DOI: 10.3897/asp.80.e71492

Authors: Paulo Cézar Salgado Barroso, Rodolpho Santos Telles Menezes, Marcio Luiz de Oliveira, Alexandre Somavilla

Abstract: For the Neotropical genus Angiopolybia Araujo 1946, several phenotypic forms were previously described, however, they have not been studied within an integrative taxonomic framework. Here, we used molecular data (variation of two mitochondrial genetic markers with molecular species delimitation methods) and morphology (adult morphology, male genitalia, and scanning electron microscopy images) to test the number of species within Angiopolybia. Specifically, we investigated the taxonomic validity of the morphological variants A. pallens dark morph, A. paraensis morph paraensis, A. paraensis morph ruficornis, and A. paraensis morph obscurior. Moreover, we reviewed the taxonomy and geographic distribution of the genus. Our results of morphological and molecular analyses are compatible with the current classification of Angiopolybia, and we did not find reasons to propose the morphological variants of A. pallens and A. paraensis as valid species. Additionally, we reassess the spatial range of the four Angiopolybia species and provide refined maps of their geographical distributions.

HTML

XML

PDF

DOI: 10.3897/asp.79.e64304

Authors: Alexandre Somavilla, Paulo C. S. Barroso, Marcos Aragão, Sidnei Mateus, Rodolpho S. T. Menezes

Abstract: Phenotypic characters are traditionally the main information for species discrimination in taxonomic studies of invertebrates. However, the presence of inter- and intraspecific polymorphism makes it difficult to identify species in many groups such as Neotropical social wasps. Herein, we examined different sources of biological information such as adult morphology, male genitalia, nest architecture, and genetic data applying an integrative taxonomic approach to study pinned museum specimens belonging to the social wasp genus Pseudopolybia de Saussure, 1863. Based on multiple independent lines of evidence, we described a new Neotropical swarm-founding social wasp, Pseudopolybia cryptica sp. n. Moreover, we proposed a phylogenetic hypothesis for Pseudopolybia including this new species. Our taxonomic findings applying an integrative approach reinforce that the social wasp diversity in the Neotropics may be underestimated due to morphological similarity.

HTML

XML

PDF