First mitochondrial genome of the superfamily Choreutoidea and its phylogenetic implications

Choreutoidea (metalmark moths) is a poorly known monotypic superfamily of Lepidoptera with 406 described species in 18 genera from two subfamilies (Brenthiinae and Choreutinae). The phylogenetic position of metalmark moths within the lepidopteran phylogeny has been controversial. For the present study, we sequenced the nearly complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Choreutis emplecta, the first representative from Choreutoidea. A common set of 37 mitochondrial genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes, were identified in the 14,718-bp genome. The gene rearrangement of trnM-trnI-trnQ is also present in this genome. The genome size, base composition, secondary structures of RNA genes, and codon usages are similar to those of most lepidopteran mitogenomes. Phylogenetic analysis of 107 Lepidoptera species using the concatenated 13 PCGs deduced a similar topology between the Bayesian inference tree and the maximum likelihood tree. Most nodes in both phylogenetic trees confirm the current view of lepidopteran phylogeny. The Choreutoidea was demonstrated to be an early-diverging lineage of Apoditrysia.