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Issue: Vol. 5810 No. 2: 15 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5810.2.1
Page range: 201-248
Abstract views: 76
PDF downloaded: 5

Revision of Archaeopelma Gibson, with discussion of morphology relative to phylogenetic relationships and higher classification of Eusandalinae and Eupelmidae (Hymenoptera)

Honorary Research Associate; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Canadian National Collection of Insects; Arachnids and Nematodes; K. W. Neatby Bldg.; 960 Carling Avenue; Ottawa; Ontario; CANADA; K1A 0C6
Hymenoptera Boucekius Calosota Ecnomocephala Eusandalum Licrooides Paraeusandalum Pentacladia Phenaceupelmus Calosotinae Eupelminae morphology phylogenetic relationships

Abstract

The species of the New World genus Archaeopelma Gibson (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Eupelmidae, Eusandalinae) are revised. The males that were described originally under Archaeopelma tropeotergum Gibson, the type species, are considered to be incorrectly associated with females of the species and are described as a new species, whereas two males from Mexico are newly described as the males of A. tropeotergum. A total of seven species are recognized—A. dasypteron sp. nov. (female: Costa Rica), A. floridense sp. nov. (male: USA), A. latiscrobes sp. nov. (female: Dominican Republic), A. macrosoma sp. nov. (female, male: Brazil), A. tropeotergum Gibson (female, male: USA, Mexico), A. tumidifrons sp. nov. (male: Mexico), and A. xanthocolon sp. nov. (female, male: Mexico). The species are keyed and are illustrated through photomicrography. The original generic description is expanded to include additional features that have been used since its original description to infer higher level relationships within Chalcidoidea. Morphological features possessed by Archaeopelma are discussed relative to those possessed by other genera of Eusandalinae, Calosotinae and Eupelminae, and possible groundplan features of these taxa are hypothesized, which are used to examine previous hypotheses of character-state transformation and of phylogenetic relationships. New images are also provided for species of Calosota Curtis, Eusandalum Ratzeburg, Licrooides Gibson, Paraeusandalum Gibson and Pentacladia Westwood (Eupelmidae) to illustrate discussed character-state distribution within Eusandalinae and Eupelmidae.

References

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  2. Burks, R.A., Gibson, G.A.P. & Heraty, J.M. (2025a) 5. External morphology of adult Chalcidoidea. In: Heraty, J.M. & Woolley, J.B. (Eds.), Chalcidoidea of the World. CAB International, Wallingford, pp. 69–110. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800623545.0005
  3. Burks, R.A., Rasplus, J.-Y., Mitroiu, M.-D., Gibson, G.A.P., Fusu, L. & Kresslein, R.L. (2025b) 61. Incertae sedis taxa in Chalcidoidea. In: Heraty, J.M. & Woolley, J.B. (Eds.), Chalcidoidea of the World. CAB International, Wallingford, pp. 660–678. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800623545.0061
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  5. Fusu, L. & Gibson, G.A.P. (2025) 29. Eupelmidae. In: Heraty, J.M. & Woolley, J.B. (Eds.), Chalcidoidea of the World. CAB International, Wallingford, pp. 380–396. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800623545.0029
  6. Gibson, G.A.P. (1986) Mesothoracic skeletomusculature and mechanics of flight and jumping in Eupelminae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae). The Canadian Entomologist, 118, 691–728. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent118691-7
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  9. Gibson, G.A.P. (2003) Phylogenetics and classification of Cleonyminae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae). Memoirs on Entomology, International, 16, 1–v + 339.
  10. Gibson, G.A.P. (2021) Revision of Mesocomys Cameron (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae). Zootaxa, 4901 (1), 1–92. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4901.1.1
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  17. Heraty, J.M., Gibson, G.A.P., Burks, R.A., Huber, J.T., Woolley, J.B., Rasplus, J.-Y. & Cruaud, A. (2025) 2. Classification and phylogenetic relationships of Chalcidoidea. In: Heraty, J.M. & Woolley, J.B. (Eds.), Chalcidoidea of the World. CAB International, Wallingford, pp. 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800623545.0002
  18. Munro, J.B., Heraty, J.M., Burks, R.A., Hawks, D., Mottern, J., Cruaud, A., Rasplus, J.-Y. & Janšta, P. (2011) A molecular phylogeny of the Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). PLoS One, 6 (11), e27023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0027023
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How to Cite

Gibson, G.A.P. (2026) Revision of Archaeopelma Gibson, with discussion of morphology relative to phylogenetic relationships and higher classification of Eusandalinae and Eupelmidae (Hymenoptera). Zootaxa, 5810 (2), 201–248. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5810.2.1