Comparative morphometric analysis of petioles and forewings of the European Binodoxys Mackauer species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae)

Abstract

The European fauna of Aphidiinae comprises eight species of the genus Binodoxys Mackauer, which are traditionally assigned into two morphologically distinguished groups: “acalephae” and “angelicae” morpho-groups. Here, we explored the genetic variation (based on the phylogenetic reconstruction using the barcoding COI region) and tested whether the morphological variation based on the geometric morphometrics analyses of petioles and wings’ size and shape reflects phylogenetic relationships and can be used for the discrimination of six Binodoxys species and two morpho-groups. Our results showed that the most distinctive species, Binodoxys angelicae and Binodoxys centaureae, which are clustered together, have the largest petioles and wings, and a distinguished petiole shape with clearly separate primary and secondary tubercles. The remaining four species, among which Binodoxys similis has the smallest petiole and wings, constitute the second clade. By combining the results of molecular and geometric morphometrics analyses we confirmed the existence of two phylogenetic groups: “angelicae” and “acalephae”.