Cynipoid wasps are well known for their galling behavior on species of oaks and roses, but few entomologists realize that the diversity of the galling cynipoids (Cynipidae) is matched, and may even be exceeded by, the parasitic lineage of cynipoids known as the Figitidae. Within the last decade, intensive systematic research has been focused on Cynipoidea, one of many megadiverse groups of Hymenoptera. This superfamily contains five extant and two extinct families and over 3000 valid species. My research focuses on the systematics of the Figitidae, in which 126 valid genera and some 1400 nominal species are currently classified, with the vast majority of this diversity found within Eucoilinae. Using DNA sequence data and morphology, I am investigating the phylogenetic relationships among the major clades of Figitidae. Using the results of these analyses, questions regarding the evolution of host preference, the early evolution of the group, and the evolution of various morphological traits can be addressed.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Figitidae
Keywords: Cynipoidea, phylogenetics
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