Vespoidea

Taxobox
name = Vespoidea

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Tiphia sp."
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Hymenoptera
subordo = Apocrita
superfamilia = Vespoidea
subdivision_ranks = Families
subdivision = see text

Vespoidea is a superfamily of order Hymenoptera of class Insecta, although older taxonomic schemes may vary in this categorization, particularly in their recognition of a now-obsolete superfamily Scolioidea. The members of this group are wasps and ants.

Vespoid Families

clade| style=font-size:75%;line-height:75%
label1=Vespoidea
1=clade
1=Sierolomorphidae
2=clade
1=clade |1=Tiphiidae |2=clade |1=Sapygidae |2=Mutillidae |2=clade |1=clade |1=Pompilidae |2=Rhopalosomatidae |2=clade |1=Formicidae |2=clade |1=Vespidae |2=Scoliidae

Phylogenetic relationships of Vespoid families based on Brothers (1999) [Brothers, D. J. 1999. Phylogeny and evolution of wasps, ants and bees (Hymenoptera, Chrysisoidea, Vespoidea, and Apoidea). "Zoologica Scripta 28": 233-249.]

* Formicidae - Ants
* Mutillidae - Velvet Ants
* Pompilidae - Spider Wasps
* Sapygidae - Sapygid Wasps
* Scoliidae - Scoliid Wasps
* Sierolomorphidae - Sierolomorphid Wasps
* Tiphiidae - Tiphiid wasps
* Vespidae - Paper Wasps, Hornets, Potter Wasps, Yellow Jackets, and relatives
* Rhopalosomatidae - Rhopalosomatid Wasps

Newer research based on four nuclear genes (elongation factor-1α F2 copy, long-wavelength rhodopsin, wingless and the D2–D3 regions of 28S ribosomal RNA (2700 bp in total)) suggest that the higher level relationships need to be changed with Rhopalosomatidae as a sister group of the Vespidae and the clade Rhopalosomatidae + Vespidae as sister to all other vespoids/apoids. Several other groups are also noted to be paraphyletic. [cite journal|author=Pilgrim, E., von Dohlen, C., & Pitts, J.|year=2008 |title= Molecular phylogenetics of Vespoidea indicate paraphyly of the superfamily and novel relationships of its component families and subfamilies| journal= Zoologica Scripta |volume= 37|issue= 5|pages=539-560 |doi=10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00340.x]

References

External links

* [http://zoologie.umh.ac.be/hymenoptera/galerie/exploredb.aspx?parent=41 Image Gallery from Gembloux]