Genomic data provide insights into the classification of extant termites

Simon Hellemans (), Mauricio M. Rocha, Menglin Wang, Johanna Romero Arias, Duur K. Aanen, Anne-Geneviève Bagnères, Aleš Buček, Tiago F. Carrijo, Thomas Chouvenc, Carolina Cuezzo, Joice P. Constantini, Reginaldo Constantino, Franck Dedeine, Jean Deligne, Paul Eggleton, Theodore A. Evans, Robert Hanus, Mark C. Harrison, Myriam Harry, Guy Josens, Corentin Jouault, Chicknayakanahalli M. Kalleshwaraswamy, Esra Kaymak, Judith Korb, Chow-Yang Lee, Frédéric Legendre, Hou-Feng Li, Nathan Lo, Tomer Lu, Kenji Matsuura, Kiyoto Maekawa, Dino P. McMahon, Nobuaki Mizumoto, Danilo E. Oliveira, Michael Poulsen, David Sillam-Dussès, Nan-Yao Su, Gaku Tokuda, Edward L. Vargo, Jessica L. Ware, Jan Šobotník, Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, Eliana Cancello, Yves Roisin, Michael S. Engel and Thomas Bourguignon ()
Additional contact information
Simon Hellemans: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University
Mauricio M. Rocha: Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo
Menglin Wang: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University
Johanna Romero Arias: Université libre de Bruxelles
Duur K. Aanen: Wageningen University
Anne-Geneviève Bagnères: CNRS/University of Montpellier/EPHE/IRD
Aleš Buček: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University
Tiago F. Carrijo: Universidade Federal do ABC
Thomas Chouvenc: 3205 College Avenue
Carolina Cuezzo: Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo
Joice P. Constantini: Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo
Reginaldo Constantino: Universidade de Brasília
Franck Dedeine: Parc Grandmont
Jean Deligne: Entomology
Paul Eggleton: Natural History Museum
Theodore A. Evans: The University of Western Australia
Robert Hanus: Czech Academy of Sciences
Mark C. Harrison: University of Münster. Hüfferstrasße 1
Myriam Harry: 12 route 128
Guy Josens: Université libre de Bruxelles
Corentin Jouault: CP50
Chicknayakanahalli M. Kalleshwaraswamy: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University
Esra Kaymak: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University
Judith Korb: Germany & Charles Darwin University
Chow-Yang Lee: University of California
Frédéric Legendre: CP50
Hou-Feng Li: National Chung Hsing University
Nathan Lo: The University of Sydney
Tomer Lu: Total Hadbara
Kenji Matsuura: Sakyo-ku
Kiyoto Maekawa: University of Toyama
Dino P. McMahon: Freie Universität Berlin
Nobuaki Mizumoto: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University
Danilo E. Oliveira: Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará
Michael Poulsen: University of Copenhagen
David Sillam-Dussès: UR 4443
Nan-Yao Su: 3205 College Avenue
Gaku Tokuda: 1 Senbaru
Edward L. Vargo: Texas A&M University
Jessica L. Ware: American Museum of Natural History
Jan Šobotník: Czech Academy of Sciences
Rudolf H. Scheffrahn: 3205 College Avenue
Eliana Cancello: Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo
Yves Roisin: Université libre de Bruxelles
Michael S. Engel: American Museum of Natural History
Thomas Bourguignon: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Abstract The higher classification of termites requires substantial revision as the Neoisoptera, the most diverse termite lineage, comprise many paraphyletic and polyphyletic higher taxa. Here, we produce an updated termite classification using genomic-scale analyses. We reconstruct phylogenies under diverse substitution models with ultraconserved elements analyzed as concatenated matrices or within the multi-species coalescence framework. Our classification is further supported by analyses controlling for rogue loci and taxa, and topological tests. We show that the Neoisoptera are composed of seven family-level monophyletic lineages, including the Heterotermitidae Froggatt, Psammotermitidae Holmgren, and Termitogetonidae Holmgren, raised from subfamilial rank. The species-rich Termitidae are composed of 18 subfamily-level monophyletic lineages, including the new subfamilies Crepititermitinae, Cylindrotermitinae, Forficulitermitinae, Neocapritermitinae, Protohamitermitinae, and Promirotermitinae; and the revived Amitermitinae Kemner, Microcerotermitinae Holmgren, and Mirocapritermitinae Kemner. Building an updated taxonomic classification on the foundation of unambiguously supported monophyletic lineages makes it highly resilient to potential destabilization caused by the future availability of novel phylogenetic markers and methods. The taxonomic stability is further guaranteed by the modularity of the new termite classification, designed to accommodate as-yet undescribed species with uncertain affinities to the herein delimited monophyletic lineages in the form of new families or subfamilies.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51028-y

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