Browsing by Author "Wenzel, John W."
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Item Evolution of caste in neotropical swarm-founding wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini). American Museum novitates ; no. 3467(New York, NY : American Museum of Natural History, 2004) Noll, Fernando B. (Fernando Barbosa); Wenzel, John W.; Zucchi, Ronaldo.Reproductive castes are compared in species of swarming wasps representing all currently recognized genera of Epiponini (Polistinae). New morphometric data for nine measures of body parts and ovarian data are presented for 13 species. These are integrated with all similarly conducted available studies, giving a total of 30 species. Analysis reveals several syndromes relating reproductive and nonreproductive individuals: no meaningful distinction, physiological differences only, reproductives larger than nonreproductives with intermediate individuals present, reproductives different in shape from nonreproductives with no intermediates, and reproductives smaller in some aspects than nonreproductives. Distribution of these syndromes among species is consistent with phylogenetic relationships derived from other data. Optimizing these syndromes on the cladogram indicates that the basal condition of Epiponini is a casteless society that is not comparable to the primitively social genus Polistes where dominant queens control reproduction. Castes originate several times in Epiponini, with different results in different lineages. The best documented evolutionary sequence passes from casteless societies, to those with reproductives larger, to those with reproductives differing in shape from nonreproductives, to those with reproductives smaller in some measures. This sequence is consistent with Wheeler's theory of the origin of caste through developmental switches, and represents the most thorough test of that theory to date.Item A generic key to the nests of hornets, yellowjackets, and paper wasps worldwide (Vespidae, Vespinae, Polistinae). American Museum novitates ; no. 3224(New York, NY : American Museum of Natural History, 1998) Wenzel, John W."The 31 genera of Vespinae and Polistinae worldwide are identified in a key to nest structure. Fifty-nine couplets and more than 80 photographs and illustrations permit both specialists and amateurs to recognize these nests in the field or museum collections. A brief overview explains the distinction between nests of these social wasps and those of other social or solitary Hymenoptera with which they may be confused. Many characteristics are illustrated or described here for the first time, with notes on both anomalous species and anomalous forms of nests of common species. Pertinent published figures and museum collections are cited to assist the professional in finding reference material"--P. [1].Item Polybia, paraphyly, and polistine phylogeny. American Museum novitates ; no. 3298(New York, NY : American Museum of Natural History, 2000) Carpenter, James M. (James Michael), 1956-; Kojima, Jun-ichi, 1955-; Wenzel, John W.A cladistic analysis of the subgenera of the paper wasp genus Polybia Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Polistinae), and the other genera that construct phragmocyttarus nests, is presented. The results clearly indicate paraphyly of Polybia in terms of the genus Synoecoides Ducke. To remove the paraphyly, Synoecoides is reduced in rank, to a subgenus of Polybia, new synonymy.Item Revision and cladistic analysis of the nocturnal social wasp genus, Apoica Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae, Epiponini) ; American Museum novitates, no. 3562(New York, NY : American Museum of Natural History, 2007) Pickett, Kurt M.; Wenzel, John W.A revision of the nocturnal social wasp genus, Apoica, is presented. The revision is based on a cladistic analysis of morphological, behavioral, and molecular characters of the nine nominal species. The subgenera Deuterapoica and Apoica are consistent with the phylogenetic results, and are thus retained. A new species, Apoica ellenae, whose phylogenetic position is uncertain, is described. A variant of A. albimacula from Peru is noted. This brings the total number of species in the genus to 10.