Phylogenetic analysis of species of the neotropical social wasp Epipona Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae, Epiponini)

Abstract

The Neotropical social wasp genus Epipona is reviewed. Phylogenetic analysis of the species in the genus using morphological and nest characters resulted in a single cladogram, with the following ingroup topology: (E.guerini + E. niger) + (E. media + (E. quadrituberculata + E. tatua)). A key to the five species is presented.