https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7426-0257
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Ming-Hsun Chou, Zong-Yu Shen, I-Hsuan Chu, Wen-Bin Yeh, Species delimitation and biogeography of Adelgidae (Hemiptera): phylogeographic origin of newly discovered Adelges in Taiwan and their North American sister, Insect Systematics and Diversity, Volume 9, Issue 2, March 2025, 4, https://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixaf008
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Abstract
Phylogeographic analyses provide valuable insights for species delimitation and taxonomic decision-making. The family Adelgidae (infraorder: Aphidomorpha) exhibits relatively low species diversity, comprising approximately 63 species primarily distributed across temperate regions. However, the taxonomy of this family remains debatable because of its complex life cycle and high morphological plasticity. The DELINEATE program offers a statistical framework that integrates multiple species concepts and prior taxonomic knowledge to improve species delimitation. In this study, we validated the taxonomic status of 3 newly discovered Adelges species—Adelges breviacus sp. nov., Adelges baborinisanensis sp. nov., and Adelges xueshanensis sp. nov.—and elucidated their phylogeographic characteristics. Our findings indicated that the most recent common ancestor of these 3 species diverged from their North American sister—Adelges lariciatus—approximately 4.6 million years ago and persisted in the coastal mountain regions of southeast China. Subsequently, these 3 adelgids migrated to Taiwan with Picea morrisonicola 1–3 million years ago, when environments became favorable for both Adelges and their host Picea. Ancestral area reconstruction revealed that the origins of the crown groups of Adelges and Picea were associated with the biogeographic connection between East Asia and North America, corresponding to dispersal of Picea from North America to East Asia via the Bering Land Bridge. Although transoceanic dispersal might have contributed to the origin of the crown group of Pineus, current data sets are insufficient to test this biogeographic hypothesis. Overall, long-distance dispersal appears to have facilitated the disjunct distribution and current biogeographic patterns of Adelgidae.
