Evolution and systematics of Hymenoptera
The Hymenoptera represents a huge assemblage of insects that dominate most terrestrial environments and perform essential ecological services.
The group includes ubiquitous groups such as ants, bees and flower wasps that are critical for pollination and seed dispersal. However, the greatest diversity of wasps comprise species that are parasitic on other insects and, because of this, they play a major role in limiting populations of plant feeding insects including pest species.
Our research focuses mostly on the systematics of various groups of parasitic Hymenoptera. We are particularly interested in documenting their diversity in Australia, understanding their host relationships, and providing fundamental information that underpins their application as biological control agents.
- PBI: Diversity & the Parasitoid Life History Strategy - the Superfamily Platygastroidea (Hymenoptera)
This project aims to document the global diversity of the Scelionini, a major group the wasps that parasitise the eggs of orthopteran insects, using new web-based descriptive tools and DNA sequencing techniques.
The project involves some 22 researchers from 10 countries, working collaboratively on various components of the Scelionini. The Australian part of the program is focusing on several genera that are either endemic or are highly diverse on the continent.
We are using the latest imaging technology and web-based tools to accelerate to task of describing large numbers of new species and, at the same time, generate information on their distribution and evolution of host relationships.
Investigators
- Andy Austin
- John Jennings
- Sally Thompson
Collaborators
Our collaborators include, Dr Norm Johnson (Ohio State University), Dr Alejandro Valerio (Ohio State University), Dr Luciana Musseti (Ohio State University), Dr Matt Yoder (Ohio State University) and Dr Lubomir Masner
(Agriculture Canada, Ottawa). - Systematics of Australian Spider-hunting Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)
The Pompilidae comprise a large family of wasps that are obligate predators of spiders. They use a paralysing venom to subdue their prey and then lay an egg on the spider or carry it back to a previously constructed burrow.
The spider remains alive but paralysed until it is consumed by the developing larval pompilid. The family is taxonomically complex, and poorly know for Australia, with an estimated two-thirds of the continent's fauna being undescribed. This project is providing a synopsis of the fauna that will diagnose all genera, provide a key to their identification, as well as information on their distribution, biology and relationships with other biogeographic regions.
Investigators
Collaborators
Collaborators for this project include Dr Lars Krogmann (Stuttgart Museum, Germany), Mick Day (Cardiff Museum, Wales) and Dr James Pitts (Utah State University).
Funded by the Australian Biological Resources Study.
- Systematics, Phylogeography & Biology of Braconid Wasps Relevant to the Biological Control of Stemborer Pests
This project is examining population and species limits in the Cotesia flavipes species complex, a group of braconid wasps that are employed as biological control agents of stemborer pests of sugarcane and cereals worldwide.
Recently we have discovered a cryptic, endemic Australian species that was previously thought to be the widespread C. flavipes, a species now thought to be absent from the Australian continent. This finding has significant implications for future biocontrol efforts, either using the Australian species or requiring the import of C. flavipes.
We are currently examining the biology and global haplotype variation in C. flavipes and its immune suppressing polydnavirus using several DNA markers, with a view to better understanding host differences among populations.
Investigators
Collaborators
Our collaborators include Dr Peter Allsopp (BSES Ltd), Dr Nader Sallam (BSES Ltd) and Dr Jim Whitfield (University of Illinois).
Funded by Australian Research Council Linkage Grant, with BSES Ltd and the South Australian Museum as industry partners.
- Systematics & Speciation in Australian Monomorium Ants
Ants are one of the most abundant and ubiquitous groups of terrestrial invertebrates, and are ideal subjects for ecological research, biomonitoring and as indicators of biodiversity. However, the vast number of undescribed species and the lack of species level identification tools is often seen as an impediment to this research.
With 61 described species in Australia, the genus Monomorium is a highly abundant an widespread group of ants. However, the level of intraspecific morphological variation for many species suggests cryptic diversity. This project addresses the issue of cryptic species in the M. 'rothsteini' complex.
This species is a widespread and dominant seed harvester throughout the arid, semi arid and tropical areas of Australia, and may play a role in re-establishing plant communities following disturbance. A multidisciplinary approach combining molecular, morphological and biogeographic data is being used to delimit species within this complex. This project is part of the Taxonomy Research and Information Network, which is a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional network of scientists who aim to accelerate the discovery of Australia's biodiversity through collaboration and novel methods.
Investigators
Collaborators
Dr Alan Andersen (CSIRO, Sustainable Ecosystems), Dr Steve Shattuck (CSIRO Entomology).
Funded by TRIN and The University of Adelaide.
- Systematics of Australian Hatchet Wasps (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae)
The Evaniidae (ensign wasps), parasitoids of cockroach oothecae, are diverse but poorly studied in Australia. Only 38 of some 100+ species are described, the generic status of several is undecided, one of the two main genera is probably paraphyletic, and there is no guide available for their identification.
This project aims to:
- provide a comprehensive generic level revision for the Australian fauna,
- revise several new Australian species,
- develop keys to facilitate their identification by systematists, ecologists and biodiversity workers,
- provide a web-based synopsis of their taxonomy, biology and distribution.
Investigators
Collaborators
Dr Andy Deans (Florida State University)
Funded by Australian Biological Resources Study.
- Revision of the Australasian wood-boring sawflies (Hymenoptera: Xiphydriidae)
The Xiphydriidae are primitive woodwasps that are found worldwide except Africa, but are relatively unknown in Australia. Although there are 95 species worldwide, in Australia there are just four described and at least 20 undescribed species. In North America, woodwasps are considered a minor pest of various deciduous trees because the larvae bore into twigs and small branches, but in Australia their host plants remain elusive.
This project is undertaking a phylogenetic analyses of the Australasian fauna to determine generic relationships using morphological data, describing new species and developing an identification key.
Investigators
Collaborators
Dr Nathan Schiff (USDA Forest Service).
Funded by Australian Biological Resources Study.
- Systematics of Aulacidae (Hymenoptera)
Aulacid wasps are parasitoids of the larvae of woodboring wasps and several beetle families, especially Cerambycidae.
This project is investigating the phylogeny of Aulacidae of the world using morphological characters. In the Australasian context, the project aims to describe the aulacid fauna which comprises 33 described and more than 60 undescribed species. A key to species is also being developed.
Investigators
Collaborators
Dr Giuseppe Fabrizio Turrisi (Université di Catania) & Dr Lars Vilhelmson (Natural History Museum of Denmark)
Funded by Australian Biological Resources Study participatory research grant
- New Species of Stephanid Wasps (Hymenoptera: Stephanidae)
Stephanid wasps are not easily collected by traditional methods and are generally considered to be extremely rare. Although most host records are from the beetle families Cerambycidae and Buprestidae, there are records of stephanids attacking several other families of Coleoptera, as well as siricid wasp larvae and solitary bees. This small project has the objective of describing new species from the relatively unknown faunas of regions including New Caledonia and United Arab Emirates.l base spine
Investigators
- John Jennings
- Sally Thompson
Collaborators
Dr Alexandre Aguiar (Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo), Dr Giuseppe Fabrizio Turrisi (Universit\xE0 di Catania).
Funded by University of São Paulo.
- Aulacidae & Stephanidae (Hymenoptera) in Baltic Amber
This small project has the objective of describing new species of aulacid and stephanid wasps from Upper Eocene Baltic amber housed in the State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart, Germany.
Fossils from these wasps families are rare and their description will assist in determining aspects of the evolution of these families.
Investigators
Collaborators
Dr Lars Krogmann (State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart)
Funded by the State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart
(Agriculture Canada, Ottawa).