The Chalcidoidea bush of life: evolutionary history of a massive radiation of minute wasps.

Chalcidoidea are mostly parasitoid wasps that include as many as 500 000 estimated species. Capturing phylogenetic signal from such a massive radiation can be daunting. Chalcidoidea is an excellent example of a hyperdiverse group that has remained recalcitrant to phylogenetic resolution. We combined 1007 exons obtained with Anchored Hybrid Enrichment with 1048 ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) for 433 taxa including all extant families, >95% of all subfamilies, and 356 genera chosen to represent the vast diversity of the superfamily. Going back and forth between the molecular results and our collective knowledge of morphology and biology, we detected bias in the analyses that was driven by the saturation of nucleotide data. Our final results are based on a concatenated analysis of the least saturated exons and UCE datasets (2054 loci, 284 106 sites). Our analyses support an expected sister relationship with Mymarommatoidea. Seven previously recognized families were not monophyletic, so support for a new classification is discussed. Natural history in some cases would appear to be more informative than morphology, as illustrated by the elucidation of a clade of plant gall associates and a clade of taxa with planidial first-instar larvae. The phylogeny suggests a transition from smaller soft-bodied wasps to larger and more heavily sclerotized wasps, with egg parasitism as potentially ancestral for the entire superfamily. Deep divergences in Chalcidoidea coincide with an increase in insect families in the fossil record, and an early shift to phytophagy corresponds with the beginning of the "Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution". Our dating analyses suggest a middle Jurassic origin of 174 Ma (167.3-180.5 Ma) and a crown age of 162.2 Ma (153.9-169.8 Ma) for Chalcidoidea. During the Cretaceous, Chalcidoidea may have undergone a rapid radiation in southern Gondwana with subsequent dispersals to the Northern Hemisphere. This scenario is discussed with regard to knowledge about the host taxa of chalcid wasps, their fossil record and Earth's palaeogeographic history

Neolirata furcula Torréns & Heraty, 2013, n. sp.

Neolirata furcula n. sp. (Figs 15, 17, 19, 21) Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species by the following combination of characters: face smooth (Fig. 21); scutellar spines stout and bowed medially (Fig. 19); gastral terga bare. Female. Length: 5.2 –6.0 mm. Head, mesosoma, coxae and petiole black; flagellum dark brown; femora and scape yellowish-brown, with antennal flagellum beyond basal flagellomere slightly darker and last antennal flagellomeres sometimes light brown (Figs 15, 17). Wings hyaline, venation yellowish to light brown. 14 – 21. Neolirata spp. 14, Neolirata alta, habitus (female); 15, N. furcula sp. nov., habitus and labels (female, holotype); 16, N. alta, antenna and head (female, sublateral); 17, N. furcula, antenna (female, lateral); 18, N. alta, mesosoma (female, dorsal); 19, N. furcula, mesosoma (female, dorsal); 20, N. alta, head (female, frontal); 21, N. furcula, head (female, frontal). cah, callus hairs. Head 1.5–1.7 × as broad as high. Face smooth; occipital margin carinate. Eyes separated by 2.2–2.5 × their height (Fig. 21); malar space 0.7–0.8 × eye height. Labrum with 6 or 7 digits (Fig. 21). Clypeus slightly swollen; supraclypeal area slightly swollen, smooth, and demarcated laterally by shallow sulcus. Maxillary palp 2 - segmented, labial palp reduced to a button-like segment. Antenna with 12 segments, scape long, smooth, laterally compressed, 3.0–4.0× as long as broad and 0.3–0.4 × head height; length of flagellum 1.5–1.7 × head height, basal flagellomere 0.8–0.9 × length of scape, 3.6 –5.0× as long as basal width and 1.6–1.8 × as long as next flagellomere; flagellomeres blunt serrate, clava rounded (Fig. 17). Mesosoma. Mesoscutum broadly rounded, elevated, and rugose-areolate; mid lobe areolate with irregular transverse striae, side lobes almost smooth with few incomplete striae; mesosoma with scattered erect setae; notauli present only as a weak impression dorsomedially (Fig. 15). Axillae strongly impressed laterally, broadly rounded dorsally; scutellar spines thickened, cylindrical, strongly arched in dorsal view (Fig. 19), 1.0– 1.1 × as long as mesosoma, with carinae reaching to apex and scattered erect setae; inferior surface of frenum smooth with some carinae directed medially. Propodeal disc slightly swollen, with areolate carinae; callus swollen, irregular carinated, and with a few setae (Fig. 15). Mesepisternum smooth except for weak transverse carinae; upper mesepimeron smooth except for strong carinae. Coxae with scattered setae; metacoxa semiglobose, 1.3–1.4 × as long as broad. Metafemur with scattered erect setae. Fore wing 2.5–2.6 × as long as broad, stigmal vein 1.0– 1.6 × as long as broad; postmarginal vein slightly longer than stigmal vein; wing disc with dense short setae. Metasoma. Petiole 1.9–2.4 × as long as broad and 1.5–1.7 × as long as metacoxa; petiole subcylindrical, flattened dorsally, and with strong or weak longitudinal carinae. Gastral terga bare. Hypopygium with cluster of long hairs apically. Male. Unknown. Etymology. From Latin noun furcula which means “fork”, referring to the disposition of the scutellar spines. Material examined. Holotype female: BRAZIL, São Paulo: Ipiranga, [23 ° 35 ' 33 "S 46 ° 36 ' 30 "W], 26.xi. 2006, S. M. Torres, UCR_ENT 0 0 0 36243 (MZSP). Paratypes: S ã o Paulo: Ipiranga, [23 ° 35 ' 33 "S 46 ° 36 ' 30 "W], 14.i. 1907, H. Luederwaldt, UCR_ENT 0 0 0 36254 (1 Ƥ, MZSP); same location, ii. 2005, UCR_ENT 0 0 0 36244 (1 Ƥ, MZSP); Campinas, [22 ° 54 ' 17.90 "S 47 ° 3 ' 43.38 "W], ii. 1924, F.X. Williams, UCRC_ENT 00309442– 449 (8 Ƥ, BMNH). MAP 1. Distribution of the three species of Neolirata gen. nov.Published as part of Torréns, Javier & Heraty, John M., 2013, A new genus of Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), with notes on life history and immature stages, pp. 347-358 in Zootaxa 3630 (2) on pages 354-357, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3630.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/22218

