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Diversity
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Diversity, Systematics and Evolution of Hymenoptera
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Diversity, Systematics and Evolution of Hymenoptera

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 17033

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Toshko Ljubomirov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: hymenoptera; taxonomy; systematics; phylogeny; pollination
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Insects of the order Hymenoptera (sawflies, wasps of different types, bees and ants) are the most diversified group at the order taxon level in the animal kingdom, and they take second place concerning the number of described species (following the close order Coleoptera). Trends in the modern knowledge of the group have recently appeared just in cognition of “a new species” recognized by “modern methods”. These “results” have achieved great species diversity for many taxa at the family group level, with the most striking examples being the families of Formicidae (in Europe) and Braconidae (in the New World). On the other side, the marvelous diversity of local morphs (e.g., in the family Chrysididae) has recently inspired many amateurs to describe new taxa, unfortunately not being valid according to the regulations of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. However, much more attention should be directed to the biological features of the examined samples and their responses to environmental conditions.

In the frame of the present Special Issue, we aim to highlight taxonomic/biological papers that demonstrate sustainable knowledge of the relevant groups in the hymenopterans. We invite submissions of original research articles that cover a broad range of species or genetic approaches but also focus on species-specific recognition of the taxa by at least the three mandatory approaches (external/internal morphology; biological/habitat information data; molecular approach in the broadest sense). One-track-minded publications with discrepancies in the three aforementioned criteria are not going to be tolerated.

Dr. Toshko Ljubomirov
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hymenoptera
  • organism diversity
  • species cognition
  • taxonomy
  • systematics
  • phylogeny

