Mitogenomic Insights on the Phylogeny and Evolution of Lynx Spiders (Araneae, Oxyopidae)

Lynx spiders (Oxyopidae Thorell, 1869) have high diversity and widespread distribution (nine genera and 447 species currently described worldwide). They are important predators of many arthropod pests in agriculture and forestry. Although the taxonomy of lynx spiders has received attention, there is a lack of studies on their phylogeny, as well as the evolution of important ecological traits. Herein, we inferred the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of lynx spiders using mitochondrial genomes, analyzed the characteristics of their mitogenomes, and tested the evolutionary pattern of maternal egg-guarding (EG) behaviors of lynx spiders. Our results suggest that the genera Oxyopes Latreille, 1804, Hamataliwa Keyserling, 1887, Hamadruas Deeleman-Reinhold, 2009, and Peucetia Thorell, 1869 are all the monophyletic groups, but Tapponia Simon, 1885 is not. Their phylogenetic relationships are shown as (Peucetia, (Oxyopes, (Hamadruas, (Tapponia, Hamataliwa)))). The family Oxyopidae is probably originated around 73.5 million years ago (Ma; 67.1–80.4 Ma) during the Late Cretaceous. We found only one gene arrangement pattern in the mitogenomes of Oxyopidae. Within the 13 protein-coding genes, only the COX1 gene change is positively affected by natural selection. The ancestral state reconstructions inferred the evolutionary process of three EG behaviors of lynx spiders. This study has advanced our understanding of the phylogenetic relationships among lynx spiders and their mitogenomic evolution, as well as the likely evolutionary pattern of oxyopid maternal EG behaviors.