Reconstructing the nonadaptive radiation of an ancient lineage of ground-dwelling stick insects (Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae)
A set of seven nuclear and mitochondrial genes were analysed to infer the phylogeny of Heteropterygidae covering the group's overall diversity. The relationships among the three principal subgroups of Heteropterygidae is resolved and revealed the Dataminae as the sister group of Heteropteryginae + Obriminae. Within Heteropteryginae, Haaniella is recovered as paraphyletic in regard to Heteropteryx. Consequently, Heteropteryx must be considered a subordinate taxon deeply embedded within a flightless clade of stick insects.