Updates on systematics and taxonomy of Signiphoridae

Signiphoridae is a relatively small family of chalcidoid wasps that presently includes 4 recognized genera and about 80 species. Of the four genera of this family, the monospecific Clytina had been described only from Europe, but with new records, this genus starts to follow the pattern in Signiphora, Chartocerus and Thysanus, in which the greatest diversity of species is Neotropical. The known distribution for the family is updated to include more localities in the Americas, Eurasia, Africa and Oceania. A large number of new morphospecies is reported from Ecuadorian Amazon and other Neotropical localities. Systematic analyses using ribosomal DNA (18S + 28S D2-D5) consistently supports Signiphoridae as a monophyletic group, but not the subdivision into Signiphorinae and Thysaninae. Chartocerus seems to be sister to the other three genera. Larger-scale molecular analyses including all 19 chalcidoid families suggest a closer relationship among Signiphoridae, Azotinae, Thrichogrammatidae and some Coccophaginae (Aphelinidae), which has also been supported by morphological evidence in the Chalcidoidea Assembling the Tree of Life data set.