The Phylogenetic Placement of an Enigmatic Moth Egybolis Vaillantina Based on Museomics
Abstract
Here, we present multi-locus sequencing results from the enigmatic Afrotropical monotypic genus Egybolis Boisduval (occurring in East- and South Africa—previously placed in the subfamily Catocalinae, Noctuidae). Model-based phylogenetic analysis places Egybolis within a strongly supported clade comprising four Old World Tropical genera Cocytia Boisduval, Avatha Walker, Anereuthina Hübner, and Serrodes Guenée from the family Erebidae, subfamily Erebinae. Hence, we propose to formally assign the monotypic genus Egybolis to the subfamily Erebinae and the tribe Cocytiini. Timing of divergence analysis reveals the late Oligocene origin around 25 million years ago (Ma) for the tribe Cocytiini, and an early Miocene ( ~21 Ma) for the split between Cocytia and Egybolis.
Keywords: African peach moth, Egybolis, Erebidae, Cocytiini, vicariance
How to Cite:
Zahiri, R., Holloway, J., Ghanavi, H., Aarvik, L., Wahlberg, N., Zahiri, R., Holloway, J., Ghanavi, H., Aarvik, L. & Wahlberg, N., (2023) “The Phylogenetic Placement of an Enigmatic Moth Egybolis Vaillantina Based on Museomics”, Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists 2(1), 1-18. doi: https://doi.org/10.18061/bssb.v2i1.9248
Rights: Reza Zahiri, Jeremy D. Holloway, Hamid Reza Ghanavi, Leif Aarvik, Niklas Wahlberg
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