First Comprehensive Analysis of Both Mitochondrial Characteristics and Mitogenome-Based Phylogenetics in the Subfamily Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

An Integrative Phylogenetic Analysis of the Genus Rhynchium Spinola (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from China Based on Morphology, Genomic Data and Geographical Distribution

The species of the genus Rhynchium Spinola are important natural insect control resources and widespread in the Old World. Due to the various color patterns of several species in China, it is difficulty to accurately classify and identify the genus. We combined their morphology with population genetic differentiation, phylogenetic relationship and geographical distribution to delimitate the species of Rhynchium from China. Within the genus, more than 600 pinned specimens were examined and a total of 37 whole genomes were analyzed, of which 35 were newly sequenced. Firstly, COI sequences, 13 PCGs and 2 rRNAs sequences of the mitochondrial genomes, USCO nucleotide matrix of 90% completeness (USCO90_fna), and USCO amino acid matrix of 90% completeness (USCO90_faa) were extracted from the whole-genome data. Then, genetic distances were calculated using the COI sequences, and ABGD species delimitation analysis identified three valid species. By integrating the four phylogenetic trees inferred from the four datasets and morphological analysis, the specimens of Rhynchium from China were recognized as R. carnaticum (newly recorded), R. quinquecinctum, and R. brunneum; the last is the most widely distributed in China, while the remaining two only occur in Hainan and Yunnan, respectively, markedly different from previous records. Finally, it is interesting that color patterns of the species R. brunneum seem to closely relate to the geographical distribution, embodying two different modes in the South and the North of China, as well as a transitional state in the middle. The roles of the color patterns are still not resolved and their underlying evolutionary mechanisms need further exploration.

New records of the solitary Vespidae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae and Eumeninae s. l.) from Central Asia, with new synonyms and description of a new species of Eumenes Latreille

A new species, Eumenes selisi Fateryga, sp. nov. is described from Uzbekistan. Three new synonymies are proposed: Masaris carli von Schulthess, 1922 = M. elegans Gusenleitner, 2002, syn. nov.; Parodontodynerus ephippium (Klug, 1817) = P. ephippium dalanicus Kurzenko, 1976, syn. nov.; Psiliglossa odyneroides (S.S. Saunders, 1850) = P. odyneroides kozhantshikovi Kostylev, 1940, syn. nov. Twenty-nine new country records are presented: two from Turkmenistan, four from Tajikistan, seven from Uzbekistan, seven from Kyrgyzstan, and nine from Kazakhstan. Masaris carli is excluded from the fauna of Iran and Psiliglossa odyneroides is excluded from the fauna of Russia. Observations on flower-visiting behavior of Chlorodynerus arenicola and Euodynerus setosus are reported.

The solitary wasp genus Orancistrocerus from Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae)

New data are presented for the potter wasp genus Orancistrocerus van der Vecht (Eumeninae, Odynerini) occurring in Vietnam. Two species are described as new to science: Orancistrocerusthanhnhatsp. nov. and O.thanghensp. nov.Orancistrocerusaterrimuserythropus van der Vecht is synonymized with Orancistrocerusaterrimusaterrimus (de Saussure); the male genitalia of this species are described for the first time. An updated key is presented to all species of the genus.

Characterization of Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Nocturnal Wasps-Provespa barthelemyi (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Genus Provespa contains nocturnal wasps mainly found in the southeastern region of Asia. There are no complete genome resources available of this genus, which hinders the study of its phylogenetic evolution and the origin of nocturnal behavior in the Vespidae family. Through high-throughput sequencing, we obtained the mitochondrial genome of Provespa barthelemyi (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), which is 17,721 base pairs in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs. We identified four gene rearrangement events of P. barthelemyi that frequently occur in the Vespidae family. We used Maximum Likelihood (ML) methodologies to construct a phylogenetic tree based on the sequenced mitochondrial genome and the available data of reported species belonging to Vespinae. Our findings confirmed the monophyly of Vespinae. Our study reports the first complete mitochondrial genome of Provespa and compares its characteristics with other mitochondrial genomes in the family Vespidae. This research should shed light on the phylogenetic relationships and ecological characteristics of the Vespidae family.

First complete mitochondrial genome of the tribe Coccini (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Coccidae) and its phylogenetic implications

Soft scale insects (Hemiptera, Coccidae) are important pests of various agricultural and horticultural crops and ornamental plants. They have negative impacts on agriculture and forestry. The tribe Coccini represents one of the most ancient evolutionary lineages of soft scale insects. However, no complete Coccini mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) is available in public databases. Here, we described the complete mitogenome of Coccushesperidum L., 1758. The 15,566 bp mitogenome of C.hesperidum had a high A+T content (83.4%) and contained a typical set of 37 genes, with 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) and two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). Only seven tRNAs had the typical clover-leaf secondary structure and the remaining tRNAs lacked the DHU arm, TψC arm or both. Moreover, a comparative analysis of all reported scale insect mitogenomes from GenBank database was performed. The mitogenomes of scale insects showed high similarities in base composition and A+T content. Additionally, our phylogenetic analysis confirmed the monophyly of Coccomorpha and revealed that the archaeococcoids were the most basal lineage within Coccomorpha, while Ericeruspela and Didesmococcuskoreanus, belonging to Coccidae, were often mixed with Aclerdidae, making Coccidae a paraphyletic group. These findings expand the mitogenome database of scale insects and provide new insights on mitogenome evolution for future studies across different insect groups.

