Review of morphological evidence on the phylogeny of basal Hymenoptera (Insecta), with a discussion of the ordering of characters

Abstract

In a previous study of the phylogeny of basal Hymenoptera, Vilhelmsen (2001; Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 131: 393–442) compiled an extensive morphological data matrix for a phylogenetic analysis of basal Hymenoptera, comprising 38 hymenopteran genera. In this study, his characters are revised. This results in a cladogram whose relationships largely agree with those proposed by Vilhelmsen, except that the relationships at the base of the Hymenoptera are unresolved. The revised data matrix is expanded by 17 sawfly and three apocritan taxa. Moreover, 112 new morphological characters from different parts of the larval and adult morphology are also added to the data matrix, including 82 from a recent study of the terminal abdominal segments of male Hymenoptera. The addition of the new characters leads to Xyelidae, again, being the sister-group of all other Hymenoptera. The relationships among the sawfly families as proposed by Vilhelmsen are confirmed, except that the relationships among Syntexis, Siricidae and Xiphydriidae + Vespina are unresolved and that the monophyly of Apocrita is not convincingly supported. A separate analysis is performed which includes all extant genera of Xyelidae. The internal phylogeny of Xyelidae is determined as ((Macroxyela Megaxyela) Xyelecia (Xyela Pleroneura)). © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 79, 209–243.