Genomic data provide insights into the classification of extant termites

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  • Simon Hellemans
  • Mauricio M. Rocha
  • Menglin Wang
  • Johanna Romero Arias
  • Duur K. Aanen
  • Anne Geneviève Bagnères
  • Aleš Buček
  • Tiago F. Carrijo
  • Thomas Chouvenc
  • Carolina Cuezzo
  • Joice P. Constantini
  • Reginaldo Constantino
  • Franck Dedeine
  • Jean Deligne
  • Paul Eggleton
  • Theodore A. Evans
  • Robert Hanus
  • Mark C. Harrison
  • Myriam Harry
  • Guy Josens
  • Corentin Jouault
  • Chicknayakanahalli M. Kalleshwaraswamy
  • Esra Kaymak
  • Judith Korb
  • Chow Yang Lee
  • Frédéric Legendre
  • Hou Feng Li
  • Nathan Lo
  • Tomer Lu
  • Kenji Matsuura
  • Kiyoto Maekawa
  • Dino P. McMahon
  • Nobuaki Mizumoto
  • Danilo E. Oliveira
  • David Sillam-Dussès
  • Nan Yao Su
  • Gaku Tokuda
  • Edward L. Vargo
  • Jessica L. Ware
  • Jan Šobotník
  • Rudolf H. Scheffrahn
  • Eliana Cancello
  • Yves Roisin
  • Michael S. Engel
  • Thomas Bourguignon

The higher classification of termites requires substantial revision as the Neoisoptera, the most diverse termite lineage, comprise many paraphyletic and polyphyletic higher taxa. Here, we produce an updated termite classification using genomic-scale analyses. We reconstruct phylogenies under diverse substitution models with ultraconserved elements analyzed as concatenated matrices or within the multi-species coalescence framework. Our classification is further supported by analyses controlling for rogue loci and taxa, and topological tests. We show that the Neoisoptera are composed of seven family-level monophyletic lineages, including the Heterotermitidae Froggatt, Psammotermitidae Holmgren, and Termitogetonidae Holmgren, raised from subfamilial rank. The species-rich Termitidae are composed of 18 subfamily-level monophyletic lineages, including the new subfamilies Crepititermitinae, Cylindrotermitinae, Forficulitermitinae, Neocapritermitinae, Protohamitermitinae, and Promirotermitinae; and the revived Amitermitinae Kemner, Microcerotermitinae Holmgren, and Mirocapritermitinae Kemner. Building an updated taxonomic classification on the foundation of unambiguously supported monophyletic lineages makes it highly resilient to potential destabilization caused by the future availability of novel phylogenetic markers and methods. The taxonomic stability is further guaranteed by the modularity of the new termite classification, designed to accommodate as-yet undescribed species with uncertain affinities to the herein delimited monophyletic lineages in the form of new families or subfamilies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number6724
JournalNature Communications
Volume15
Issue number1
Number of pages17
ISSN2041-1723
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

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© The Author(s) 2024.

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