Phylogeny of Rhynchium and Its Related Genera (Hymenoptera: Eumeninae) Based on Universal Single-Copy Orthologs and Ultraconserved Elements

The subfamily Eumeninae is a large group of fierce predatory insects that prey mainly on the larvae of Lepidoptera pests. Because of the highly similar morphologies of the genus Rhynchium and its related genera in the subfamily, including Rhynchium Spinola, Allorhynchium van der Vecht, Anterhynchium de Saussure, Pararrhynchium de Saussure, it is essential to delineate their relationships. A previous phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial genomes suggested the inconsistent relationships of these genera under traditional classification based on morphological characters. In this study, we first used single-copy orthologs [USCO] and ultraconserved elements [UCE] extracted from 10 newly sequenced low-coverage whole genomes to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of the above genera. The newly sequenced genomes are 152.99 Mb to 211.49 Mb in size with high completeness (BUSCO complete: 91.5-95.6%) and G + C content (36.31-38.76%). Based on extracted 5811 USCOs and 2312 UCEs, the phylogenetic relationships of Rhynchium and its related genera were: ((Allorhynchium + Lissodynerus) + (Pararrhynchium + (Anterhynchium + (Dirhynchium + Rhynchium)))), which was consistent with the mitochondrial genome results. The results supported the genus Rhynchium as monophyletic, whereas Anterhynchium was recovered as paraphyletic, with Anterhynchium (Dirhynchium) as a sister to Rhynchium and hence deserving generic status; In addition, in the genus Pararrhynchium, P. septemfasciatus feanus and P. venkataramani were separated, not clustered on a branch, just as P. septemfasciatus feanus was not together with P. striatum based on mitochondrial genomes. Since Lissodynerus septemfasciatus, the type species of the genus Lissodynerus, was transferred to Pararrhynchium, it is considered that the genus Lissodynerus should be restituted as a valid genus, not a synonym of Pararrhynchium.

A new Afrotropical species of Ectopioglossa Perkins (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae)

A new Afrotropical species of the Old World genus Ectopioglossa Perkins, 1912, namely Ectopioglossa sudanensis Selis, sp. nov., is described from Sudan. A key to the Afrotropical species is provided.

A Catalogue of the Pacific Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

A catalogue of Eumeninae occurring in Oceania is presented, the first in more than a century.

The potter wasp genus Allorhynchium from Vietnam, with descriptions of three new species and a new country record (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae)

Species of the potter wasp genus Allorhynchium van der Vecht (Eumeninae: Odynerini) occurring in Vietnam are presented. Seven species have been recorded from Vietnam. Of them, three species are described as new to science: Allorhynchiumlatum Nguyen, Tran & MT Nguyen, sp. nov., A.moerum Nguyen & AD Nguyen, sp. nov., and A.setosum Nguyen & Engel, sp. nov., and one species, A.argentatum (Fabricius, 1804), is recorded from Vietnam for the first time. An updated key to the Oriental species of the genus is presented.

To the knowledge of the solitary vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae and Eumeninae s. l.) of Uzbekistan

The knowledge of the solitary Vespidae of Uzbekistan is very poor and a preliminary list of species is provided. The list contains 105 species of 34 genera: seven species of three genera in the subfamily Masarinae, 96 species of 29 genera in Eumeninae s. str., one species in Raphiglossinae and one in Zethinae. Among them, eight genera and 27 species are reported from Uzbekistan for the first time; their label data and general distribution are reported. New synonymies are proposed: Leptochilus (Lionotulus Blüthgen, 1938) = L. (Neoleptochilus Blüthgen, 1961), syn. nov. = L. (Sarochilus Gusenleitner, 1970), syn. nov.; Leptochilus (Lionotulus) crassiceps (Kostylev, 1940) = L. (L.) flavicornis Giordani Soika, 1970, syn. nov.; Euodynerus (Pareuodynerus) cylindriventris (Kostylev, 1935) = E. (P.) distinctus (Kostylev, 1935), syn. nov.; Eustenancistrocerus (Eustenancistrocerus) askhabadensis (Radoszkowski, 1886) = E. (E.) jerichoensis (von Schulthess, 1928), syn. nov. = E. (E.) askhabadensis danticoides (Giordani Soika, 1943), syn. nov. = E. (E.) jerichoensis iconius Blüthgen, 1957, syn. nov. The synonymy of Eumenes (Eumenes) sareptanus André, 1884 with E. (E.) crimensis Blüthgen, 1938 is rejected. A nest of Stenodynerus chitgarensis Giordani Soika, 1970 is briefly described for the first time; it consisted of a constructed mud cell, with a turret-like entrance, attached to a subvertical surface of a stone. Bionomical observations on some other species are reported including prey records for three species, flower-visiting records for nine species, a sleeping aggregation of two species, and a Strepsiptera parasite of one species.