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Integrative Taxonomy Clarifies Species Limits in Two Closely Related Solitary Wasps: Pachymenes ater and Pachymenes ghilianii (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae)

W. Ferreira,R. Menezes,M. Viana,M. Hermes

Published 2026 in Insects

ABSTRACT

Simple Summary Telling closely related species apart can be difficult when they look very similar on the outside. This problem occurs in a group of solitary wasps found in Central and South America, where two suspected sister species have long been hard to separate because they share many body features and often live in the same regions. In this study, we investigated whether these two wasps truly represent separate species by examining them in several ways. We looked closely at body structures, including some features that had not been considered before, and compared them with modern genetic information and data on where each form is found. We discovered that some of the traits traditionally used to identify the species are not reliable, but other, previously overlooked features help distinguish them more clearly. The genetic evidence also supports the idea that they are two separate species and reveals how they are related to each other. By bringing together different types of information, our study shows a more accurate way to define species in groups that appear very uniform. This approach can improve the classification of solitary wasps and help guide future research on their diversity and conservation.

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