Molecular Phylogeny Within and Between Species of the <I>Archips argyrospila</I> Complex (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Abstract

The Archips argyrospila complex consists of a series of morphologically indistinct populations with a confusing array of pheromone and host types. No phylogenetic studies on the genus Archips or any of its species groups have previously been published. We examined DNA variation in a 475 bp segment of the mitochondrial COI gene and compared 30 populations of A. argyrospila, four populations of A. mortuana, four populations of A. goyerana, and one specimen of each of four outgroup species. Among the 97 ingroup sequences obtained, there were 23 unique haplotypes and nucleotide variation at 20 sites. The monophyletic ingroup containing A. argyrospila, A. mortuana, A. goyerana and a West Coast clade was strongly supported by bootstrap values and decay indices. Host races and some pheromone types within A. argyrospila did not correspond to mtDNA variation in this analysis. Our molecular analyses supported phylogenetic and ecological interpretations of species status applied to A. goyerana but not A. mortuana, and supported the existence of a phylogenetically distinct West Coast species.