Systematics and biogeography of Chrysidini wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae)

• Grant number: 15/12326-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: October 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Andrade Botelho de Almeida
• Grantee: Daercio Adam de Araújo Lucena
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/25081-4 - Systematics of the neotropical chrysidine cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Chrysidini wasps are the most familiar group of solitary wasps in the family Chrysididae, presently comprising 1200 species. In most cases, these wasps are cleptoparasites of other aculeate hymenopterans. Studies on the phylogenetic relationships among the tribe are scarce, and the traditional hypothesis by Kimsey and Bohart from the early 1990's remains as the single general hypothesis for the phylogeny of Chrysididae. There has not been a recent extensive work on the comparative morphology of the tribe either. On the other hand, the recent phylogenetic studies based on molecular data presented limitations that prevent advancements in the systematics of the tribe. Many of the traditional accepted clades are supported by controversial morphological characters, thus pointing to the limited understanding we have about the most fundamental aspects of the Chrysidini. Although the overall distribution of the tribe is cosmopolitan, various lineages of Chrysidini are restricted to specific biogeographic regions, suggesting a rich, Cretaceous-old biogeographic history, still unexplored. The current research proposal aims at a biogeographic and phylogenetic study of the Chrysidini, evaluating the taxon monophyly and the limits of traditional sub-groups trusted as monophyletic in the tribe. The research will be based on the morphologic comparative study of the mean lineages of Chrysidini as well as of other Chrysidinae taxa. The morphological data matrix will be complemented with the molecular data at genomic level (UCEs: ultra conserved elements), representing the first study which to evaluate phylogenetic relationships in Chrysididae with a combinations of these two kinds of data. The contributions expected from this research include advances on the taxonomy of Chrysidini, a more detailed appreciation about the morphological evolution of these wasps and a pioneer depiction of the biogeographic history of the Chrysidini. (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LUCENA, DAERCIO A. A.; MELO, GABRIEL A. R.. Chrysidid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber: Phylogenetic affinities and classification. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 89, p. 279-291, SEP 2018. (15/12326-3)

LUCENA, DAERCIO. The uncommon genus Hedychridium (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) in South America: new species and first record for Brazil. Journal of Natural History, v. 52, n. 5-6, p. 351-359, 2018. (15/12326-3, 11/09477-9)

LUCENA, DAERCIO A. A.; SANTOS-NETO, PEDRO E.; ZANELLA, FERNANDO C., V; ALMEIDA, EDUARDO A. B.. Taxonomic review of the elampine cuckoo wasps from northeastern Brazil (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), with the description of three new species. Zootaxa, v. 5213, n. 3, p. 35-pg., 2022-11-25. (15/12326-3, 18/09666-5, 17/25081-4, 19/09215-6)

LUCENA, DAERCIO A. A.; ALMEIDA, EDUARDO A. B.; ZANELLA, V, FERNANDO C.. Amiseginae and Cleptinae from northeastern Brazil, with the description of four new species (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae). JOURNAL OF HYMENOPTERA RESEARCH, v. 81, p. 57-85, FEB 25 2021. (17/25081-4, 14/12407-0, 18/09666-5, 15/12326-3)

LUCENA, DAERCIO A. A.; ALMEIDA, EDUARDO A. B.. Morphology and Bayesian tip-dating recover deep Cretaceous-age divergences among major chrysidid lineages (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae). ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, v. 194, n. 1, p. 36-79, JAN 2022. (18/09666-5, 15/12326-3, 11/09477-9, 17/25081-4)

MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; BARDELLA, VANESSA B.; CABRAL-DE-MELLO, DIOGO C.; LUCENA, DAERCIO A. A.; ALMEIDA, EDUARDO A. B.. Are the TTAGG and TTAGGG telomeric repeats phylogenetically conserved in aculeate Hymenoptera?. NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN, v. 104, n. 9-10, OCT 2017. (16/21098-7, 15/02432-0, 15/12326-3, 11/09477-9)

LUCENA, DAERCIO A. A.; KIMSEY, LYNN S.; ALMEIDA, EDUARDO A. B.. Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of the Ipsiura cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae). Systematic Entomology, v. 44, n. 1, p. 192-210, JAN 2019. (15/12326-3, 13/01195-0, 11/09477-9, 14/12407-0)