Systematic re‐appraisal of the gall‐usurping wasp genus Synophrus Hartig, 1843 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini)

Abstract

Abstract. Several unanswered questions remain regarding the taxonomy and phylogeny of inquiline gallwasps (Cynipidae: Synergini), obligate inhabitants of plant galls induced primarily by other gallwasps (Cynipidae: Cynipini and Diplolepidini). Here we use morphological and molecular data to revise the inquiline genus Synophrus, members of which are notable for extensively modifying the structure of galls induced by oak gallwasp hosts on oaks in the section Cerris of Quercus subgenus Quercus in the Western Palaearctic. Previous taxonomic treatments have recognized three Western Palaearctic species of Synophrus: S. pilulae, S. politus and S. olivieri. Our results support the establishment of four additional Western Palaearctic species: Synophrus hungaricussp.n., S. libanisp.n., S. syriacussp.n. and S. hispanicussp.n. We describe and diagnose these new taxa, analyse their phylogenetic relationships, and show that Synophrus inquilines are able to impose their own gall phenotypes on those of their hosts. We provide an updated key to Synophrus.

Phylogeny and DNA barcoding of inquiline oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) of the Western Palaearctic

“…While the genera Synergus and Synophrus are probably monophyletic, Saphonecrus is probably diphyletic. Our results thus confirm earlier doubts over the monophyly of this genus (Pujade-Villar & Nieves-Aldrey, 1990; Pénzes et al, 2009). 480…”

“…Rokas et al, 2002b;Nylander et al, 2004a, b;Pénzes et al, 205 2009), sampling of Synergus has been very limited. A recent molecular analysis of the genera Synophrus and Saphonecrus (Pénzes et al, 2009) We then explore the potential for DNA barcoding in the oak-associated Synergini.…”

Eastern Palearctic oak cynipid inquilines (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) and associated gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini)

“…Butterill, and number of new species within genera of Synergini have recently been described (Bozsó et al 2014Melika et al , 2007Pénzes et al 2009;Nieves-Aldrey & Butterill 2014) which were examined in details by us and as the result some genera and species were synonymized (Schwéger et al 2015b). …”

“…The phylogenetic position of Synophrus and Ufo has been re-appraised and re-established (Bozsó et al 2014(Bozsó et al , 2015Melika et al , 2007Pénzes et al 2009;Nieves-Aldrey & Butterill 2014). …”

“…Further fully overlapping sequences were downloaded from previous studies of gallwasp inquilines (Synergini) (Ács et al 2010;Pénzes et al 2009;Bozsó et al 2014;Kaartinen et al 2010, Bernardo et al 2013, Nylander et al 2004detailed below.). CoxI sequences were aligned without difficulty using Muscle 3.8.31 (Edgar et al 2004) using the default settings as no gaps were detected.…”