title: A molecular phylogeny of the Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).
abstract: Phylogenetic relationships within the Aphidiinae, and between this and other subfamilies of Braconidae (Hymenoptera), were investigated using sequence data from three genes: elongation factor-1alpha, cytochrome b, and the second expansion segment of the 28S ribosomal subunit. Variation in both protein-coding genes was characterized by a high level of homoplasy, but analysis of the expansion segment--robust over a range of alignment methods and parameters-resolved some of the older divergences. Parsimony analysis of the combined data suggests the following tribal relationships: (Ephedrini + (Praini + (Aphidiini + Trioxini))). In addition, the cyclostome subfamilies were found to form a clade separate from the Aphidiinae, but relationships between the Aphidiinae and the noncyclostome braconids could not be resolved. The inferred phylogeny also supported a secondary loss of internal pupation within the Praini and a polyphyletic origin of endoparasitism within the Braconidae.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belshaw
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Quicke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000469:parasitology; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003573:Cytochrome b Group / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D010445:Peptide Elongation Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014863:Wasps / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003573:Cytochrome b Group; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D010445:Peptide Elongation Factors; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S