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Abstract. Phasiinae (Diptera: Tachinidae) are endoparasitoid flies that attack Heteroptera, including a multitude of agricultural pests. A phylogenetically informed classification of Phasiinae has eluded systematists for over a century, primarily because of the conflicting character states and confusing morphology of certain taxa that indicate potential placement within other subfamilies. The unstable nature of phasiine taxonomy discourages important research into their classification, life history and potential use in biological control. In hopes of resolving several longstanding taxonomic debates and encouraging future research into this important group of parasitoids, the first molecular systematic analysis of Phasiinae is presented, including 128 worldwide taxa (80 genera) and approximately 7.6 kb of nuclear data representing four genes.

Abstract. Rhopalosomatidae, currently considered the sister group of the Vespidae, are an enigmatic family of aculeate wasps that originated in the Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous. Despite their considerable age, very few fossils of the family have been reported – all of them in amber (Miocene Dominican, Miocene Mexican, and mid-Cretaceous Burmese ambers). Here we report a new mid-Cretaceous rhopalosomatid wasp, Cretolixon alatum Lohrmann, gen. et sp. nov., from Burmese (Kachin) amber. This new genus has a unique mixture of characters, some of which are only known from the recent brachypterous genus Olixon and others of which are known only from the recent macropterous genera. Thus, Cretolixon Lohrmann, gen. nov. not only provides further evidence for the monophyly of the family but also contributes evidence for the monophyly of the Rhopalosomatinae. Key characters of the family are discussed, and an updated checklist of the world genera and fossil species and occurrences of Rhopalosomatidae is provided. Additionally, a chemical analysis was performed for three of the newly reported fossils as well as for the amber piece containing the rhopalosomatid larva described by Lohrmann and Engel (2017) to ascertain their amber vs. copal nature and their affinities with each other and previously described Burmese amber.

Rhopalosomatidae are unusual wasps whose larvae develop as ectoparasitoids on crickets. In America north of Mexico, three genera and six species are recognized. Host species are known only for Rhopalosoma nearcticum Brues and include Hapithus agitator Uhler, H. brevipennis (Saussure), and H. saltator (Uhler) (Gryllidae: Hapithinae). Here we report a new host species: the Anaxipha exigua (Say) species-group (Trigonidiidae: Trigonidiinae) discovered by barcoding nine rhopalosomatid larvae collected from Cypress Grove Nature Park, Jackson, Tennessee. Rhopalosoma nearcticum is currently the only documented species of Rhopalosoma Cresson in America north of Mexico, but our phylogenetic analyses recovered two genetically distinct clades of Rhopalosoma and thus reveal the presence of at least two species of Rhopalosoma in America north of Mexico.