Mitogenomics of Three Ziczacella Leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from Karst Area, Southwest China, and Their Phylogenetic Implications

Abstract

Leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae) are distributed worldwide and include around 2550 genera, more than 21,000 species, including almost 2000 species in China. Typhlocybinae is the second largest subfamily in Cicadellidae after Deltocephalinae. Previously, morphological characteristics were the diagnostic basis of taxonomy, but they were not combined with molecular biology. The genus Ziczacella Anufryev, 1970 has only six known species worldwide. The mitogenomes of Ziczacella steggerdai Ross, 1965, Ziczacella dworakowskae Anufriev, 1969 and Ziczacella heptapotamica Kusnezov, 1928 were sequenced and identified here for the first time. They all contained 13 PCGs, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and a control region, and the complete mitochondrial genomes were 15,231 bp, 15,137 bp, and 15,334 bp, respectively. The results show heavy AT nucleotide bias. Phylogenetic analysis yielded the following topology: (Empoascini + Alebrini) + ((Erythroneurini + Dikraneurini) + (Zyginellini + Typhlocybini)). In this study, three newly sequenced species were closely related to Mitjaevia dworakowskae and M. shibingensis. We confirmed the monophyly of the four tribes within Typhlocybinae again, and Zyginellini should be combined with Typhlocybini, which supports Chris’s points.