Phylogenetic analysis of Neotropical Dryinus using morphological characters: new proposed classification for species groups and description of a new genus (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae)

Abstract Dryinus is a cosmopolitan genus and the most diverse group within Dryininae. Herein, we present the first phylogenetic analyses for species groups of Dryinus from the Neotropical region, including three extant genera of Dryininae, one fossil, and a rich taxon sampling of extant species. A total of 116 characters were coded to 42 terminal taxa, including 28 species representing Dryinus of the Neotropics. Our analyses showed that Dryinus is paraphyletic, with the two species D. caraibicus (Olmi) and D. lamellatus (Olmi) coming out separately from the remaining species. A new genus, Dirrhinodryinus, is here described to accommodate them. Based on the phylogeny, Dryinus s.s. is divided into six species groups: autumnalis, catarinae, constans, fiorii, ruficeps, and magnificus. Of the four previously recognized species groups, only two were recovered here: autumnalis and constans. Additionally, we corroborated the synonym of Megadryinus under Dryinus. Considering the evidence that the Neotropical Dryinus form an independent clade, our expectation is that the new classification proposed here will not be applicable to the fauna of other biogeographic regions.