Molecular phylogeny of Iberian Fordini (Aphididae: Eriosomatinae): implications for the taxonomy of genera Forda and Paracletus

Mediterranean representatives of the galling aphid tribe Fordini (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Eriosomatinae) are usually grouped under the subtribe term Fordina. Aphids within Fordina display two‐year life cycles, alternating between Pistacia shrubs, where they induce conspicuous galls, and roots of Poaceae species. The high number of morphs present in a given species, the lack of knowledge of the complete cycle in some species, and the similarity between homologous morphs observed in different species pose many taxonomic problems in this group. We present results of a survey to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among Fordini species present in the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands. Sequences from the nuclear long‐wavelength opsin (LWO) and translation elongation factor 1α (EF‐1α) genes and from a region of the mitochondrial DNA containing the genes encoding the subunits six and eight of the F‐ATPase were used to infer relationships among 10 Fordina species, namely Smynthurodes betae, Aploneura lentisci, Baizongia pistaciae, two Geoica species (G. utricularia and G. setulosa), three species of Forda and two of Paracletus. Relationships between and within representatives of the genera Forda and Paracletus, both exemplifying taxonomic and ecological problems, were investigated in greater depth through extensive sampling and morphometric analysis. A total of eight, six and six samples from F. formicaria, F. marginata and F. riccobonii, respectively, were included in the survey, along with 40 and 4 samples classified initially as P. cimiciformis and P. donisthorpei, respectively. Our results are relevant to current studies on the evolution of host selection by aphids and on the evolution of gall morphology. Our phylogeny suggests that the group can be divided into two main clades. One clade is composed of aphids inducing small, low‐capacity galls on either P. atlantica or P. terebinthus (Smynthurodes betae and genera Forda and Paracletus). The second clade is composed of species inducing larger galls on P. lentiscus and P. terebinthus (Aploneura lentisci, Baizongia pistaciae and Geoica species). Our results suggest that revision of diagnostic characters used in the taxonomy of Paracletus is needed, and suggest Forda rotunda as a new synonym of Paracletus cimiciformissyn.n.