Molecular Systematics of Gryllidea Based on Mitochondrial and Ribosomal DNA Data

ABSTRACT Gryllidea comprises approximately 6300 species worldwide, ranking as the third largest group within the order Orthoptera. However, due to the constraints of various morphological classification systems and the limited molecular phylogenetic studies based on a small number of genes, a robust and comprehensive phylogenetic framework for this group has not yet been established. As a result, the higher‐level classification remains underdeveloped, and the taxonomic status of certain clades is unclear. In this study, we supplemented completed mitochondrial and rDNA molecular data from 196 species, combined with DNA barcoding, to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of 443 cricket species belonging to 221 genera, 29 subfamilies and 11 families within extant Gryllidea. Our analysis reveals several new phylogenetic relationships at family, subfamily and tribe levels. Notably, we observed independent clustering patterns within the subfamilies Pentacentrinae, Eneopterinae and Landrevinae + Itarinae. We propose that the Gryllidea originated during the Late Triassic (223.11 Ma), splitting into two major lineages: the superfamily Gryllotalpoidea and Grylloidea. The ancestor of Gryllotalpoidea is hypothesized to have emerged in the Late Jurassic (127.98 Ma), while the ancestor of Grylloidea likely originated in the Late Triassic (200.18 Ma). Additionally, we identified a rapid diversification rate node within the superfamily Grylloidea, which coincides with the large‐scale diversification of angiosperms during the Cretaceous. The rapid expansion of angiosperms and the subsequent ecological niche restructuring may have been key drivers behind the rapid radiation of cricket lineages. Drawing on a variety of molecular markers, this study establishes the most comprehensive and well‐supported phylogenetic framework for the Gryllidea to date, with the broadest species coverage and the clearest species identification. Our findings provide new insights into the phylogenetic relationships within crickets, explore their correlation with environmental changes, and offer valuable references for the classification of Gryllidea and related evolutionary studies, contributing both data and theoretical support to further research in the Gryllidea.