| The detailed morphology of apoid wasps was compared throughout the group and with that of bees. Emphasis was placed on differences between tribes. Characters of phylogenetic value at the subtribal level and above were defined and incorporated into a character-state matrix consisting of 182 characters for 43 taxa that included bees and a hypothetical common ancestor. The phylogenetic relationships between the tribes and subtribes of apoid wasps were assessed using parsimony and compatibility analyses. Strict parsimony analyses were made using the computer program PAUP (Swofford 1993), while the computer program CLINCH (Fiala 1984) was used to construct trees based on compatibility analysis. The results from these analyses were used to construct a single preferred phylogenetic hypothesis that incorporated clades exhibiting the greatest support. The preferred phylogenetic hypothesis was used as a basis for the reclassification of Apoidea excluding bees, recognizing only putatively holophyletic taxa. The family Sphecidae of Bohart and Menke (1976) was divided into four families: Heterogynaidae, Ampulicidae, Sphecidae, and Crabronidae. Bees are classed as an additional holophyletic family Apidae. Crabronidae is divided into 8 subfamilies: Bembicinae (composed of Alyssonini, Nyssonini, and Bembicini), Astatinae (composed of Astatini), Philanthinae (composed of Philanthini, Aphilanthopini, Pseudoscoliini, and Cercerini), Pemphredoninae (composed of Odontosphecini, Entomosericini, Psenini, and Pemphredonini), Dinetinae (composed of Dinetini), Mellininae (composed of Mellinini and Xenosphecini), Eremiaspheciinae (composed of Eremiaspheciini and Laphyragogini), and Crabroninae (composed of Palarini, Larrini, Miscophini, Trypoxylini, Bothynostethini, Oxybelini, and Crabronini). Within Ampulicidae, the tribe Aphelotomini is newly recognized, while Dolichurini and Ampulicini are redefined. Ile tribes Heliocausini, Gorytini, Stizini, and Bembicini of Bohart and Menke (1976) are combined into a single tribe Bembicini which is divided into 7 subtribes. The subtribe Bembecinina is newly recognized. The tribes Bothynostethini and Scapheutini of Bohart and Menke (1976) are combined into a single tribe Bothynostethini. |
