Unraveling the mysteries of Cremnops (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) biogeography

Cremnops is a morphologically diverse, cosmopolitan genus of Braconidae in the subfamily Agathidinae that has about 100 species worldwide.  They primarily attack and parasitize larval Pyralidae, which are important pests in agro-ecosystems. New molecular phylogenetic analyses of the species in this group have uncovered interesting geographic distribution patterns.  There are many factors to consider in trying to piece together how species of Cremnops came to their current distributions and several competing historical geographic theories that could explain it, including one or a combination of: dispersal, extinction, and vicariance.  This presentation summerizes the geographic patterns uncovered and the analyses employed to examine these patterns.