@article {166866, title = {Madhav Gadgil (1942{\textendash}2026): A pioneering Indian ecologist{\textquoteright}s legacy of biodiversity conservation and human coexistence}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, volume = {123}, year = {2026}, month = {06}, abstract = {

Madhav Gadgil was an evolutionary ecologist and champion of governmental and intergovernmental policies for biodiversity conservation, human coexistence with nature, and indigenous rights to land, natural resources, and self-governance. He made foundational contributions to the development of biodiversity sciences, human ecology, people{\textquoteright}s traditional knowledge{\textemdash}and inherent rights to that knowledge as documented through biodiversity registers. Gadgil advocated a coherent policy integrating human welfare and biodiversity conservation in India. He will be remembered as an academic giant and an unmatched thinker, policy advocate, institution-builder, and humanitarian.

}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.2611387123}, url = {https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2611387123}, author = {Kunte, Krushnamegh and Ghate, Utkarsh and Subramanian, K.} } @article {130541, title = {Molecular phylogeny, historical biogeography, and classification of Pseudocoladenia butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae).}, journal = {Mol Phylogenet Evol}, volume = {186}, year = {2023}, month = {2023 Jun 21}, pages = {107865}, abstract = {

The range of the butterfly genus Pseudocoladenia includes several biodiversity hotspots, such as the Himalayas, mountains of southwestern China, and Sundaland. However, the taxonomic status of some of its species/subspecies remain controversial, and no previous phylogenetic or biogeographic analyses have been conducted. Herein, we determined the systematic relationships and biogeographic history of this genus by reconstructing its phylogeny based on six genes and 69 specimens as representatives of all known species/subspecies. Two species delimitation methods (Bayes Poisson Tree Processes and Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography) were also employed to assess the status of each taxon. Based on these results and morphological evidence, we identified 12 species and three subspecies in the genus and subsequently classified these into three species groups: P. fatih, P. dea, and P. dan. Five taxa, P. sadakoe (Sonan and Mitono, 1936) stat. nov., P. celebica (Fruhstorfer, 1909) stat. nov., P. fulvescens (Elwes and Edwarda, 1897) stat. nov., P. eacus (Latreille, 1823) stat. nov., and P. fabia (Evans, 1949) stat. nov. were all recognized as independent species. Additionally, two taxa, P. eacus sumatrana (Fruhstorfer, 1909) comb. nov. and P. eacus dhyana (Fruhstorfer, 1909) comb. nov., were placed under P. eacus (Latreille, 1823) stat. nov. as subspecies. Another new species distributed in N. Yunnan, Pseudocoladenia yunnana Fan, Cao \& Hou sp. nov., was discovered and described. Divergence time and ancestral range estimation indicated that the most recent common ancestor of Pseudocoladenia was distributed in the Himalayas-Hengduan Mountain region and Indochina and diverged approximately 14.00\ Ma. Continuous and episodic dispersal, vicariance, and extinction were used to determine the current geographic distribution of the genus. The P. fatih group had a prominently disjunct distribution between the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountain and Taiwan. Meanwhile, the P. dan group was first derived in Indochina and subsequently dispersed into the southeastern Asian archipelagoes. This study provides a reference for the evolutionary route of transoceanic distributed species in Asia and elaborates on the causes of biodiversity.

}, issn = {1095-9513}, doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107865}, author = {Hou, Yongxiang and Cao, Chenglong and Chiba, Hideyuki and Chang, Zhou and Huang, Siyao and Zhu, Lijuan and Kunte, Krushnamegh and Huang, Zhenfu and Wang, Min and Fan, Xiaoling} } @article {95776, title = {The molecular systematics and diversification of a taxonomically unstable group of Asian cicada tribes related to Cicadini Latreille, 1802 (Hemiptera : Cicadidae)}, journal = {INVERTEBRATE SYSTEMATICS}, year = {2021}, month = {06/2021}, abstract = {

The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) related to tribe Cicadini exhibit some of the most remarkable phenotypes in the family, with many genera possessing striking colour patterns and unusual morphological features. This largely Asian group of 13 tribes has proven challenging for cicada taxonomists, in part because of likely convergent evolution or losses of these phenotypes. We present the first focused molecular phylogeny of this clade, including similar to 60 described genera. The genetic dataset contains 839 ingroup-informative sites (out of 2575) from mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, nuclear elongation factor-1 alpha, and nuclear acetyltransferase. We use Bayesian and maximum likelihood trees to test recent changes in tribe- and subtribe- level classification, and we reconstruct ancestral character states for potentially convergent traits influencing tribe descriptions. We use fossil and molecular clock calibrations to estimate the temporal and geographic context of the radiation. The tribes Gaeanini, Leptopsaltriini, Platypleurini, Psithyristriini, and Tosenini appear polyphyletic and in need of revision, in part because of convergent evolution of opaque wings and multiple convergent gains or losses of abdominal tubercles. Kalabita Moulton, 1923 is transferred from Platypleurini to Leptopsaltriini. Vittagaeana gen. nov. is established for Vittagaeana paviei comb. nov. and Vittagaeana dives comb. nov., formerly in Tosena. Sinosenini syn. nov. is synonymised with Dundubiina. Ayuthiini trib. nov. is established with two new subtribes for Ayuthia Distant, 1919 and Distantalna Boulard, 2009, formerly in Tosenini. For the earliest split in the tree, one common ancestor appears to have been Indian + Asian in geographic distribution and the other Asian. We estimate that the radiation began in the middle Cenozoic Era, possibly as recently as the early Miocene. The recent and steady pattern of diversification suggests that refinement of tribe diagnoses will prove challenging.

