Lauri Kaila

University of Helsinki | HY · Finnish Museum of Natural History

Species differ in their biological susceptibility to extinction, but the set of traits determining susceptibility varies across taxa. It is yet unclear which patterns are common to all taxa, and which are taxon-specific, with consequences to conservation practice. In this study we analysed the generality of trait-based prediction of extinction risk...

The field of molecular phylogenetics is being revolutionized with next‐generation sequencing technologies making it possible to sequence large numbers of genomes for non‐model organisms ushering us into the era of phylogenomics. The current challenge is no longer how to get enough data, but rather how to analyse the data and how to assess the suppo...

To associate specimens identified by molecular characters to other biological knowledge, we need reference sequences annotated by Linnaean taxonomy. In this paper, we 1) report the creation of a comprehensive reference library of DNA barcodes for the arthropods of an entire country (Finland), 2) publish this library, and 3) deliver a new identifica...

To associate specimens identified by molecular characters to other biological knowledge, we need reference sequences annotated by Linnaean taxonomy. In this paper, we 1) report the creation of a comprehensive reference library of DNA barcodes for the arthropods of an entire country (Finland), 2) publish this library, and 3) deliver a new identifica...

The field of molecular phylogenetics is being revolutionised with next-generation sequencing technologies making it possible to sequence large numbers of genomes for non-model organisms ushering us into the era of phylogenomics. The current challenge is no longer how to get enough data, but rather how to analyse the data and how to assess the suppo...

The collection policy of the Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus is hierarchically structured. General principles and guidelines are defined in the General Collections Policy. Subordinate to it, the collection policies for the individual sub-collections implement and specify these guidelines and instructions, considering the special nature of...

Monopis jussii Kaila, Mutanen, Huemer, Karsholt & Autto, sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Tineidae) is described as a new species. It is closely related to the widespread and common M. laevigella ([Denis & Schiffermül-ler], 1775), but differs in its distinct COI DNA barcode sequences, four examined nuclear loci as well as details in forewing coloration and p...

The informal Pyralis regalis complex, including species of the genus Pyralis Linnaeus, 1758 (Pyralidae), with a bright white or silvery pattern on the forewing, is reviewed, supplemented by observations of the externally distinguished P. perversalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1849), which also exhibits similarities in genitalia and DNA barcodes. We describ...

Biodiversity is eroding at unprecedented rates due to human activity. Species' trajectories towards extinction are shaped by multiple factors, including life-history traits as well as human pressures. Previous studies linking these factors to extinction risk have been narrow in their taxonomic and geographic scope, thus limiting the ability for ide...

Erosion of biodiversity generated by anthropogenic activities has been studied for decades and in many areas at the species level, using taxa monitoring. In contrast, genetic erosion within species has rarely been tracked, and is often studied by inferring past population dynamics from contemporaneous estimators. An alternative to such inferences i...

The fate of humans and insects intertwine, especially through the medium of plants. Global environmental change, including land transformation and contamination, is causing concerning insect diversity loss, articulated in the companion review Scientists' warning to humanity on insect extinctions. Yet, despite a sound philosophical foundation, recog...

First records of Elachistinae are given from Thailand. Ten species of Elachistinae are reported, eight of which are described as new: Urodeta longa Sruoga & Kaila sp. nov., Elachista buszkoi Sruoga & Kaila sp. nov., E. oryx Sruoga & Kaila sp. nov., E. pellineni Sruoga & Kaila sp. nov., E. capricornis Sruoga & Kaila sp. nov., E. phichaiensis Sruoga...

Species distribution data are crucial for assessing the conservation status of species (red listing, IUCN) and implementing international conservation targets, such as those set by the International Convention on Biological Diversity. Although there have been a number of efforts aimed at aggregating biodiversity data, information on the distributio...

An annotated catalogue of world species of Elachistinae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae) is presented. The classification follows recent phylogenetic studies. Genera and the species within each genus are listed in alphabetical order. All family, genus and species-group names of Elachistinae published before 28 August 2018 are treated. Sixt...