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2866 KiB  
Article
Genomic Patterns of Iberian Wild Bees Reveal Levels of Diversity, Differentiation and Population Structure, Supporting the “Refugia within Refugia” Hypothesis
by Paulo de Sousa, André Henriques, Sara E. Silva, Luísa G. Carvalheiro, Guy Smagghe, Denis Michez, Thomas J. Wood and Octávio S. Paulo
Diversity 2023, 15(6), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15060746 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1643
Abstract
We used a population genomic approach to unravel the population structure, genetic differentiation, and genetic diversity of three widespread wild bee species across the Iberian Peninsula, Andrena agilissima, Andrena flavipes and Lasioglossum malachurum. Our results demonstrated that genetic lineages in the [...] Read more.
We used a population genomic approach to unravel the population structure, genetic differentiation, and genetic diversity of three widespread wild bee species across the Iberian Peninsula, Andrena agilissima, Andrena flavipes and Lasioglossum malachurum. Our results demonstrated that genetic lineages in the Ebro River valley or near the Pyrenees mountains are different from the rest of Iberia. This relatively congruent pattern across species once more supports the hypothesis of “refugia within refugia” in the Iberian Peninsula. The results for A. flavipes and A. agilissima showed an unexpected pattern of genetic differentiation, with the generalist polylectic A. flavipes having lower levels of genetic diversity (Ho = 0.0807, He = 0.2883) and higher differentiation (FST = 0.5611), while the specialist oligolectic A. agilissima had higher genetic diversity (Ho = 0.2104, He = 0.3282) and lower differentiation values (FST = 0.0957). For L. malachurum, the smallest and the only social species showed the lowest inbreeding coefficient (FIS = 0.1009) and the lowest differentiation level (FST = 0.0663). Overall, our results, suggest that this pattern of population structure and genetic diversity could be explained by the combined role of past climate changes and the life-history traits of the species (i.e., size, sociality and host-plant specialization), supporting the role of the Iberian refugia as a biodiversity hotspot. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Systematics and Evolution of Hymenoptera)
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60 pages, 25670 KiB  
Article
The Ant Genus Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The Species Groups with Oriental and Australasian Origin
by Bernhard Seifert
Diversity 2023, 15(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010025 - 23 Dec 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4434
Abstract
The world-wide fauna of the genus Cardiocondyla is assessed to have 79 currently recognized species and is subdivided into 14 informal species groups plus three monotypical clades. It is argued that the phylogenetic placement of Cardiocondyla next to the genus Ocymyrmex Emery, 1886 [...] Read more.
The world-wide fauna of the genus Cardiocondyla is assessed to have 79 currently recognized species and is subdivided into 14 informal species groups plus three monotypical clades. It is argued that the phylogenetic placement of Cardiocondyla next to the genus Ocymyrmex Emery, 1886 as proposed by Blaimer et al. (2018) is doubtful. The main body of the paper is a species-level taxonomic revision of those six species groups and the one monotypical clade which have their centers of origin in the Oriental and Australasian regions. The fauna of this area comprises 26 species eleven of which are described as new: Cardiocondyla schulzi n.sp., C. argentea n.sp., C. semiargentea n.sp., C. argyrotricha n.sp., C. latifrons n.sp., C. micropila n.sp., C. allonivalis n.sp., C. excavata n.sp., C. goroka n.sp., C. subspina n.sp. and C. sulcata n.sp. Recognized as junior synonyms were: Cardiocondyla tsukuyomi Terayama, 1999 and C. breviscapus Seifert, 2003 of C. minutior Forel, 1899 and C. brevispinosa (Donisthorpe, 1948) of C. paradoxa Emery, 1897. Each confirmed species is characterized by verbal descriptions, 18 numerically recorded phenotypic characters, z-stack images in three viewing positions, the key, a differential diagnosis and, if available, a brief life history. Exploratory and hypothesis-driven data analyses of phenotypic characters support the separation of the cryptic species Cardiocondyla minutior Forel, 1899, C. goa Seifert, 2003 and C. tjibodana Karavajev, 1935, two of which have dispersed as tramp species to the New World. Missing development of postzygotic isolation due to very strong prezygotic barriers is indicated in the closely related species Cardiocondyla latifrons n.sp. and C. micropila n.sp. which produce fertile hybrids in laboratory rearings but apparently do not hybridize in a natural context even if nesting in close neighborhood. The strong prezygotic isolation is supposed to be generated by the prevalence of intranidal mating and the difficulty for a mated heterospecific gyne to become accepted in a foreign colony. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Systematics and Evolution of Hymenoptera)
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32 pages, 6288 KiB  
Article
Cryptic Diversity Revealed in A Revision of West Palaearctic Nomiapis and Systropha (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)
by Thomas James Wood and Romain Le Divelec
Diversity 2022, 14(11), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110920 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2695
Abstract
Revisionary taxonomic studies of bees from the Old World Mediterranean basin are hindered both by the apparent absence of type material for many taxa and a lack of genetic resources. The discovery of important type materials in combination with the generation of novel [...] Read more.
