Cladistic analysis of the Xylocopa caffra (Linnaeus, 1767) species-group (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

Results of a cladistic analysis of the species of the African Xylocopa caffra (Linnaeus, 1767) species-group (Hymenoptera: Apidae, genus Xylocopa Latreille, 1802) are presented. Thirty-five external adult morphological characters were coded for the twelve species in this group plus two outgroup taxa. Cladistic analysis with the computer program “TNT” recovered a single most parsimonious tree of 45 steps. This cladogram provides insights into the evolution of aposematic dorsal color patterns in females of species in this group. Females in each of three monophyletic lineages have distinctive black and yellow, white, or orange color patterns: In the first lineage, females have white pubescence on the head and varying amounts of yellow pubescence on the mesosoma and metasoma; in the second lineage, females of all but one species have banded black and yellow or white pubescence; and in the third lineage, the mesosoma in females is predominantly or entirely covered in yellow or orange pubescence, except for a central black glabrous area.