TITLE:
Molecular Phylogeny, Species Delimitation and Taxonomic Revision of the Australasian Spider Wasp Genus Heterodontonyx Haupt, 1935 (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)
AUTHORS:
Mahin Sadat Chavoshi Jolfaei, Juanita Rodriguez
KEYWORDS:
Pompilidae Taxonomy, Australian Pomplids, Phylogenetics
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Entomology,
Vol.12 No.2,
April
29,
2024
ABSTRACT: Heterodontonyx (Pompilidae: Pepsinae) is an understudied genus with Australasian distribution and most species are endemic to Australia. There have recently been some taxonomic changes involving the genera Heterodontonyx and Cryptocheilus based on molecular and morphological evidence, however, phylogenetic relationships within Heterodontonyx, species delimitation and formal revision have not been conducted. Here, we construct a Maximum Likelihood phylogeny estimate of Heterodontonyx based on ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2 region of 30 samples representing seven Heterodontonyx morphospecies. bPTP species delimitation approach was employed and ultimately the taxonomic revision of the genus was carried out. Phylogenetic analyses strongly support the monophyly of Heterodontonyx and the species delimitation method recognizes eight species among which one new species is identified. Heterodontonyx wahisi.