Diego N. Barbosa

Phylogeny and reclassification of Laelius (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) and description of four new species

As currently recognised, Laelius Ashmead contains 47 known species worldwide and is found on all continents except Australia (until this study). In this paper, we examined the taxonomic limits of this genus and tested whether species of the genera Laelius and Prolaelius Kieffer constitute a monophyletic group. We also tested whether the junior synonyms Allepyris Kieffer and Paralaelius Kieffer are supported by cladistic analyses. Our initial analysis indicated that these genera form a single clade. Cladistic analyses were based on 108 female structural characters. The data set was analyzed under equal-weights parsimony and implied weighting. In both analyses, Laelius was retrieved as a polyphyletic group because Prolaelius Kieffer was always nested within Laelius and Allepyris berlandi Benoit always remained in the outgroup and was retrieved as the sister group of Disepyris sp. Based on our analyses, we propose nine nomenclatural acts and recognise 52 valid species of Laelius. The following four new species are described: Laelius haplos sp.n. and L. quadrangulus sp.n. from Australia and L. ogmos sp.n. and L. titanokkos sp.n. from ailand. The following new generic synonym is proposed: Prolaelius Kieffer syn.n. of Laelius Ashmead. The following three new combinations are proposed: Disepyris berlandi (Benoit) comb.n. from Laelius, Laelius firmipennis (Cameron) comb.n. and Laelius glossinae (Turner & Waterston) comb.n. from Prolaelius. Additionally, a lectotype is designated for Laelius fulvipes Kieffer.

Revision of the Neotropical Laelius (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) with notes on some Nearctic species

Laelius Ashmead includes 54 known nominal species worldwide. We present a revision of the Neotropical species of Laelius and provide keys for the identification of males and females of these species. We propose fourteen nomenclatural changes and additions. For the Neotropics, seven new species from Brazil are described and illustrated: Laelius arryni sp. nov. which has clypeus bearing median lobe with apical margin straight; propodeal disc with inner discal carina complete; aedeagus with apical lobes touching each other and inner margin with hook-shaped process, L. baratheoni sp. nov. which has propodeal disc with second pair of discal carinae incomplete; genitalia with paramere wing-shaped; with long setae around the margin and cuspis wide, L. lannisteri sp. nov. which has median lobe of clypeus with apical margin straight; mesopleuron with mesopleural suture distinct; genitalia with paramere slender and angled, cuspis wide, L. martelli sp. nov. which has pronotum with series of foveae posteriorly; genitalia with paramere slender and placed dorsally, aedeagus not reaching apex of paramere, L. targaryeni sp. nov. which has head with clypeus wide and with apical margin rounded; propodeal disc without longitudinal ridge between median and inner discal carinae; forewing with r-rs & Rs longer than Rs+M, L. tullyi sp. nov. which has head densely punctate; pronotal disc, mesoscutum and mesoscutellum rugulose; mesopleuron with mesopleural suture not fused with posterior fovea, L. starki sp. nov. which has mesoscutellar sulcus straight; mesopleuron with all foveae closed; genitalia with paramere club-shaped and with aedeagus wide. For the Nearctic region, Laelius areolatus (Rosmann & Azevedo, 2005) is a new junior synonym of Laelius pedatus (Say, 1836) and lectotypes for L. rufipes Ashmead, 1893, L. nigripilosus Ashmead, 1893, L. tricarinatus Ashmead, 1893, L. trogodermatis Ashmaed, 1893, and Mesitius nigripilosus Ashmead, 1895 are designated. We also propose the name Laelius billi Barbosa & Azevedo nom. nov. for Mesitius nigripilosus Ashmead, 1895 and re-erect Laelius huachucae (Evans, 1965) from L. nigripilosus (Ashmead, 1895). As result, Laelius now includes 61 species, 15 of which are from the Neotropical region.

Revision of Anisepyris Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), with description of 135 new species

The identity of many species of Anisepyris Kieffer is currently unknown, mostly because the available taxonomic data are not sufficiently accurate to allow for precise identifications. To solve this problem, all 121 described species were investigated, including the analyses of 115 holotypes and 26 allotypes. Almost all Neotropical species of Epyrinae and many from the Nearctic were also examined in order to recognize possible species of Anisepyris misclassified in other genera. The ten species-groups included in Anisepyris are redefined. And the female genital structures of the genus are investigated for the first time. Based on this, we recognize 119 previously described species as belonging to Anisepyris, one species is transferred to Laelius Ashmead, L. foveaticeps (Rosmann Azevedo) comb. nov., one is transferred to Chlorepyris Kieffer, C. nigerrimus (Evans) comb. nov., and 135 new species are described to science, so that the genus is now contains 254 species. They are recorded from 31 countries of the New World. Lectotypes are designated for A. aurichalceus (Westwood) and A. planiceps (Fabricius). The previously identified species-groups are re-organized into six, and seven additional species-groups are proposed are new. Identification keys for Anisepyris species-groups and species are provided.

The use of Proteinase K to access genitalia morphology, vouchering and DNA extraction in minute wasps

Genitalia are rich source of characters in insect taxonomy. Usually, they are examined after dissection and cleaning with potassium hydroxide (KOH), procedure that may damage both genital morphological structures and intracellular molecular contents. Enzymatic procedure with Proteinase K has been used to clean muscle off the genitalia while extract DNA, but its damage to the genital structures has not been evaluated. Herein, we qualitatively compare the use of KOH and Proteinase K to prepare genital structures in minute insects (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae). We show that Proteinase K is better to preserve the genital structure and provides quality DNA.

Australomesitius gen. nov. (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae: Mesitiinae), an unexpected new genus from Australia.

Mesitiinae include 218 species classified in 21 genera. Hitherto all species are confined to Old World (Afrotropical, Oriental and Palaearctic Regions). However most of their species are reported from Mediterranean areas, and few species are recorded from Northern areas of Palaearctic Asia. While visiting Queensland Museum Daniele Mugrabi sort part of it wet collection and got a bizarre specimen, which represents an undescribed genus of Mesitiinae. Besides, this specimen has the body surface densely punctate, characteristic never recorded to Mesitiinae species, and a combination of characters which does not fit any of the known genera Mesitiinae. The primary aim of this work is to describe this new genus, as well as to compare it with the other genera of the Mesitiinae.

Cryptalyra (Hymenoptera, Megalyridae) from Maranhão, Brazil: three new species discovered after a large collecting effort

Abstract Cryptalyra is a small genus of megalyrid wasps with three described species confined to South America. Our main goal in this work is to record an increase in the known diversity, adding the three new species Cryptalyra helenae sp. n., Cryptalyra ichiroi sp. n. and Cryptalyra limeirai sp. n., from a single locality in Maranhão, Brazil that has been subjected to extraordinary collecting effort. We are providing a key for the species of the genus, as well as illustrations of the main structures for recognition of the new taxa.