Revisionary taxonomic studies of bees from the Old World Mediterranean basin are hindered both by the apparent absence of type material for many taxa and a lack of genetic resources. The discovery of important type materials in combination with the generation of novel DNA barcodes (Cytochrome Oxidase I) has allowed cryptic diversity within the widespread taxa Nomiapis bispinosa (Brullé, 1832) and Systropha planidens Giraud, 1861 to be clarified. Nomiapis bispinosa actually consists of three distinct taxa: Nomiapis bispinosa s. str. from Morocco and Iberia to Central Asia, Nomiapis rufiventris (Spinola, 1838) spec. resurr. from Morocco to Egypt, including Sicily and Nomiapis paulyispec. nov. from Portugal and Spain. A lectotype is designated for Nomia rufiventris Spinola, 1838. Lectotypes are designated for Nomia bispinosa Brullé, 1832 and Nomia albocincta Lucas, 1849, and type material for Nomia perforata Lucas, 1849 is clarified; both Nomiapis albocincta and Nomiapis perforata are synonymised syn. nov. with Nomiapis rufiventris. A lectotype is designated for Nomia ruficornis Spinola, 1838, and this taxon is confirmed as a synonym of Nomiapis bispinosa. Systropha planidens also consists of three distinct taxa: S. planidens from Central Europe to Iran and the European part of Russia, S. grandimargo Pérez, 1905 spec. resurr. from Portugal, Spain, and France, and S. anatolica Warncke, 1977 stat. nov. from Turkey, Syria, and northern Israel. A lectotype is designated for Systropha planidens Giraud, 1861. Systropha chrysura Pérez, 1905 is synonymised syn. nov. with S. grandimargo. These findings illustrate the extent to which our understanding of the taxonomy of Mediterranean bees remains incomplete. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Systematics and Evolution of Hymenoptera)
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5 pages, 3179 KiB  
Communication
Abnormal Proventriculus in Bumble Bee Males
by Mario X. Ruiz-González
Diversity 2022, 14(9), 775; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14090775 - 19 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1704
Abstract
Females social insects are widely investigated, while males are often neglected. Previous work on the morphology of the bumble bee male alimentary tract has described the presence of swollen proventriculi as a character with taxonomic value. New observations suggest that the abnormal proventriculus [...] Read more.
Females social insects are widely investigated, while males are often neglected. Previous work on the morphology of the bumble bee male alimentary tract has described the presence of swollen proventriculi as a character with taxonomic value. New observations suggest that the abnormal proventriculus might be an abnormal condition. Here, I identify a potential health issue in bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) male alimentary tracts that consists of a swollen and strongly melanized proventriculus, thereby preventing the normal passage of food through the esophageal valve. Males from three bumble bee species exhibited the abnormal proventriculus with an overall prevalence of 31.1% across two years. This finding challenges previous research that suggested the swollen and melanized proventriculus of Bombus males as a taxonomic character. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Systematics and Evolution of Hymenoptera)
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19 pages, 1710 KiB  
Article
DNA Barcoding of Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in Northern Peruvian Forests: A Plea for Integrative Taxonomy
by Marilena Marconi, Alessandro Modesti, Leydi Paz Alvarez, Paolo Villegas Ogoña, Agustín Cerna Mendoza, Carlos Daniel Vecco-Giove, Javier Ormeño Luna, Andrea Di Giulio and Emiliano Mancini
Diversity 2022, 14(8), 632; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14080632 - 9 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5225
Abstract
Stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) are among the most important pollinators of tropical forests. Peru is considered a hotspot of biodiversity of Meliponini, but many areas of this country (e.g., Peruvian Amazon) remain unexplored. We aimed to produce a first inventory of stingless bee [...] Read more.
Stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) are among the most important pollinators of tropical forests. Peru is considered a hotspot of biodiversity of Meliponini, but many areas of this country (e.g., Peruvian Amazon) remain unexplored. We aimed to produce a first inventory of stingless bee species dwelling in humid and seasonally dry forests of northern Peru by combining traditional (morphologically-based) taxonomy and DNA barcoding. Specimens were collected in 2020 at five sites located in San Martin and Piura regions. We identified 12 genera of Meliponini. Among those, Trigona and Plebeia were the most abundant (45.9% and 12.8% respectively), whereas Nannotrigona and Scaura were the least represented ones (2.3%). We assigned a reliable species identification to about 30% of specimens (Trigona amazonensis, T. muzoensis, T. williana, Partamona testacea, Scaura tenuis, Tetragona goettei, and Tetragonisca angustula). Yet, more than a half of the specimens received a provisional identification (e.g., Geotrigona cf. fulvohirta, T. cf. amalthea, T. cf. fuscipennis, T. cf. hypogea, Melipona cf. cramptoni, Partamona cf. epiphytophila, Ptilotrigona cf. perenae, Scaura cf. latitarsis, Tetragona cf. clavipes, Trigonisca cf. atomaria). We also highlighted an extensive polyphyly that affected a number of currently recognized species (e.g., T. fulviventris, T. guianae, Plebeia franki, P. frontalis, M. eburnea, M. illota), whose members were split into various clades. Finally, 16% of individuals failed to be identified at the species level (Trigona sp. 1, T. sp. 2, Nannotrigona sp., Partamona sp., Scaptotrigona sp. 1, S. sp. 2, Trigonisca sp. 1, and Trigonisca sp. 2). We discuss our findings according to the current faunistic and biogeographic knowledge of Meliponini in Peru and the Neotropical region. We also remark on the importance of conducting a taxonomic revision of stingless bees and improving both their morphology-based identification keys and BOLD repository. Finally, we claim that integrative taxonomy shall be strongly implemented to truly assess the biodiversity of Neotropical stingless bees, allowing conserving these important pollinators and the associated traditional meliponiculture in an effective manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Systematics and Evolution of Hymenoptera)
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