FIGURES 8 – 13 in A new genus of Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), with notes on life history and immature stages

FIGURES 8 – 13. Neolirata daguerrei: 8, Labrum (female), lbd, labral digit; sld, seta of labral digit. 9 – 13, biology and immature stages of N. daguerrei: 9, habitat; 10, Urvillea chacoënsis; 11, underside of leaf of U. chacoënsis with eggs (eggs represented in white area); 12, egg; 13, planidia. md, mandible; plst, pleurostomal seta or spine; Tp, tergopleural line

Lophyrocera variabilis Torréns, Heraty & Fidalgo, 2008, n. sp.

Lophyrocera variabilis n. sp. (Figs 1-19) Type Material. Holotype female. ‘ Argentina, Tucumán: Los Chorrillos, 28 -XI-04, 26 º 18 ’ 37 ’’S 64 º 58 ’ 13 ’’W, P. Fidalgo-J. Torréns’ deposited in MACN. Paratypes: TUCUMÁN: Los Chorrillos, same data as holotype (2 females, FSCA; 2 females, IFML); same locality, 27 -XI-04, P. Fidalgo-J. Torréns (2 females, 5 males, MACN; 3 females, UCRC); Los Chorrillos, 26 º 18 ’ 40 ’’S 64 º 57 ’ 55 ’’W, 12 -XI- 2003, P. Fidalgo-J. Torréns (1 male, FSCA); same locality, 17 -XI-03, P. Fidalgo-J. Torréns (2 males, IFML); same locality, 03-XI-04, P. Fidalgo-C. Porter (5 males, UCRC). Diagnosis. A generic diagnosis was provided by Heraty (1985) and Heraty (2002). L. variabilis n. sp. can be differentiated from other species by the following combination of characters: females have 11 antennal segments with lobate flagellomeres (Fig. 10); propodeal disc with truncate process in dorsal view (Fig. 5); and frenal spine 2.6 -3.0X as long as broad. Only the females of L. variabilis and L. plagiata have yellow and dark brown color patterns on the mesosoma. In L. plagiata the antennae are 12 -segmented with subserrate flagellomeres (fig. 222 in Heraty, 2002). The male can be differentiated from the other species by the head 1.7–1.8 X as broad as high; head with strong striae in frons and face; antenna dark brown except the apex of F 8, F 9, F 10 and clava honey yellow; frenal spine 3.5-4.5 X as long as broad (Fig. 6); petiole 1.9–2.5 X as long as hind coxa, and body dark green (Fig. 9). Female. Length 3-4 mm. Females usually with head, mesosoma and petiole dark green with metallic reflections; dorsal surface of pedicel, flagellomeres 2–7, coxae and proximal 3 / 4 of femora dark brown; rest of antenna and rest of legs honey yellow (Fig. 7); gaster usually dark brown with green metallic reflections; wing infuscate, with venation light brown. Females exhibit color variation ranging from mesosoma, coxae, and gaster dark green with metallic reflections (Fig. 7) to having extensive yellow patches on the mesosoma, coxae apically and gaster (Fig. 8). Head 1.6-1.8 X as broad as high (Fig. 1). Posterior ocellar line (POL) 3–3.2 X lateral ocellar line, POL 1.5– 1.9 X ocellar ocular line. Gena with transverse striae converging to clypeus, frons with striae around scrobal depression reaching to vertex, vertex with striae transverse; head with small and erect scattered setae. Eyes separated by 1.8 –2.0X their height. Labrum with 7 digits (Fig. 11), each digit with a terminal acicular seta, clypeus and supraclypeal area with weak striae; carina between posterior and anterior ocelli continued laterally on frons, occipital carina present. Malar space 0.7–0.85 X height of eye. Antenna with 11 segments (Figs 2, 10); scape swollen basally, not reaching ventral margin of median ocellus. Length of flagellum 1.4–1.6 X height of head; basal flagellomere 2.5 –3.0X as long as basal width, F 3 1.1–1.3 X as long as basal flagellomere; flagellomeres and clava lobate. Mesosoma (Fig. 4): reticulate rugose; mesoscutum 1.6– 2 X broader than long dorsally, rounded anteriorly, without setae, side lobe with dorsal surface rugose to smooth. Notauli vaguely impressed, crossed by strong carinae. Scutoscutellar sulcus weakly impressed, scutellum extended slightly over frenum; frenum with pair of short, cylindrical or depressed