02931nas a2200181   4500008004100000020001400041245015000055210006900205260001200274300001000286490000700296520221300303100002602516700002702542700001902569700002602588856013502614       2009                        eng d  a0300-325600aStructural alignment of 18S and 28S rDNA sequences provides insights into phylogeny of Phytophaga (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea)0 aStructural alignment of 18S and 28S rDNA sequences provides insi  cJanuary  a63-770 v383 aWe performed a comparative study of partial rDNA sequences from a variety of Coleoptera taxa to construct an annotated alignment based on secondary structure information, which in turn, provides improved rRNA structure models useful for phylogenetic reconstruction. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis was performed to test monophyly and interfamilial relationships of the megadiverse plant feeding beetle group known as 'Phytophaga' (Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea), as well as to discover their closest relatives among the Cucujiformia. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses were performed based on the structural alignment of segments of 18S rRNA (variable regions V4-V5, V7-V9) and 28S rRNA (expansion segment D2). A total of 104 terminal taxa of Coleoptera were included: 96 species of Cucujiformia beetles, representing the families and most 'subfamilies' of weevils and chrysomeloids (Phytophaga), as well as several families of Cleroidea, Tenebrionoidea and Cucujoidea, and eight outgroups from three other polyphagan series: Scarabaeiformia, Elateriformia and Bostrichiformia. The results from the different methods of analysis agree - recovering the monophyly of the 'Phytophaga', including Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea as sister groups. The curculionoid and chrysomeloid phylogeny recovered from the aligned 18S and 28S rDNA segments, which is independent of morphological data, is in agreement with recent hypotheses or concepts based on morphological evidence, particularly with respect to familial relationships. Our results provide clues about the evolutionary origin of the phytophagan beetles within the megaclade Cucujiformia, suggesting that the sister group of 'Curculionoidea + Chrysomeloidea' is a clade of the 'Cucujoidea', represented in this study by species in Boganiidae, Erotylidae, Nitidulidae, Cucujidae and Silvanidae. The Coccinellidae and Endomychidae are not grouped with the latter, and the remaining terminal taxa are nested in Tenebrionoidea and Cleroidea. We propose that the combination of structurally aligned ribosomal RNA gene regions 18S (V4-V5, V7-V9) and 28S (D2) are useful in testing monophyly and resolving relationships among beetle superfamilies and families.1 aMarvaldi, Adriana, E.1 aDuckett, Catherine, N.1 aKjer, Karl, M.1 aGillespie, Joseph, J.  uhttps://weevil.myspecies.info/structural-alignment-18s-and-28s-rdna-sequences-provides-insights-phylogeny-phytophaga-coleoptera-cu