The Waterston’s evaporatorium of Ceraphronidae (Ceraphronoidea, Hymenoptera): A morphological barcode to a cryptic taxon

By

Ulmer, Jonah M.
Mikó, István
Deans, Andrew R.
Krogmann, Lars

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

Journal of Hymenoptera research

Volume

85

Pages

29--56

Subjects

cryptic species , exocrine , morphological barcode , pulsatory organ

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Washington, D.C International Society of Hymenopterists

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.85.67165

 

Abstract

The Waterston’s evaporatorium (=Waterston’s organ), a cuticular modification surrounding the opening of an exocrine gland located on metasomal tergite 6, is characterized and examined for taxonomic significance within the parasitoid wasp family Ceraphronidae. Modification of the abdominal musculature and the dorsal vessel are also broadly discussed for the superfamily Ceraphronoidea, with a novel abdominal pulsatory organ for Apocrita being discovered and described for the first time. Cuticular modification of T6, due to the presence of the Waterston’s evaporatorium, provides a character complex that allows for genus- and species-level delimitation in Ceraphronidae. The matching of males and females of a species using morphology, a long standing challenge for the group, is also resolved with this new character set. Phylogenetic analysis including 19 Waterston’s evaporatorium related characters provides support for current generic groupings within the Ceraphronidae and elaborates on previously suggested synapomorphies. Potential function of the Waterston’s organ and its effects on the dorsal vessel are discussed.