Molecular phylogeny of European saga: Comparison with chromosomal data

Abstract

The six European Saga species (Orthoptera Tettigoniidae) were mitochondrially analyzed for the COI gene. Results were compared with available karyological data, the two analyses producing complementary and congruent conclusions. European Saga species appear to be monophyletic, and probably derived from Asiatic species by a Robertsonian translocation. Saga natoliae Serville separated first from their common trunk, followed by Saga hellenica Kaltenbach and Saga rhodiensis Salfi. The three other species share several gene mutations and two chromosomal changes. The parthenogenetic Saga pedo (Pallas) from France and Balkans on the one hand and Saga campbelli Uvarov and Saga rammei Kaltenbach on the other hand represent two sister clades. Their proximity is in agreement with the possible origin of the pentaploid karyotype of S. pedo, by addition of haploid genomes from species close to S. campbelli and S. rammei, as proposed earlier. Molecular level of divergence indicates that the separation of French and Balkans lineages of S. pedo occurred between 420,000 and 650,000 years ago.