A survey of the ‘Symphyta’ of Colombia is conducted, based on information from literature as well as on examination of over 2,000 specimens from the major Colombian entomological collections. A total of 127 species are recorded from Colombia, representing six families: Argidae (48 species), Tenthredinidae (37) Pergidae (37), Xiphydriidae (3 species...

Ustyurtiidae Kaila, Heikkilä & Nupponen, a new family of Urodoidea is introduced. The family is based on the genus Ustyurtia Kaila, Heikkilä & Nupponen, gen. n. The genus includes the type species U. zygophyllivora Kaila, Heikkilä & Nupponen, sp. n. and U. charynica Kaila, Heikkilä & Nupponen, sp. n. , both from Kazakhstan. These two species, in pa...

Morphological traits characterizing and delimiting Pleurotinae (Oecophoridae) are provided and discussed. The evidence supports the validity of the subfamily as suggested by recent molecular studies. The Pleurota aristella (Linnaeus, 1767) species group is characterized, and six new species belonging to the group from Morocco are described: Pleurot...

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) commits its 196 nation parties to conserve biological diversity, use its components sustainably, and share fairly and equitably the benefits from the utilization of genetic resources. The last of these objectives was further codified in the Convention's Nagoya Protocol (NP), which came into effect in 201...

Taxonomy of the here established Elachista subula species complex is reviewed. This species complex is subordinate to the E. dispilella group sensu Kaila et al. (2015), in subgenus Aphelosetia. The E. subula species complex is exclusively Palearctic. Most of the currently recognized species occur in dry areas in Central Asia where they appear to fo...

A rapid shift from traditional Sanger sequencing-based molecular methods to the phylogenomic approach with large numbers of loci is underway. Among phylogenomic methods, RAD (Restriction site Associated DNA) sequencing approaches have gained much attention as they enable rapid generation of up to thousands of loci randomly scattered across the geno...

The taxonomy of Palearctic Elachista species similar to E. deceptricula Staudinger, 1880 is revised. Five species are treated: E. spumella Caradja, 1920, E. deceptricula Staudinger, Elachista athroa Kaila, sp. n. from Turkey, E. conferta Kaila sp. n. from Spain, and E. sagara Kaila sp. n. from Kyrgyzstan. Lectotype is designated for E. spumella Car...

The first records of Elachistinae (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae) are reported from New Caledonia. Eight species are recognized. Elachista cynopa Meyrick is reported outside Australia for the first time. All other species are described as new: Elachista concubia sp. nov., E. achlyodes sp. nov., E. scoteina sp. nov., E. cardiaca sp. nov., E. dilobates s...

Despite being popular among amateur and professional lepidopterologists and posing great opportunities for evolutionary research, the phylogenetic relationships of tiger moths (Erebidae: Arctiinae) are not well resolved. Here we provide the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the subtribe Arctiina with the basic aim of clarifying the phylogenetic pos...

Phylogenetic relationships within family Oecophoridae have been poorly understood. Consequently the subfamily and genus level classifications with this family problematic. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Oecophoridae, the concealer moths, was performed based on analysis of 4,444 base pairs of mitochondrial COI, nuclear ribosomal RNA genes...

The Finnish Red Lists from 2000 and 2010 were used to calculate for the first time the national Red List Index for the order Lepidoptera and different Lepidoptera families with data from 2245 species. We grouped species according to their primary habitats and analysed each habitat's RLI as well. The overall RLI was significantly negative, reflectin...

For the first time ever, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Index for habitat types was calculated for an entire country, Finland. The RLIs were based on species threat assessments from 2000 and 2010 and included habitat definitions for all 10,131 species of 12 organism groups. The RLIs were bootstrapped to track statistica...

