title: Higher-level phylogeny of the Therevidae (Diptera: insecta) based on 28S ribosomal and elongation factor-1 alpha gene sequences.
abstract: Therevidae (stilleto flies) are a little-known family of asiloid brachyceran Diptera (Insecta). Separate and combined phylogenetic analyses of 1200 bases of the 28S ribosomal DNA and 1100 bases of elongation factor-1alpha were used to infer phylogenetic relationships within the family. The position of the enigmatic taxon Apsilocephala Kröber is evaluated in light of the molecular evidence. In all analyses, molecular data strongly support the monophyly of Therevidae, excluding Apsilocephala, and the division of Therevidae into two main clades corresponding to a previous classification of the family into the subfamilies Phycinae and Therevinae. Despite strong support for some relationships within these groups, relationships at the base of the two main clades are weakly supported. Short branch lengths for Australasian clades at the base of the Therevinae may represent a rapid radiation of therevids in Australia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Wiegmann
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Yeates
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Irwin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S