The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Box Tree Moth Cydalima perspectalis and Insights into Phylogenetics in Pyraloidea

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) has been extensively employed in the investigation of phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels. The mitochondrial genomes of insects are important for understanding their evolution and relationships. Herein, the entire mitogenome of Cydalima perspectalis was sequenced and characterized. Comparative mitogenomics and phylogenetic relationships were performed within the Pyraloidea. Our comparative studies show that mitochondrial genomes are a useful tool for phylogenetic studies at the level of the subfamilies in the Pyraloidea. ABSTRACT: To resolve and reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within Pyraloidea based on molecular data, the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) was widely applied to understand phylogenetic relations at different taxonomic levels. In this research, a complete mitogenome of Cydalima perspectalis was recorded, and the phylogenetic position of C. perspectalis was inferred based on the sequence in combination with other available sequence data. According to the research, the circular mitochondrial genome is 15,180 bp in length. It contains 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 13 typical protein-coding genes (PCGs), and a non-coding control region. The arrangement of a gene of the C. perspectalis mitogenome is not the same as the putative ancestral arthropod mitogenome. All of the PCGs are initiated by ATN codons, except for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene, which is undertaken by CGA. Five genes have incomplete stop codons that contain only ‘T’. All tRNA genes display a typical clover–leaf structure of mitochondrial tRNA, except for trnS1 (AGN). The control region contained an ‘ATAGG(A)’-like motif followed by a poly-T stretch. Based on the mitochondrial data, phylogenetic analysis within Pyraloidea was carried out using Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) analyses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. perspectalis is more closely related to Pygospila tyres within Spilomelinae than those of Crambidae and Pyraloidea.