Work

Refined Phylogenomics Resolves Discordance in the Aphidinae Phylogeny

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Aphids are among the most economically damaging agricultural pests globally. However, the internal phylogeny of their largest subfamily, Aphidinae, remains contentious, particularly regarding intergeneric relationships, tribal boundaries, and monophyletic status. Here, we coupled refined taxon sampling with rigorous data-filtering strategies to resolve these persistent phylogenetic discordances. METHODS: . Integrating these new data with public genomic and transcriptomic resources, we established a comprehensive phylogenomic framework for Aphidinae. To address conflicting topologies, we compared a taxonomically broad 157-taxa dataset against a high-completeness 47-taxa core dataset. Furthermore, we evaluated the impact of intrinsic sequence properties, such as compositional heterogeneity and substitution rates, on phylogenetic conflict. RESULTS: Our analyses demonstrate that filtering phylogenetically inconsistent loci and accounting for site heterogeneity significantly improve the topological stability of previously recalcitrant taxa. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a refined evolutionary framework for the Aphidinae and underscores the critical importance of rigorous data curation when resolving rapid evolutionary radiations.

Source: Genes

DOI: 10.3390/genes17070755

Authors: Nan Song, Xingyu Lin, Menghan He, Qingbo Tang

Institution: Henan Agricultural University

Language: English

Topic: Hemiptera Insect Studies

Subfield: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province