Comments on adopted
classification |
The re-classification of the Vespoidea into a
number of superfamilies proposed by Pilgrim et al. (2008) and adopted by
Peters et al. (2017) and Branstetter et al. (2018) has not been followed
here yet, for reasons outlined in Brothers (2019). The exception is
recognition of the family Thynnidae incorporating various taxa
previously included in the Tiphiidae, a hypothesis that appears to have
fairly robust support (albeit only based on molecular evidence), and
recognition of which has been widely adopted across various platforms.
We retain this newly proposed family together with the historically
recognized families within the single superfamily Vespoidea, until such
time that stronger phylogenetic evidence, based on both molecular as
well as morphological appraisal, becomes available for supporting
additional splitting at superfamily level within this group. |