Revision of the Agathidinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with comparisons of static and dynamic alignments

Abstract

The phylogeny of the Agathidinae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is investigated based on morphological and sequence data from the D2-3 regions of 28S rDNA. Morphology and molecular data were run simultaneously and separately and the molecular and combined data sets were analyzed using both static, Clustal W, and dynamic, POY, alignments. Both alignments were conducted under a variety of gap costs and results are compared. Sixty-two ingroup exemplars representing 22 genera and six outgroup taxa representing two subfamilies and five genera were included. Numerous taxa at the generic and tribal levels were tested for monophyly and the evolutionary history of several characters is discussed. The tribe Agathidini s.s. is found to be a derived member of the Microdini and the two are synonymized under the older name, Agathidini s.l. Support is substantial for the tribes Cremnoptini and Disophrini and Earinini but equivocal for the Agathidini s.l. At the generic level, Bassus is found to be polyphyletic. Numerous new synonymies and combinations are proposed.