spines, rugose basally and smooth apically, 2.6 –3.0X as long as broad (Fig. 5). Propodeal disc strongly sculptured between processes, with processes truncate; callus ridge-like, without setae. Mesepimeron longitudinally impressed below midline; mesepimeron evenly sculptured. Prepectus quadrate, with apex broadly separated from tegula (Fig. 3). Prosternum (st 1) trapezoidal, strigose anteriorly (Fig. 12). Fore coxa smooth, with scattered setae on anterior surface; mid coxa shorter and broader than procoxa, smooth with a lateral carina; hind coxa weakly reticulate, 1.1–1.4 X as long as broad, with lateral carina. Fore wing infuscate, 2.4–2.7 X as long as broad; costal cell 0.3–0.4 X length of wing, scattered short ventral setae; venation distinct, submarginal vein dorsally with few short setae, basal area bare; stigmal vein rectangular, 1.4–1.8 X as long as broad; postmarginal vein as long breadth of stigmal vein; pilosity reduced to microtrichia. Hind wing 3.5–3.7 X as long as broad; marginal vein incomplete medially; fringe present. Petiole 2.0– 2.2 X as long as broad and 1.4–1.6 X as long as hind coxa, petiole depressed dorsally, rugose and with longitudinal carinae. Gastral terga weakly reticulate, Gt 1 with scattered setae (Fig. 8); hypopygium with 6 setae. Male. Length 3.3–4.6 mm (Fig. 9). Similar to female except for following: slightly darker color than female; antenna with apex of F 8, F 9, F 10 and clava honey yellow, rest of segments dark brown. Antenna 12 - segmented, flagellar segments pectinate (Fig. 13); branches flattened, branch of F 2 0.6–0.7 X as long as height of head; frenal spines more slender, 3.5–4.5 X as long as broad (Fig. 6); propodeal processes longer than female, extending as far as apex of frenal spines, sickle-like, broad basally and thin at the apex (Figs 6 and 9); wing venation indistinct; petiole 3.5–4.8 X longer than broad, 1.9–2.5 X as long as hind coxa; gaster smaller than female. Genitalia typical of most Eucharitidae (Fig. 14). FIGURES 10–14. 10- 12, Lophyrocera variabilis n. sp. (female): 10, antenna; 11, labrum; 12, prosternum and propleura (ventral). 13–14, L. variabilis n. sp. (male): 13, antenna; 14, genitalia. (adg= aedeagus, dig= digitus, phl=phallobase, pl 1 = propleura, st 1 = prosternum). Eggs. Undeveloped eggs are whitish and translucent with a smooth chorion; length of egg body 0.13 mm with the caudal stalk equal or slightly longer than egg body (Fig. 17). The egg is similar to other Eucharitinae as described by Heraty and Darling (1984). Planidium (Fig. 18). As described for other Eucharitinae (Heraty & Darling, 1984) but distinguished as follows: length 0.08 mm (caudal cerci 0.10), width 0.04 mm. Cranium with labial plate present, including hatched-shaped posterior labial plate; two pairs of dorsal sensilla. Body with 12 tergites, tergopleural line absent; tergites I and II fused dorsally, with 2 pairs of setae dorsally; tergites III and V with single pair of setae ventrally; tergite IV with one pair of setae and VI with 2 pairs of setae; other segments without setae; ventral margin of tergites V-VI extended posteriorly as long narrow processes; the other tergites with processes shorter than V and VI. Pupa. Typical robust form for Eucharitidae (Fig. 19), with a series of raised ridges along metasomal tergites in common with other members of the Stilbula clade within the Eucharitini (Heraty and Barber, 1990). Thirty-two parasitized cocoons had only a single pupa of L. variabilis n. sp., whereas 3 cocoons had two pupae of L. variabilis (Fig. 19). Lophyrocera pupae were found in cocoons ranging from 4-5 mm in length.Published as part of Torréns, Javier, Heraty, John M. & Fidalgo, Patricio, 2008, Biology and description of a new species of Lophyrocera Cameron (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae) from Argentina, pp. 56-62 in Zootaxa 1871 on pages 57-59, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27447