}, doi = {10.1071/IS20079}, author = {Hill, Kathy B. R. and Marshall, David C and Marathe, Kiran and Moulds, Maxwell S. and Lee, Young June and Pham, Thai-Hong and Mohagan, Alma B. and Sarkar, Vivek and Price, Benjamin W. and Duffels, J. P. and Schouten, Marieke A. and de Boer, Arnold J. and Kunte, Krushnamegh and Simon, Chris} } @article {81498, title = {Molecular Evolution and Developmental Expression of Melanin Pathway Genes in Lepidoptera}, journal = {FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION}, volume = {8}, year = {2020}, month = {07/2020}, abstract = {

Pigmentation is involved in a wide array of biological functions across insect orders, including body patterning, thermoregulation, and immunity. The melanin pathway, in particular, has been characterized in several species. However, molecular evolution of the genes involved in this pathway is poorly explored. We traced the molecular evolution of six melanin pathway genes in 53 species of Lepidoptera covering butterflies and moths, and representing over 100 million years of diversification. We compared the rates of synonymous and non-synonymous substitutions within and between these genes to study the signatures of selection at the level of individual sites, genes, and branches of the gene tree. We found that molecular evolution of all six genes was governed by strong purifying selection. Yet, a number of sites showed signs of being under positive selection, including in the highly conserved domain regions of three genes. Further, we traced the expression of these genes across developmental stages, tissues, and sexes in thePapilio polytesbutterfly using a developmental transcriptome dataset. We observed that the expression patterns of the genes inP. polyteslargely reflected their known tissue-specific function in other species. The expression of sequentially acting genes in the melanin pathway was correlated. Interestingly, melanin pathway genes also showed a sexually dimorphic pattern of developmental heterochrony, i.e., females showed prominent upregulation of melanin pathway genes in pre-pupal stage compared to males, while males showed prominent upregulation in 9-day pupal wings compared to females. Our evolutionary and developmental analyses suggest that the vast diversity of wing patterning and pigmentation in Lepidoptera may have evolved despite largely constrained sequence evolution, with potential contribution from differential developmental expression of genes in a highly conserved pathway.

}, doi = {10.3389/fevo.2020.00226}, author = {Kuwalekar, Muktai and Deshmukh, Riddhi and Padvi, Ajay and Kunte, Krushnamegh} } @article {53618, title = {A multilocus phylogenetic framework of the tribe Aeromachini (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae), with implications for taxonomy and biogeography}, journal = {Systematic Entomology}, year = {2019}, month = {01/2019}, abstract = {

The Oriental tribe Aeromachini (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae) is diverse and widespread, but its monophyly and circumscription remain unresolved. In this study, we inferred phylogenetic relationships within the tribe using two mitochondrial (16S and COI-COII) and two nuclear genes (EF-1α and Wingless) from 71 samples representing all of the known genera of Aeromachini (s.l.). Phylogenetic topologies obtained from two model-based methods (maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference) were largely congruent, showing that Aeromachini was monophyletic. Many genera within Aeromachini were polyphyletic, especially Arnetta, Thoressa, Ampittia and Sovia. Based on these results, we propose a new classification consisting of 14 genera, of which two are newly described: Halpemorpha gen.n. and Praethoressa gen.n. Ampittia and Ochus are restructured, with: (i) Ampittia nana and Ampittia dalailama moved to Aeromachus, (ii) new combinations proposed for the remaining Ampittia species, and (iii) a new combination, Ampittia subvittatus comb.n., proposed. The Oriental members of the genus Arnetta belong to this tribe, but the African Arnetta hyposticta was found to be embedded into the outgroup and closely related to Isoteinon. We propose that hyposticta be reinstated in the genus Galerga Mabille, along with two other African species (fito and ellipsis). Thoressa is polyphyletic, with three distinct lineages. The type species Thoressa masoni forms a clade closely related to the sister genera Sebastonyma and Parasovia. We thus describe Praethoressa gen.n. to include the species varia (formerly of Thoressa), and transfer the remaining Thoressa to Pedesta, which is confirmed as a valid genus. Although the relationships of some genera remained unsolved in our work, the present phylogenetic hypothesis will serve as a reference for further studies. A secondary calibration was used to estimate the divergence time, which indicated that the diversification of Aeromachini started in the late Eocene and early Oligocene (c. 34.22 Ma). Further, ancestral range estimates indicated that the common ancestor of Aeromachini originated in Southeast Asia. Diversification in situ and range expansion to adjacent areas have played essential roles in the evolution of Aeromachini, but founder-event speciation and vicariance also have likely been important factors in shaping the biogeographical history of this tribe.

