Phylogenomic species delimitation, taxonomy, and \"bird guide\" identification for the Neotropical ant genus Rasopone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Rasopone Schmidt & Shattuck is a poorly known lineage of ants that live in Neotropical forests. Informed by phylogenetic results from thousands of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and mitochondrial DNA barcodes, we revise the genus, providing a new morphological diagnosis and a species-level treatment. Analysis of UCE data from many Rasopone samples and select outgroups revealed non-monophyly of the genus. Monophyly of Rasopone was restored by transferring several species to the unrelated genus Mayaponera Schmidt & Shattuck. Within Rasopone, species are morphologically very similar, and we provide a \"bird guide\" approach to identification rather than the traditional dichotomous key. Species are arranged by size in a table, along with geographic range and standard images. Additional diagnostic information is then provided in individual species accounts. We recognize a total of 15 named species, of which the following are described as new species: R. costaricensis, R. cryptergates, ...

Rasopone Schmidt & Shattuck属是一类鲜为人知的蚂蚁支系，栖息于新热带森林。基于数千个超保守元件（ultraconserved elements，UCEs）和线粒体DNA条形码的系统发育分析结果，我们对该属进行了修订，提出了新的形态学诊断标准及物种级别的分类处理方案。对多个Rasopone样本及选定外类群的UCE数据进行分析后，发现该属不具有单系性。通过将若干物种转移至无关属Mayaponera Schmidt & Shattuck，Rasopone属的单系性得以恢复。Rasopone属内物种的形态极为相似，因此我们采用“鸟类图鉴式”鉴定方法，而非传统的二分检索表。物种在表格中按体型大小排列，并附带有地理分布范围及标准图像。各物种的详细诊断信息随后在其单独的物种记述中呈现。我们共确认了15个已命名物种，其中以下为新描述物种：R. costaricensis、R. cryptergates等。