Insect Mitochondrial Genomics: A Decade of Progress

The past decade has seen the availability of insect genomic data explode, with mitochondrial (mt) genome data seeing the greatest growth. The widespread adoption of next-generation sequencing has solved many earlier methodological limitations, allowing the routine sequencing of whole mt genomes, including from degraded or museum specimens and in parallel to nuclear genomic projects. The diversity of available taxa now allows finer-scale comparisons between mt and nuclear phylogenomic analyses; high levels of congruence have been found for most orders, with some significant exceptions (e.g., Odonata, Mantodea, Diptera). The evolution of mt gene rearrangements and their association with haplodiploidy have been tested with expanded taxonomic sampling, and earlier proposed trends have been largely supported. Multiple model systems have been developed based on findings unique to insects, including mt genome fragmentation (lice and relatives) and control region duplication (thrips), allowing testing of hypothesized evolutionary drivers of these aberrant genomic phenomena. Finally, emerging research topics consider the contributions of mt genomes to insect speciation and habitat adaption, with very broad potential impacts. Integration between insect mt genomic research and other fields within entomology continues to be our field's greatest opportunity and challenge.