THE POLYPHYLETIC ORIGIN OF ENDOPARASITISM IN THE CYCLOSTOME LINEAGES OF BRACONIDAE (HYMENOPTERA)

The evolution of endoparasitism in braconid wasps is demonstrably polyphyletic, not only within the family as a whole but even within the rogadine/exothecine assemblage of genera. A cladistic analysis of rogadine and exothecine genera, coupled with an optimization approach to estimating ancestral character states, is used to analyse the evolution of various aspects of endoparasitism within this assemblage. At least two independent origins of endoparasitism are hypothesized - one in the Rodagini and the other in an assemblage including the Gnaptodontini, Opiinae and Alysiinae. Phylogenetic analyses and hypotheses can be useful not only in interpreting evolutionary trends, but in guiding and providing insights into more general comparative behavioural and physiological studies of parasitism.