Skeletal Morphology of Opius dissitus and Biosteres carbonarius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a Discussion of Terminology

The Braconidae, a family of parasitic wasps, constitute a major taxonomic challenge with an estimated diversity of 40,000 to 120,000 species worldwide, only 18,000 of which have been described to date. The skeletal morphology of braconids is still not adequately understood and the terminology is partly idiosyncratic, despite the fact that anatomical features form the basis for most taxonomic work on the group. To help address this problem, we describe the external skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus Muesebeck 1963 and Biosteres carbonarius Nees 1834, two diverse representatives of one of the least known and most diverse braconid subfamilies, the Opiinae. We review the terminology used to describe skeletal features in the Ichneumonoidea in general and the Opiinae in particular, and identify a list of recommend terms, which are linked to the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied species is illustrated with SEM-micrographs, photos and line drawings. Based on the examined species, we discuss intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in the Opiinae and point out character complexes that merit further study

Systematics and evolution of gall formation in the plant-associated genera of the wasp subfamily Doryctinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Gall formation is a specialised form of phytophagy that consists of abnormal growth of host plant tissue induced by other organisms, principally insects and mites. In the mainly parasitoid wasp subfamily Doryctinae, gall association, represented by gall inducers, inquilines and their parasitoids, is known for species of seven genera. Previous molecular studies recovered few species of six of these genera as monophyletic despite their disparate morphologies. Here, we reconstructed the evolutionary relationships among 47 species belonging to six gall-associated doryctine genera based on two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene markers. Most of the Bayesian analyses, performed with different levels of incomplete taxa and characters, supported the monophyly of gall-associated doryctines, with Heterospilus (Heterospilini) as sister group. Percnobracon Kieffer and Jörgensen and Monitoriella Hedqvist were consistently recovered as monophyletic, and the validity of the monotypic Mononeuron was confirmed with respect to Allorhogas Gahan. A nonmonophyletic Allorhogas was recovered, although without significant support. The relationships obtained and the gathered morphological and biological information led us to erect three new genera originally assigned to Psenobolus: Ficobolus gen.n. (F. paniaguai sp.n. and F. jaliscoi sp.n.), Plesiopsenobolus gen.n. (Pl. mesoamericanus sp.n., Pl. plesiomorphus van Achterberg and Marsh comb.n., and Pl. tico sp.n.), and Sabinita gen.n. (S. mexicana sp.n.). The origin of the gall-associated doryctine clade was estimated to have occurred during the middle Miocene to early Oligocene, 16.33–30.55 Ma. Our results support the origin of true gall induction in the Doryctinae from parasitoidism of other gall-forming insects. Moreover, adaptations to attack different gall-forming taxa on various unrelated plant families probably triggered species diversification in the main Allorhogas clade and may also have promoted the independent origin of gall formation on at least three plant groups. Species diversification in the remaining doryctine taxa was probably a result of host shifts within a particular plant taxon and shifts to different plant organs.Fil: Zaldivar Riverón, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Martinez, Juan Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Belokobylskij, Sergey A.. Polish Academy of Sciences; ArgentinaFil: Pedraza Lara, Carlos. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Shaw, Scott. University of Wyoming; Estados UnidosFil: Hanson, Paul E.. Universidad de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Varela Hernández, Fernando. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Méxic

zaldivar IS07028.qxd

Abstract. The phylogenetic relationships among representatives of 64 genera of the cosmopolitan parasitic wasps of the subfamily Doryctinae were investigated based on nuclear 28S ribosomal (r) DNA (~650 bp of the D2-3 region) and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial (mt) DNA (603 bp) sequence data. The molecular dating of selected clades and the biogeography of the subfamily were also inferred. The partitioned Bayesian analyses did not recover a monophyletic Doryctinae, though the relationships involved were only weakly supported. Strong evidence was found for rejecting the monophylies of both Doryctes Haliday, 1836 and Spathius Nees, 1818. Our results also support the recognition of the Rhaconotini as a valid tribe. A dispersal-vicariance analysis showed a strong geographical signal for the taxa included, with molecular dating estimates for the origin of Doryctinae and its subsequent radiation both occurring during the late Paleocene-early Eocene. The divergence time estimates suggest that diversification in the subfamily could have in part occurred as a result of continental break-up events that took place in the southern hemisphere, though more recent dispersal events account for the current distribution of several widespread taxa