Abstract
The genus Polistes is revised for the West Palaearctic region based on morphology and DNA barcodes. The revision includes all known West Palaearctic species, raising the number of species in Europe to 14 and to 17 for the West Palaearctic realm. DNA barcodes were recovered from 15 species, 14 of which belong to the subgenus Polistes, and one, P. wattii, to the subgenus Gyrostoma. An integrative taxonomic approach combining morphology and molecular data (DNA barcoding) was employed to resolve longstanding taxonomic problems in this group. Two species, P. austroccidentalis van Achterberg & Neumeyer, sp. n. (= P. semenowi auctt.) from W and SW Europe and P. maroccanus Schmid-Egger, sp. n. from Morocco are described as new. Polistes bucharensis Erichson, 1849, and P. foederatus Kohl, 1898, were restored from synonymy. The following new synonyms are proposed: P. sulcifer Zimmermann, 1930, and Pseudopolistes sulcifer var. similator Zirngiebl, 1955, under P. semenowi Morawitz, 1889, syn. n.; Polistes iranus Guiglia, 1976, Polistes gallica var. ornata Weyrauch, 1938 and Polistes gallicus muchei Gusenleitner, 1976, under P. bucharensis Erichson, 1849, syn. n.; Polistes omissus var. ordubadensis Zirngiebl, 1955, and P. hellenicus Arens, 2011, under Polistes mongolicus du Buysson, 1911, syn. n. An illustrated key includes all species and additionally three species from the subgenera Aphanilopterus Meunier, 1888 and Gyrostoma Kirby, 1828 (including a Nearctic species recently introduced to Spain and two species occurring in Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, and SW Asia). A phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian inference provides insights into phylogenetic relationships within the genus Polistes.
Highlights
The paper wasp genus Polistes Latreille, 1802, is an important model group for behavioural and evolutionary studies (Tibbetts 2007, Hughes et al 1993, Jandt et al 2014)
DNA barcodes were recovered from 15 species, 14 of which belong to the subgenus Polistes, and one, P. wattii, to the subgenus Gyrostoma
Specimens for DNA barcoding are primarily deposited in the collections of the Zoologische Staatssammlung München and the private collection of C. Schmid-Egger (CSE). 264 specimens representing all West Palaearctic species of the subgenus Polistes and the subgenus Gyrostoma were processed, the latter being represented by the single species P. wattii Cameron, 1900
Summary
The paper wasp genus Polistes Latreille, 1802, is an important model group for behavioural and evolutionary studies (Tibbetts 2007, Hughes et al 1993, Jandt et al 2014). Blüthgen (1943) proposed the subgeneric name Leptopolistes for several nonparasitic European species, including the type species P. associus (Kohl, 1898) (Table 2). Males of these taxa share immediately narrowing temples (genae) in dorsal view (Blüthgen 1943, Guiglia 1972), giving the male head a characteristic shape. We are using “P. gallicus species group” to refer to the former subgenus Leptopolistes, and “P. dominula species group” for the remaining species, albeit with some changes from the traditional view (see Table 2). An attempt was made to clarify the taxonomic status of all Polistes species of the West Palaearctic region, including a list of all available names of the genus, and to provide a key to species. The morphological data are supplemented with published data (Neumeyer et al 2014, 2015) and unpublished sources, the latter kindly provided from Aleksandar Ćetković (Belgrade) to Kees van Achterberg
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