UCE-based phylogenomics of the lepidopteran endoparasitoid wasp subfamily Rogadinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) unveils a new Neotropical tribe

During the past two decades, the phylogenetic relationships and higher-level classification of the subfamily Rogadinae have received relevant contributions based on Sanger, mitogenome and genome-wide nuclear data. These studies helped to update the circumscription of this subfamily as well as its tribal classification, with six tribes being currently recognized (Aleiodini, Yeliconini, Clinocentrini, Betylobraconini, Stiropiini, and Rogadini). Various tribal relationships, however, still need to be solved, as well as the monophyly of Yeliconini with respect to the members of the previously regarded betylobraconine tribe Facitorini. Here we conducted a phylogenomic analysis for Rogadinae based on UCE data and carried out a comprehensive morphological examination of three new rogadine genera of uncertain tribal placement. Our best estimate of phylogeny, which was almost fully supported, confirmed the basal position of Rogadini within the subfamily as well as a Facitorini (Yeliconini +Aleiodoni) clade, which led us to propose the former group as a valid rogadine tribe, Facitorini stat. res. The Stiropiini, on the other hand, was recovered for the first time as sister to the remaining rogadine tribes with the exclusion of Rogadini, whereas Clinicentrini was sister to a clade containing Betylobraconinae + the three undescribed genera. The relationships recovered and the gathered morphological evidence led us to place the above new genera and the recently described genus Gondwanocentrus in a new rogadine tribe, Gondwanocentrini trib. nov. We described these genera (Ghibli gen. nov., Racionais gen. nov., and Soraya gen. nov.) with two to three new species each (G. miyazakii sp. nov., G. totoro sp. nov., R. brunus sp. nov., R. kaelejay sp. nov., R. superstes sp. nov., S. alencarae sp. nov., and S. venus sp. nov.). A new species of Facitorini, Jannya pasargadae sp. nov., is also described. Our newly proposed classification expands to eight and 66 the number of tribes and genera within Rogadinae, respectively.