Abstract
Abstract. A phylogeny for genusAgapostemon(Hymenoptera: Halictidae) is reconstructed from morphological characters, using all species, with four representatives of Agapostemonini as outgroup taxa. Parsimony analysis using 150 unordered characters resulted in eighteen equally parsimonious trees, a strict consensus of which is highly resolved forAgapostemon. Based on this analysis,AgapostemonoidesRoberts & Brooks is returned to generic status, and a new subgenus is described:Notagapostemon, which includes therhopalocerus,heterurus,atrocaeruleus,erebus,kohliellus,nasutusandintermediusgroups of Moure & Hurd. Species groups are proposed forNotagapostemonand revised inA. (Agapostemon).Agapostemon cockerelliCrawford is synonymized withA. obliquus(Provancher),A. epichryseus(Morelos) withA. leunculusVachal,A. incaRoberts withA. heterurusCockerell,A. hispaniolicusRoberts female withA. centratus(Vachal) andA. hispaniolicusRoberts male withA. alayoiRoberts. Optimization of known behaviours suggests communal ancestry for the genus and infers the prevalence of this behaviour inAgapostemon. Optimization of geographical range suggests a Central American or Caribbean origin ofAgapostemon, with one invasion of North America and multiple invasions of South America and the Caribbean. One invasion of the Caribbean suggests arrival from North America via Florida.
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