title: Taxonomy of Iberian Hoplia (Col., Scarabaeoidea, Hopliinae) based on mtDNA analysis.
abstract: The morphology of some Hoplia species (Scarabaeoidea: Hopliinae) is so variable that parapatric populations have often been considered different species or subspecies. In this study we analyze the nucleotide sequences of a fragment of mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of six species and two subspecies of Palaearctic Hoplia to reexamine the species limits. Based on the analysis of sequences from COI and morphological and ecological observations, we consider Hoplia freyi Baraud to be a junior synonym of Hoplia chlorophana Erichson and H. philanthus ramburi Heyden to be a junior synonym of H. philanthus philanthus (Fuessly). However, complete resolution of relationships among H. philanthus subspecies requires the addition of sequences from genes evolving faster than COI. Phylogenetic relationships among the species studied are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad, Universidad de Alicante, E-03080 Alicante, Spain. e.mico@ua.es
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Micó
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Piau
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galante
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lumaret
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV