Unravelling cryptic species diversity in eastern Nearctic paper wasps, Polistes (Fuscopolistes), using male genitalia, morphometrics and DNA barcoding, with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Abstract

A study of male genitalia, morphometric head measurements and DNA barcoding revealed three overlooked species in eastern Nearctic Polistes (Fuscopolistes), two of which are described here: P. (F.) hirsuticornis Buck, sp. nov. and P. (F.) parametricus Buck, sp. nov. Polistes carolina of authors is a complex of two or three species. Type studies also uncovered new synonymies: P. rubiginosus Lepeletier, 1836, sp. restit. (=P. perplexus Cresson, 1872, syn. nov.; P. generosus Cresson, 1872, syn. nov.); P. nigripennis (De Geer, 1773) is removed from synonymy with P. carolina (Linnaeus, 1767) and tentatively synonymized with P. canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (=Vespa nigripennis De Geer, 1773, syn. nov.). A revised key to eastern Nearctic Fuscopolistes Richards, 1973 is presented. The male genitalia of eastern Nearctic species are illustrated in detail for the first time, and a preliminary genitalic key is presented. DNA barcoding revealed strongly divergent genetic lineages in three species besides "P. carolina". A so-called 'barcoding gap' was not detected, thereby ruling out species delimitation through divergence thresholds. Indirect evidence suggests that the newly described species may be obligate social parasites.

Revision of the West Palaearctic Polistes Latreille, with the descriptions of two species – an integrative approach using morphology and DNA barcodes (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

“…Moreover, the comparatively small colony size of Polistes species and their exposed nests facilitate both field observations and experiments (e.g., Cervo et al 2008). Currently, over 220 species are recognized worldwide (Arens 2011, Buck et al 2012, Nugroho et al 2012), 11 of which occur in Europe (Neumeyer et al 2014, Castro et al 2013). Three of them, P. atrimandibularis , P. austroccidentalis sp.…”

A new species of the paper wasp genus Polistes (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) in Europe revealed by morphometrics and molecular analyses

“…Moreover, its comparatively small colony size and exposed nests facilitate both field observations and experiments (e.g., Cervo et al 2008). More than 220 species are currently recognized worldwide (Arens 2011, Buck et al 2012, Nugroho et al 2012: 72), ten of which occur in Europe (Arens 2011: 462, Carpenter 1997: 142, Castro and Dvořák 2009: 300). Three of them, namely Polistes atrimandibularis Zimmermann, 1930, Polistes semenowi Morawitz, 1889, and Polistes sulcifer Zimmermann, 1930, are social parasites (Cervo 2006, and references therein) and were considered as members of a distinct genus (or subgenus) Sulcopolistes Blüthgen, 1938 (Blüthgen 1961, Guiglia 1972), until Carpenter (1990) synonymized Sulcopolistes with Polistes .…”

“…Recently, Buck et al (2012) unraveled cryptic diversity in the Nearctic subgenus Fuscopolistes Richards, 1973 using multivariate morphometrics and DNA barcoding. In contrast to their study, we used a nuclear marker in addition to the mitochondrial marker and multivariate ratio analysis (MRA) instead of classic multivariate methods.…”

Social Recognition in Invertebrates

“…Inside Polistes, obligate social parasitism-i.e. species lacking the worker caste and unable to found colonies on their own-occurs in three monophyletic species: Polistes sulcifer, P. semenowi and P. atrimandibularis Choudary et al 1994; but see Buck et al 2012 for the possible existence of other parasitic species in north America). Parasitism is the only reproductive option for Polistes obligate social parasites as they must completely rely on the host worker brood care to rear their own reproductives .…”