A molecular and morphological phylogeny of the extant Augochlorini (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) with comments on implications for biogeography

Abstract

The Augochlorini Beebe is a New World tribe of bees comprising 663 described species. Relationships among the genera of this monophyletic tribe remain uncertain. Here I provide a comprehensive phylogeny using morphological and molecular information. In all, 54 Augochlorini species plus 16 outgroups and 3017 molecular and 105 morphological characters were analysed. Sequences for four genes were analysed using Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood and parsimony. Morphological characters were taken from a literature review and analysed alone and in combination with molecular data using parsimony. The monophyly of Augochlorini and most genera is confirmed, with divergence of the main lineages of the tribe around 55-20 Ma.

Filogenia y clasificación taxonómica de los subgéneros de Augochloropsis (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

“…16H) debidamente identificadas y dos morfotipos adicionales, con la finalidad de incluir en los análisis una mayor representación de la variación morfológica observada en el género (Cuadro 2). Como grupos externos se utilizaron los géneros Corynura Spinola, 1851, que ha sido considerado como un linaje basal de la tribu Augochlorini (Eickwort, 1969a;Engel, 2000;Danforth et al, 2008;Gonçalves, 2011Gonçalves, , 2016, Megalopta Smith, 1853 y Caenaugochlora (Michener, 1954), que de acuerdo con los datos morfológicos de Engel (2000) forman un grupo monofilético con Augochloropsis. Como grupo hermano se utilizó el género Pseudaugochlora Michener, 1954, que de acuerdo con los datos moleculares de Gonçalves (2011Gonçalves ( , 2016 y morfológicos de Santos (2014), es muy cercano a Augochloropsis.…”

The relevance of the mesosomal internal structures to the phylogeny of Augochlorini bees (Hymenoptera: Halictinae)

“…The absence of propodeum lateral carina (127:1) on Temnosoma is perceptible externally and was already mentioned by Eickwort (); however, subsequent phylogenetic studies did not incorporate this character. The propodeal pit shape was already recognized by previous phylogenetic studies (Gonçalves, : character 49; Engel, : character 20; Danforth & Eickwort, : Character 38). This structure was also studied for other groups, for example Silveira () on his phylogeny of Exomalopsini.…”

“…Jesus S. Moure, Departamento de Zoologia, UFPR (DZUP). The taxon sample consists of 17 bee species belonging to different genera, representing the eight species groups proposed by Gonçalves (). We selected the Halictinae species studied by Porto, Almeida et al., and included Caenohalictus mourei and Ruizantheda proxima as outgroups.…”

“…Gonçalves () provided a comprehensive phylogeny for Augochlorini using sequences of four genes, external morphology and male genitalia. Morphology was already been used by previous authors to infer Augochlorini phylogeny (Danforth & Eickwort, ; Engel, ), but genus‐level relationships were uncertain.…”

“…Morphology was already been used by previous authors to infer Augochlorini phylogeny (Danforth & Eickwort, ; Engel, ), but genus‐level relationships were uncertain. Gonçalves () analyses based on morphological data alone produced poorly resolved trees. The author concluded that morphological characters from other sources would provide helpful information.…”