New insights into the phylogeny of fig pollinators using Bayesian analyses

The interaction between figs and fig pollinators is one of the most species-specific mutualisms. Recently, phylogenies of both partners based on molecular data provided insights into a wide spectrum of co-evolutionary questions. However, for the phylogeny of fig pollinators, there are some discrepancies between different studies and left some relationships unresolved, especially for deep nodes. The phylogenetic uncertainties of pollinators prohibit our further understanding of the history of the mutualism. Here, we present phylogenetic analyses of a larger COI sequence dataset that includes previously published datasets and our sequences from 20 species using Bayesian method and maximum parsimony. The analyses using different methods share similar topologies. Bayesian analyses provide high level of confidence for most internal nodes in terms of posterior probability. This study also clarifies some discrepancies between previous studies. After rooting with Tetrapus, other pollinators split into two clades. Wiebesia and Blastophaga are at basal positions in respective clade. Ceratosolen is not monophyletic because Kradibia and Liporrhopalum fall inside this group. Three subgenera of Ceratosolen: subgen. Ceratosolen, subgen. Rothropus, and subgen. Strepitus are not supported. Therefore, Ceratosolen is suggested to be re-divided into three groups. Urostigma pollinators (including Dolichoris and Blastophaga psenes) are clustered together. The monophylies of Wiebesia, Blastophaga, Dolichoris are not supported in this analysis. This study also provides a new framework for re-evaluating character evolution and re-inspecting the definition of some genera.