Background: Ditrysia comprise close to 99 % of all butterflies and moths. The evolutionary relationships among the ditrysian superfamilies have received considerable attention in phylogenetic studies based on DNA and transcriptomic data, but the deepest divergences remain for large parts unresolved or contradictory. To obtain complementary insight...

Based on combination of evidence derived from DNA barcodes and diagnostic features of morphology, sixteen new Palearctic species of the taxonomically challenging Elachista bifasciella group are described: E. arta Kaila, sp. n. (Kyrgyzstan), E. praestans Kaila, sp. n. (Slovenia), E. narynella Kaila, sp. n. (Kyrgyzstan), E. sebastella Kaila, sp. n. (...

Appendix S1 Checklist of species of Elachista dispunctella complex

Appendix S16 BLOG logic classification formulas

Figure S8 Schematic depiction of female genitalia of E. dispunctella complex

Figure S12 NJ tree

Figure S13 ML tree

Table S2 Type specimen information of species of E. dispunctella complex

Appendix S4 ABGD source code

Appendix S5 XML file for executing BEAST (OTU delineation)

Figure S11 The number of OTUs plotted against P‐values

Table S3 Specimen data

Appendix S6 R code

Appendix S9 XML file for executing BEAST (type association)

Appendix S10 FASTA MSA for OTU delineation

Appendix S15 FASTA MSA for type association

Figure S7 Schematic depiction of male genitalia of E. dispunctella complex

Figure S14 Bayesian tree

The E. dispunctella and E. triseriatella complexes sensu Traugott-Olsen are merged. The newly delineated E. dispunctella complex is re-defined and diagnosed. Until now, a total of 64 species has been assigned to this species complex. The taxonomy of the constituent species has been obscure owing to their identities based on unvalidated traits, in p...

The Elachista dispilella group and its subordinate E. dispilella species complex are characterized. Identity of the long confused oldest names applicable for taxa in the E. dispilella complex, i.e., E. dispilella Zeller, E. festucicolella Zeller, and E. distigmatella Frey, is resolved. Elachista dispilella Zeller is the valid name for the species o...

The Elachista dispilella group and its subordinate E. dispilella species complex are characterized. Identity of the long confused oldest names applicable for taxa in the E. dispilella complex, i.e., E. dispilella Zeller, E. festucicolella Zeller, and E. distigmatella Frey, is resolved. Elachista dispilella Zeller is the valid name for the species o...

The accelerating loss of biodiversity has created a need for more effective ways to discover species. Novel algorithmic approaches for analyzing sequence data combined with rapidly expanding DNA barcode libraries provide a potential solution. While several analytical methods are available for the delineation of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), f...

Each holotype specimen provides the only objective link to a particular Linnean binomen. Sequence information from them is increasingly valuable due to the growing usage of DNA barcodes in taxonomy. Since type specimens are often old, it may only be possible to recover fragmentary sequence information from them. We tested the efficacy of short sequ...

Gelechioidea are one of the most species rich and least studied superfamilies of Lepidoptera. We examine the interrelationships within the superfamily using the densest taxon sampling to date, combined with the most extensive ever morphological and molecular character data. We perform partitioned and combined analyses using maximum likelihood, Baye...

Gelechioidea are one of the most species rich and least studied superfamilies of Lepidoptera. We examine the interrelationships within the superfamily using the densest taxon sampling to date, combined with the most extensive ever morphological and molecular character data. We perform partitioned and combined analyses using maximum likelihood, Baye...

The jewel beetle genus Agrilus (Buprestidae), with approximately 2880 recognized species, is taxonomically challenging due to the great similarity of species. An example of taxonomic ambiguity is the Agrilus viridis species group, particularly the viridis complex that comprises many varieties differing both ecologically and morphologically. The sta...

The Elachista puplesisi group is defined. Its characterization is based on two species, E. puplesisi Sruoga, 2000, known from the holotype collected in Turkmenistan and E. helia sp. nov., from Rhodos, Greece. The group is assigned to the subgenus Atachia of Elachista, but its affinities within Atachia remain unknown.

