'Paleontological Institute at The University of Kansas'
Abstract
M.A. University of Kansas, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 2004A cladistic analysis was performed on 29 of the 31 known species of Hawaiian ichneumonid wasps of the subfamily Ophioninae, based upon 64 adult morphological characters. Outgroups consisted of 17 species of Enicospilus, one species of Leptophion,
and Dicamptus (scored from a genus description). Outside of an undescribed species known only from a single specimen, increased support was found for the existence of one Hawaiian clade of Ophioninae. The group is presently divided into multiple genera, of which most species are placed in the speciose and cosmopolitan genus, Enicospilus . Maintenance of the nominal taxa Pycnophion, Banchogastra, and Abanchogastra at generic rank renders Enicospilus paraphyletic (as has been noted by other authors) or polyphyletic. Nomenclatural changes are recommended, including those that would serve to ensure, at a minimum, the paraphyly of Enicospilus. The consequences of nomenclatural changes necessary to enforce strict monophyly of Enicospi/us are discussed, as are the distribution and evolution of atypical morphological features unique to the Hawaiian ophionine fauna
