PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PAPER WASP SOCIAL PARASITES AND THEIR HOSTS (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE; POLISTINAE)
James M Carpenter1, Joan E Strassmann2, Stefano Turillazzi3
1Department of Entomology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, New York 10024, U.S.A.
Cladistics : the International Journal of the Willi Hennig Society
|December 21, 2021
Summary
Paper wasp social parasites (Sulcopolistes) are not most closely related to their hosts, contrary to common hypotheses. Allozyme data suggest parasites may form their own group but don't warrant separate taxonomic status.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Genetics
Background:
- Social parasitism in insects, particularly paper wasps (Polistes), presents evolutionary questions regarding host-parasite relatedness.
- Previous hypotheses suggested social parasites evolve from and remain closely allied with their specific hosts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phylogenetic relationship between paper wasp social parasites (Sulcopolistes) and their hosts using genetic data.
- To test the hypothesis that social parasites are most closely related to their hosts.
Main Methods:
- Cladistic analysis of allozyme polymorphism data from nine Polistes species, including three Sulcopolistes social parasites and their hosts.
- Comparison of results using three distinct data coding methods.
Main Results:
- Phylogenetic analyses consistently failed to support the hypothesis that social parasites are most closely related to their hosts.
- Limited evidence suggests social parasites may form a monophyletic group, but not exclusively with their hosts.
- Recognizing Sulcopolistes as a distinct taxon would render the genus Polistes paraphyletic.
Conclusions:
- The genetic data do not support a close phylogenetic link between paper wasp social parasites and their hosts.
- Despite not being closely related, parasites and hosts share characteristics that likely facilitated the evolution of social parasitism.
- Formal taxonomic separation of Sulcopolistes is not recommended due to implications for Polistes phylogeny.
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