The genus Liposcelis (Psocoptera: Troctomorpha) has more than 120 species with a worldwide distribution and they pose a risk for global food security. The organization of mitochondrial (mt) genomes varies between the two species of booklice investigated in the genus Liposcelis. Liposcelis decolor has its mt genes on a single chromosome, like most other insects; L. bostrychophila, however, has a multipartite mt genome with genes on two chromosomes. To understand how multipartite mt genome organization evolved in the genus Liposcelis, we sequenced the mt genomes of L. entomophila and L. paeta in this study. We found that these two species of booklice also have multipartite mt genomes, like L. bostrychophila, with the mt genes we identified on two chromosomes. Numerous pseudo mt genes and non-coding regions were found in the mt genomes of these two booklice, and account for 30% and 10% respectively of the entire length we sequenced. In L. bostrychophila, the mt genes are distributed approximately equally between the two chromosomes. In L. entomophila and L. paeta, however, one mt chromosome has most of the genes we identified whereas the other chromosome has largely pseudogenes and non-coding regions. L. entomophila and L. paeta differ substantially from each other and from L. bostrychophila in gene content and gene arrangement in their mt chromosomes. Our results indicate unusually fast evolution in mt genome organization in the booklice of the genus Liposcelis, and reveal different patterns of mt genome fragmentation among L. bostrychophila, L. entomophila and L. paeta.

There are numerous gene rearrangements and transfer RNA gene absences existing in mitochondrial (mt) genomes of Aleyrodidae species. To understand how mt genomes evolved in the family Aleyrodidae, we have sequenced the complete mt genome of Aleurocanthus camelliae and comparatively analyzed all reported whitefly mt genomes. The mt genome of A. camelliae is 15,188 bp long, and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 21 tRNA genes and a putative control region (GenBank: KU761949). The tRNA gene, trnI, has not been observed in this genome. The mt genome has a unique gene order and shares most gene boundaries with Tetraleurodes acaciae. Nineteen of 21 tRNA genes have the conventional cloverleaf shaped secondary structure and two (trnS₁ and trnS₂) lack the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. Using ARWEN and homologous sequence alignment, we have identified five tRNA genes and revised the annotation for three whitefly mt genomes. This result suggests that most absent genes exist in the genomes and have not been identified, due to be lack of technology and inference sequence. The phylogenetic relationships among 11 whiteflies and Drosophila melanogaster were inferred by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Aleurocanthus camelliae and T. acaciae form a sister group, and all three Bemisia tabaci and two Bemisia afer strains gather together. These results are identical to the relationships inferred from gene order. We inferred that gene rearrangement plays an important role in the mt genome evolved from whiteflies.

The tea lace bug, Stephanitis chinensis, is an important pest in the southwest tea region in China. It has recently emerged in some parts of the tea areas, severely impacting the profitability of spring tea. To clarify the distribution dynamics of S. chinensis under current and future climate change, this study used the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS software to predict the distribution and dominant environmental factors of S. chinensis. The results show that the mean precipitation of the warmest quarter (Bio18), the minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6), annual precipitation (Bio12), and the variation coefficient of temperature (Bio4) are the dominant environmental factors affecting S. chinensis distribution. Under the current climatic conditions, the suitable habitats for S. chinensis are mainly distributed in East and South Asia, with only a small distribution in southern Europe, southeastern North America, and coastal areas of southeastern South America; the highly suitable habitats are primarily distributed in China, southern Japan, and southern South Korea. The total suitable area of S. chinensis accounts for approximately 28.58% of China’s land area. The high-suitability regions are primarily concentrated in the Guizhou, Chongqing, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, and Jiangsu provinces. Under future climate conditions, the total suitable area of S. chinensis will increase to varying degrees, primarily expanding northward, with the extension of high-suitability areas mainly concentrated in Hubei, Anhui, and Henan. The migration distance of the geographical distribution center ranges between 32.27 km and 96.13 km, with a primary shift toward the northeast. This study predicts potential suitable areas for the tea lace bug under different climate change scenarios. Specifically, regions at the highest risk, such as the Hubei, Anhui, and Henan provinces, should enhance monitoring and early warning systems and implement timely prevention and control measures to ensure the safe production of tea.