Molecular phylogeny and systematics of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae)

Abstract

The phylogenetic relationships between genera of the Polysphincta group of Pimplinae (Ichneumonidae) were surveyed using molecular markers, partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), 28S rRNA and elongation factor 1α, and maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches to obtain a robust phylogenetic hypothesis to understand the evolution of the group. The Polysphincta group was recovered as monophyletic, although relationships between genera were different from previous hypotheses based on morphological data. Within the Polysphincta group, three major clades were recognized and phylogenetic relationships among them were well resolved as (Schizopyga subgroup + (Acrodactyla subgroup + Polysphincta subgroup)). The Schizopyga subgroup consisted of the genera Piogaster, Schizopyga, Zabrachypus and Brachyzapus. As the genus Schizopyga was found to be polyphyletic, the genus Dreisbachia, which had been synonymized under Schizopyga, was resurrected and Iania gen.n. is proposed for Dreisbachia pictifrons, to maintain monophyletic genera. Species of the Schizopyga subgroup utilize spiders constructing egg‐laying chambers or funnel webs as hosts. The genus Piogaster was not recovered as the sister to all other members of the genus group, unlike previous hypotheses, but was nested in this clade as (Zabrachypus + ((Brachyzapus + Schizopyga) + (Dreisbachia + (Iania + Piogaster)))). Members of the Acrodactyla and Polysphincta subgroups attack spiders that weave aerial webs. The host range of the former is centred on tetragnathid and linyphiid spiders, the host range of the latter seems to centre mainly on orb‐weaving araneids and partly on theridiids weaving three‐dimensional (3D) irregular webs. Based on the obtained phylogeny of the group, the evolution of larval and cocoon morphology, and the mode of parasitism are discussed. Acrodactyla varicarinata Uchida & Momoi and A. inoperta Kusigemati are transferred to the genus Megaetaira (comb.n.). This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0AB1086F-9F23-4057-B7ED-3A3943E19C61.

Description of the male of Hymenoepimecis bicolor (Brullé, 1846) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae)

“…Wasps of the Polysphincta genus-group (sensu Wahl andGauld, 1998 or Polysphinctini sensu Towens, 1969) presents more than 200 described species (Matsumoto, 2016) exclusively koinobiont ectoparasitoids of several spider families (Dubois et al, 2002;Gauld and Dubois, 2006;Matsumoto, 2016). Most of taxonomic descriptions of polysphinctine wasps were based on female individuals, principally due to the presence of the ovipositor (see Gauld, 1991;Gauld et al, 1998Gauld et al, , 2002.…”

Review of the mandibularis group of the genus Dolichomitus (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae)

“…Figures were prepared using the focus stacking function (combining several partially focused images) of the latter and the high resolution shot function of an Olympus E-M5 Mark II digital camera with 60 mm macro lens. See Matsumoto (2016) for DNA extraction, PCR and sequencing protocols. The INSD accession numbers for each sequence are mentioned in the specimens examined section.…”

The second record of <I>Allagelena opulenta</I> (Araneae, Agelenidae) parasitized by the spider-ectoparasitoid,<I> Brachyzapus nikkoensis</I> (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae)

“…Brachyzapus nikkoensis (Uchida 1928) is a member of the Polysphincta genus-group (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae, Ephialtini), all members of which are solitary koinobiont ectoparasitoid of spiders with high host specificity (Gauld & Dubois 2006;Matsumoto 2016). The genus Brachyzapus currently consists of fourteen species distributed in Eurasia and Africa (Gauld & Dubois 2006;Pham et al 2012;Uchida 1928Uchida , 1941Uchida & Momoi 1958;Varga et al 2018;Yu et al 2016) but the only species for which a host spider has been recorded is B. nikkoensis.…”