The biological species concept suggests that species can be separated on the basis of reproductive isolation. However, because natural interbreeding capabilities are often unknown, differences in morphology are generally used to separate species. Alternatively, genetic dissimilarity is used to separate morphologically similar species. Many genetic...

Rapid development of broad regional and international DNA barcode libraries have brought new insights into the species diversity of many areas and groups. Many new species, even within well-investigated species groups, have been discovered based initially on differences in DNA barcodes. We barcoded 437 collection specimens belonging to 40 pre-ident...

To elucidate the evolutionary relationships of the major lineages within the moth family Nolidae, we analysed a molecular dataset comprising eight independent gene regions (6.4 kbp), cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from the mitochondrial genome, and elongation factor-1α (EF-1α), ribosomal protein S5 (RpS5), carbamoylphosphate synthase domain p...

We examine the systematic position of the lepidopteran family Prodidactidae Epstein and Brown, 2003, which includes the single species Prodidactis mystica (Meyrick). We provide details on a morphological trait of the adult male hindcoxa that appears to link Prodidactidae with Hyblaeidae. This putative relationship is consistent with molecular data...

We re-examine the higher level phylogeny and evolutionary affinities of the family Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) based on DNA sequence data for one mitochondrial gene (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and seven nuclear genes (Elongation Factor-1α, wingless, Ribosomal protein S5, Isocitrate dehydrogenase, Cytosolic malate dehydrogenase, Glyc...

A hitherto neglected gelechioid moth genus Eumenodora Meyrick (Gelechioidea: Elachistidae; Cosmopterigidae; Xyloryctidae) is redescribed. The genus, originally assigned to the Elachistidae and later transferred to the Cosmopterigidae, is monotypic. The single constituent species, E. encrypta Meyrick, 1906, has long been known only from the holotype...

The taxonomy of Elachista (Aphelosetia) hedemanni Rebel, 1899, and its relatives is clarified. The following species are described as new: Elachista gilvula sp. n. from Russia: Tuva with additional record from Kazakhstan, Elachista galbina sp. n. from Kazakhstan and Elachista cirrhoplica sp. n. from Spain. The systematics of an assemblage of specie...

We review morphological characters considered important for understanding butterfly phylogeny and evolution in the light of recent large-scale molecular phylogenies of the group. A number of the most important morphological works from the past half century are reviewed and morphological character evolution is reassessed based on the most recent phy...

Elachista nuraghella sensu auct. (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae) is shown to display a striking division of haplotype groups in the DNA barcode sequence, one widely distributed in the western Mediterranean region, the other in the east: Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. The haplotypes correspond with constant differences in both male and female genitalia, a...

During efforts to generate DNA barcodes for all North European Lepidoptera, Phalonidia manniana (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1839) was found to comprise two genetically distinct clusters. Morphological investigation further supports the existence of two distinct taxa, P. manniana and P. udana Guenée, 1845, sp. rev. Their biologies also differ, P. mann...

A tribute to our late friend and colleague Jukka Jalava, who contributed much to the flourishing of microlepidopterology in Finland, with the list of his publications.

“Order Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758. In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness”.

Classification of Order Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758 (4 suborders) (15,578 genera, 157,424 species, 50/86)

For the kingdom Animalia, 1,552,319 species have been described in 40 phyla in a new evolutionary classification. Among these, the phylum Arthropoda alone represents 1,242,040 species, or about 80% of the total. The most successful group, the Insecta (1,020,007 species), accounts for about 66% of all animals. The most successful insect order, Coleo...

The taxonomy of the relatives of Elachista (Aphelosetia) pollutella Duponchel, 1843 is clarified. The following species are described as new: Elachista jubarella sp. n. from Russian Caucasus, Elachista rutjani sp. n. from Russia: South Ural and Tuva, and Ukraine, Elachista enochra sp. n. from Turkmenistan, and E. cretula sp. n. from Kazakhstan and...