Resolving the nightmare of the planidial clade!

International audienceAn active first-instar larvae (planidium) is restricted to one clade within Chalcidoidea that includes Eucharitidae, Perilampidae and Eutrichosomatinae (Pteromalidae). Phylogenomic approaches have helped to identify the clade and the relationships among groups, which will ultimately lead to a revised classification of families. The morphology and behavior of the planidia and other behavioral attributes across the different groups will be reviewed, and some anomalous results discussed

Iniciativas de Publicación Abierta en la Universidad de Los Andes

Iniciativas de Publicación Abierta en la Universidad de Los Andes. (Rodrigo Torréns, Hilda Y. Contreras Zambrano, Eliana Guzmán, Fernando Rodriguez, Fabiola Rosales) Resumen En los últimos años, las ideas e iniciativas que tienen que ver con la libre publicación y difusión de documentos académicos y resultados de investigación, están siendo debatidas intensamente, y están ganando terreno sobre los modelos tradicionales de publicación académica. Publicación Abierta o Acceso Abierto significa principalmente, ofrecer libre acceso en Internet a documentación y literatura académica, permitiéndole a los usuarios leer, descargar, copiar, distribuir, imprimir, buscar o enlazar los textos completos de estos documentos, reconociendo y dándole al autor todos los derechos sobre su creación. En este trabajo presentamos resumidamente algunas iniciativas de publicación electrónica llevadas a cabo en la Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela (ULA), enmarcándolas en las ideas de acceso libre al material académico y producción intelectual mencionadas antes. Entre las iniciativas a mencionar están: REVENCYT: Índice de Revistas Científicas venezolanas, proyecto de Tesis Electrónicas, Web del Profesor, Proyecto SABER-ULA - Patrimonio Intelectual de la ULA en Internet y Revistas Electrónicas de la ULA. Algunos de estos proyectos están consolidados y en funcionamiento hace varios años, y otros están iniciando el trayecto hacia su consolidación y adopción por parte de la comunidad universitaria, con resultados bastante alentadores hasta el momento. Así mismo se espera que la experiencia ganada durante el desarrollo de estas iniciativas sirvan de ayuda a otras instituciones que todavía no han desarrollado proyectos similares. Ponencia presentada en el VII Coloquio Internacional de Tecnologías Aplicadas a los Servicios de Información: Creatividad e Innovación III Simposio Virtual: Publicaciones Electrónicas y Derecho de Autor. Universidad de los Andes. Mérida, 05 al 10 de julio de [email protected]@[email protected]@serbi.ula.veNivel monográfic

Mealtime conversations between parents and their 2-year-old children in five cultural contexts

Children all over the world learn language, yet, the contexts in which they do so vary substantially. This variation needs to be systematically quantified to build robust and generalizable theories of language acquisition. We compared communicative interactions between parents and their two-year-old children (N = 99 families) during mealtime across five cultural settings (Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Germany, Japan) and coded the amount of talk and gestures as well as their conversational embedding (interlocutors, function, themes). We found a comparable pattern of communicative interactions across cultural settings, which were modified in ways that are consistent with local norms and values. These results suggest that children encounter similarly structured communicative environments across diverse cultural contexts and will inform theories of language learning