Systematics of the Argyrotaenia franciscana (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) species group: Evidence from mitochondrial DNA

Moths of the Argyrotaenia franciscana species group represent a challenging case of evolutionary lability and taxonomic complexity in California. We s tudied their evolutionary relationships using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) seq uences from 49 specimens in 18 populations of the A. franciscana group, as well as 2 outgroup species. Most specimens were sequenced over a 799-bp seg ment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Single specimens each of A. franciscana insulana Powell and A. citrana (Fernald) were sequenced o ver a 2.3-kb region including COI, tRNA leucine (UUR), and cytochrome oxida se subunit II (COII), mtDNA variation within and among Argyrotaenia citrana , A. franciscana (Walsingham), and A. franciscana insulana is most simply i nterpreted as DNA polymorphism within a single species for which the oldest name is A. franciscana. Maximal divergence among haplotypes was 3.8%, whic h is on the high end of the range for intraspecific mtDNA variation in Lepi doptera. Argyrotaenia niscana (Kearfott) is most closely related to a new s pecies, and this pair forms the closest outgroup to the A. franciscana-citr ana complex. The status of A. isolatissima Powell remains uncertain.