Whole-genome phylogenomics provides new insights into the phylogeny and evolution of Macropsini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Abstract

The macropsine leafhoppers are a morphologically unique group of arboreal leafhoppers. However, the taxonomic status of this group has been controversial, and their evolutionary history is poorly understood. In this study, we present the first phylogenomic analyses of this group using both concatenation and coalescent methods, based on 267–1100 universal single-copy orthologues (USCOs) from 30 species, representing 14 of the 19 extant genera and subgenera. Phylogenomic analyses employing different analytical strategies yielded topologies in which many relationships were congruent but some were unstable across analyses. Our results do not group Macropsini with other included representatives of Eurymelinae, and suggest that the previously recognized genera Macropsis Lewis, Pedionis Hamilton, Pediopsis Burmeister and Pediopsoides Matsumura are not monophyletic. Based on these findings, we propose the following taxonomic revisions: Macropsidius Ribaut syn. n. is synonymized with Macropsis Lewis; the subgenus Pediopsis (Thyia) Kirkaldy is elevated to genus rank as Thyia stat. nov. Fossil-calibrated divergence-time analyses based on the optimal topology indicate that the crown group of Macropsini originated approximately 112.59 million years ago in the Lower Cretaceous. Most extant genera appeared from the Upper Cretaceous to the early Miocene. Our study provides novel insights into the phylogenetic framework of Macropsini, offering a foundation for future research on the systematics and evolution of this significant arboreal leafhopper lineage.