. However, the divergence time and relationships among some Rhus gall aphid species, particularly those with later divergence times, were consistent with the origin of their corresponding primary host plants. This may suggest that the Rhus gall aphids established the initial association with the ancestors between Rhus and the related groups, or acquired current Rhus hosts through host switching. The divergence time estimations imply that the separation of North America and Eurasia in the Laurasia supercontinent and the disappearance of the Bering Land Bridge, respectively, have played an important role in the divergence of the eastern North American Melaphis and an East Asian lineage. Our current results provide new insights into the coevolution of insects and host plants.