}, doi = {10.1111/syen.12322}, author = {Huang, Zhen-Fu and Chiba, H and Jin, J and Kizhakke, AG and Wang, Min and Kunte, Krushnamegh and Fan, X} } @article {28068, title = {Mimicry in butterflies: co-option and a bag of magnificent developmental genetic tricks.}, journal = {Wiley Interdiscip Rev Dev Biol}, volume = {7}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Jan}, abstract = {

Butterfly wing patterns are key adaptations that are controlled by remarkable developmental and genetic mechanisms that facilitate rapid evolutionary change. With swift advancements in the fields of genomics and genetic manipulations, identifying the regulators of wing development and mimetic wing patterns has become feasible even in nonmodel organisms such as butterflies. Recent mapping and gene expression studies have identified single switch loci of major effects such as transcription factors and supergenes as the main drivers of adaptive evolution of mimetic and polymorphic butterfly wing patterns. We highlight several of these examples, with emphasis on doublesex, optix, WntA and other dynamic, yet essential, master regulators that control critical color variation and sex-specific traits. Co-option emerges as a predominant theme, where typically embryonic and other early-stage developmental genes and networks have been rewired to regulate polymorphic and sex-limited mimetic wing patterns in iconic butterfly adaptations. Drawing comparisons from our knowledge of wing development in Drosophila, we illustrate the functional space of genes that have been recruited to regulate butterfly wing patterns. We also propose a developmental pathway that potentially results in dorsoventral mismatch in butterfly wing patterns. Such dorsoventrally mismatched color patterns modulate signal components of butterfly wings that are used in intra- and inter-specific communication. Recent advances-fuelled by RNAi-mediated knockdowns and CRISPR/Cas9-based genomic edits-in the developmental genetics of butterfly wing patterns, and the underlying biological diversity and complexity of wing coloration, are pushing butterflies as an emerging model system in ecological genetics and evolutionary developmental biology. WIREs Dev Biol 2018, 7:e291. doi: 10.1002/wdev.291 This article is categorized under: Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies \> Regulatory Mechanisms Comparative Development and Evolution \> Regulation of Organ Diversity Comparative Development and Evolution \> Evolutionary Novelties.

}, issn = {1759-7692}, doi = {10.1002/wdev.291}, author = {Deshmukh, Riddhi and Baral, Saurav and Gandhimathi, A and Kuwalekar, Muktai and Kunte, Krushnamegh} } @article {36264, title = {A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification}, journal = {ZOOTAXA}, volume = {4424}, year = {2018}, month = {05/2018}, pages = {1-64 }, abstract = {

A molecular phylogeny and a review of family-group classification are presented for 137 species (ca. 125 genera) of the insect family Cicadidae, the true cicadas, plus two species of hairy cicadas (Tettigarctidae) and two outgroup species from Cercopidae. Five genes, two of them mitochondrial, comprise the 4992 base-pair molecular dataset. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic results are shown, including analyses to address potential base composition bias. Tettigarcta is confirmed as the sister-clade of the Cicadidae and support is found for three subfamilies identified in an earlier morphological cladistic analysis. A set of paraphyletic deep-level clades formed by African genera are together named as Tettigomyiinae n. stat. Taxonomic reassignments of genera and tribes are made where morphological examination confirms incorrect placements suggested by the molecular tree, and 11 new tribes are defined (Arenopsaltriini n. tribe, Durangonini n. tribe, Katoini n. tribe, Lacetasini n. tribe, Macrotristriini n. tribe, Malagasiini n. tribe, Nelcyndanini n. tribe, Pagiphorini n. tribe, Pictilini n. tribe, Psaltodini n. tribe, and Selymbriini n. tribe). Tribe Tacuini n. syn. is synonymized with Cryptotympanini, and Tryellina n. syn. is synonymized with an expanded Tribe Lamotialnini. Tribe Hyantiini n. syn. is synonymized with Fidicinini. Tribe Sinosenini is transferred to Cicadinae from Cicadettinae, Cicadatrini is moved to Cicadettinae from Cicadinae, and Ydiellini and Tettigomyiini are transferred to Tettigomyiinae n. stat from Cicadettinae. While the subfamily Cicadinae, historically defined by the presence of timbal covers, is weakly supported in the molecular tree, high taxonomic rank is not supported for several earlier clades based on unique morphology associated with sound production.

}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4424.1.1 }, author = {Marshall, DC and Moulds, M and Hill, KBR and Price, BW and Wade, EJ and Owen, CL and Goemans, G and Marathe, K and Sarkar, V and Cooley, JR and Sanborn, AF and Kunte, Krushnamegh and Villet, MH and Simon, C} }