Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Sclerodermini (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae, Epyrinae)

Abstract

Sclerodermini are a small tribe of parasitoid wasps, with 13 genera worldwide. Its phylogeny has already been investigated, but doubts still exist about the taxonomic classification of the tribe and its genera. The phylogenetic relationships of Sclerodermini are inferred from a cladistic analysis based on 72 female characters. The dataset was analyzed under equal weights parsimony and implied weighting. To assess the monophyly of the Sclerodermini, representatives of Cephalonomiini were also included in the taxon sample. The Cephalonomiini were retrieved as monophyletic and nested well within Sclerodermini, indicating the paraphyly of the latter tribe. The genus Discleroderma Kieffer, 1904 is polyphyletic, and we transfer Discleroderma yakushimensis Terayama, 1999 and D. undulatum Krombein, 1996 to Sclerodermus Latreille, 1809. Lepidosternopsis sulcata Azevedo, 1999 and L. brasiliensis (Evans, 1973) do not belong to Lepidosternopsis Ogloblin, 1953; we propose to reinstate the genus Nothepyris Evans, 1973 to accommodate these two species. The genus Glenosema Kieffer, 1905 is polyphyletic and we transfer Glenosema viduatus (Turner, 1928) to Epyris Westwood, 1832. In addition, Discleroderma yemenensis Lanes & Azevedo sp. n., Discleroderma indiensis Lanes & Azevedo sp. n., Glenosema denteata Lanes & Azevedo sp. n., Glenosema elevata Lanes & Azevedo sp. n., Platepyris sepalus Lanes & Azevedo gen. n., sp. n., and Tuberepyris basibrevis Lanes & Azevedo gen. n., sp. n. are described and illustrated.

Rediscovery of Melanepyris (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae): a new synonym of Epyris

“…Thus, these conditions are meaningless to establish a genus in Epyrinae. The few previous cladistic analyzes of Bethylidae emphasize this argument (see LANES & AZEVEDO 2008, POLASZEK & KROMBEIN 1994, TERAYAMA 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006.…”

A new species of Solepyris Azevedo (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) from Brazil, with amended diagnosis of the genus

“…The more visible difference between the two species of Solepyris, presence of radial vein in the fore wing, is one of the most important characters which differentiate Cephalonomia Westwood and Plastanoxus Kieffer. Characters related to wing venation are important not only to generic determination (Lanes & Azevedo 2008), but also to species-level determinations within this tribe. The characters of wing venation could be very helpful to establish the cladistic relationships in this tribe.…”

“…Solepyris is thought to be most closely related to Megaprosternum Azevedo (Lanes & Azevedo 2008), because both genera have a pronotal disc with the posterolateral corners overlapped by the mesoscutum, which extends laterally beyond the anterior margin of the mesoscutum and also a large prosternum, which resembles species of Scolebythidae (Azevedo 2006). This genus is rarely collected and up to now is based on only three specimens deposited in museums.…”

A New Bethylid Wasp in Lebanese Early Cretaceous Amber (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea), with Comments on other Mesozoic Taxa

“…The group is widespread but with its highest diversity pantropically, and members primarily prey on the larvae of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, although at times victimizing Hymenoptera (Azevedo, 2006). The classification of the family has undergone significant revision during recent years and based on extensive cladistic analyses of the living diversity (e.g., Lanes and Azevedo, 2008;Alencar and Azevedo, 2013). The result of these investigations have been the elimination of past tribal classifications and the reduction of the number of subfamilies to Bethylinae, Scleroderminae, Pristocerinae, Mesitiinae, and Epyrinae.…”