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Phylogeny

Phylogeny

Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon (singular). Taxa (plural) can span different levels of the evolutionary hierarchy. For instance, the group containing all birds is a taxon (comprising the class Aves), and the group of all species of daisies (the genus Bellis) is a taxon. Phylogenies can likewise include just one genus (i.e., depict species relationships) or span an entire kingdom.

The Evidence for Evolution

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.

Eukaryotic Evolution

Eukaryotic Evolution

The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...

Synteny and Evolution

Synteny and Evolution

John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

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Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution

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Phylogeny and Evolution of Lepidoptera.

Charles Mitter¹, Donald R Davis², Michael P Cummings³

¹Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742;

Annual Review of Entomology

|November 19, 2016

Summary

Deep-level phylogeny in Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) was poorly understood until molecular data and high-throughput sequencing provided robust evolutionary relationship estimates. This progress enhances our understanding of insect evolution.

Keywords:

Hexapoda butterfly classification insect molecular systematics moth systematics

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Molecular Evolution of the Tre Recombinase

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Published on: May 29, 2008

Area of Science:

Entomology
Evolutionary Biology
Genomics

Background:

Lepidoptera, the largest radiation of plant-feeding insects, has a poorly understood deep-level phylogeny.
Previous phylogenetic studies relied on morphological data, with limitations in resolving deep relationships.
Recent advances in molecular data and high-throughput sequencing have begun to address these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

To summarize the progress in understanding Lepidoptera phylogeny since 1975.
To highlight the impact of molecular data and high-throughput sequencing on resolving deep-level relationships.
To discuss advances in understanding the evolution of Lepidoptera.

Main Methods:

Review of phylogenetic studies on Lepidoptera published since 1975.
Emphasis on studies utilizing molecular data, including large datasets from high-throughput sequencing.
Analysis of relationships at the superfamily level within Lepidoptera.

Main Results:

Molecular data have provided robust initial estimates of relationships within and among Lepidoptera superfamilies.
High-throughput sequencing is resolving previously unsolved phylogenetic problems.
Significant progress has been made in understanding the evolutionary history of this insect order.

Conclusions:

Phylogenetic understanding of Lepidoptera has dramatically improved due to molecular data and advanced sequencing techniques.
Current research is providing a more comprehensive view of Lepidoptera evolution.
Future studies with larger datasets will continue to refine our knowledge of insect phylogeny.