Phylogeny of the Hymenoptera (Insecta): The state of the art

Abstract

The Hymenoptera form one of the major insect orders in terms of species diversity and they are also of great ecological and economic importance, notably as pollinators and natural enemies of pests. Phylogenies provide an essential framework for systematic, comparative and evolutionary research on hymenopterans. Here, I summarise what we know about the higher‐level phylogeny of the Hymenoptera based on presentations given at a recent symposium on hymenopteran phylogenetics. I identify agreement and conflict among morphological and molecular analyses and suggest important priority areas for future research.