Molecular phylogeny of Eupodidae reveals that the family Cocceupodidae (Actinotrichida; Eupodoidea) and its genus Filieupodes are valid taxa

Abstract

The family Eupodidae is one of eight families belonging to the superfamily Eupodoidea. Although the Eupodidae are very common mites, they are still poorly investigated and the systematic parameters of the family are vague with unclear intrafamilial relationships between its genera. According to the hypothesis of Jesionowska (Genus 21(4):637–658, 2010), the eupodid genera Cocceupodes, Linopodes and her new genus Filieupodes should be transferred from the Eupodidae to a separate family named Cocceupodidae. The opposite hypothesis of Khaustov (ZooKeys 422:11–22, 2014) considers the family Cocceupodidae an artificial taxon and the genus Filieupodes a junior synonym of Cocceupodes and assignes the family Eupodidae its primary definition. Here, we present the first molecular reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships within the Eupodidae. We test the taxonomic status of the Eupodidae and refer to the previous hypotheses based on morphological data. According to the reconstructed phylogram based on nuclear (18S + 28S rDNA) and mitochondrial (COI) sequences as well as morphological characters tracing this analysis, we have concluded that: (1) the genera Linopodes, Filieupodes and Cocceupodes are a separate monophyletic lineage of familial rank and the sister group of Eupodidae s.s., and (2) the genus Filieupodes should be considered a separate genus being a sister group of the Linopodes-Cocceupodes clade.