Trewick SAKoot EMMorgan-Richards M2024-12-102024-12-102023-12-11Trewick SA, Koot EM, Morgan-Richards M. (2023). Mwhitiwhiti Aotearoa: Phylogeny and synonymy of the silent alpine grasshopper radiation of New Zealand (Orthoptera: Acrididae).. Zootaxa. 5383. 2. (pp. 225-241).1175-5326https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/72260Aotearoa New Zealand has a fauna of endemic alpine grasshoppers, consisting of thirteen species distributed among four genera. The many re-classifications of species within this group and the presence of species complexes highlight the uncertainty that surrounds relationships within and between these genera. High-throughput Next Generation Sequencing was used to assemble the complete mitochondrial genomes, 45S ribosomal cassettes and histone sequences of New Zealands four endemic alpine genera: Alpinacris, Brachaspis, Paprides and Sigaus. Phylogenetic analysis of these molecular datasets, as individual genes, partitions and combinations returned a consistent topology that is incompatible with the current classification. The genera Sigaus, Alpinacris, and Paprides all exhibit paraphyly. A consideration of the pronotum, epiphallus and terminalia of adult specimens reveals species-specific differences, but fails to provide compelling evidence for species groups justifying distinct genera. In combination with phylogenetic, morphological and spatial evidence we propose a simplified taxonomy consisting of a single genus for the mwhitiwhiti Aotearoa species radiation.Copyright © 2023 Magnolia PressCC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/AnimalsGrasshoppersOrthopteraPhylogenyNew ZealandGenome, MitochondrialJournal article10.11646/zootaxa.5383.2.71175-5334journal-article225-241https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38221250