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The evolution of convergent phenotypes is of major interest in biology because of their omnipresence and ability to inform the study of evolutionary novelty and constraint. Convergent phenotypes can be combinations of traits that evolve concertedly, called syndromes, and these can be shaped by a common environmental pressure. Parasitoid wasps which use a wide variety of arthropod hosts have also repeatedly and convergently switched host use across their evolutionary history. They thus represent a natural laboratory for the evolution of trait syndromes that are associated with parasitism of specific hosts and host substrates. In this study, we tested the evolution of co-evolving characters in the highly diverse family Ichneumonidae associated with ovipositing in a specific and well-defined substrate: wood. Using a newly constructed phylogeny and an existing morphological dataset, we identified six traits correlated with the wood-boring lifestyle that demonstrate convergent evolution. At least one trait, the presence of teeth on the ovipositor, typically preceded the evolution of other traits and possibly the switch to parasitism of wood-boring hosts. For each trait, we provide a historical review of their associations with wood-boring parasitoids, reevaluate the function of some characters, and suggest future coding improvements. Overall, we demonstrate the convergent evolution of multiple traits associated with parasitism of woodboring hosts and propose a syndrome in a hyper diverse lineage of parasitoid wasps. 

A comprehensive review of the enigmatic genus Masona van Achterberg is provided. Two new species are described from the USA: Masona neon Dal Pos & Martens sp. nov. from Puerto Rico, and Masona wow Dal Pos & Martens sp. nov. from California. A key to the world species of Masona is presented, together with a discussion of the morphology of the genus and an annotated catalogue of the species. [Masona] timpaynei Quicke, 2019, is excluded from Braconidae and placed as incertae sedis in the Ichneumonidae, subfamily Neorhacodinae. 

A synthesis of the Phaeogenini occurring in the Afrotropical region is provided. Three species are newly described: Centeterichneumon nambi Dal Pos, Diller & Di Giovanni sp. nov. from Uganda, Chauvinia ganota Claridge sp. nov. from Kenya, and Kibalus nonnaritae Dal Pos & Di Giovanni sp. nov. from Uganda. Heterischnus mfongosi Rousse & van Noort, 2013 is newly recorded for Kenya and Tanzania and the male of the species is diagnosed for the first time. Also, the female of Arearia oxymoron Rousse & van Noort, 2013 is diagnosed for the first time from one of the paratype localities. Lusius tenuissimus (Heinrich, 1938) and Chauvinia nyanga Rousse & van Noort, 2013 are recorded for the first time for Uganda and Kenya, respectively. In addition, new localities are given for Chauvinia nitida (Heinrich, 1938), Heterischnus olsoufieffi (Heinrich, 1938) and Hoplophaeogenes curticornis Heinrich, 1938. A new combination, Nesostenodontus mkomazi (Rousse & van Noort, 2013) comb. nov., is proposed to accommodate Heterischnus mkomazi. An updated key to the Afrotropical genera of Phaeogenini and keys to the Afrotropical species of the genera Arearia Seyrig, Centeterichneumon Heinrich, Chauvinia Heinrich, Heterischnus Heinrich, Hoplophaeogenes Heinrich, Kibalus Rousse, van Noort & Diller, and Lusius Tosquinet are provided. Updated online Lucid keys to genera and species are available from http://www.waspweb.org. 

Applying consistent terminology for morphological traits across different taxa is a highly pertinent task in the study of morphology and evolution. Different terminologies for the same traits can generate bias in phylogeny and prevent correct homology assessments. This situation is exacerbated in the male genitalia of Hymenoptera, and specifically in Ichneumonoidea, in which the terminology is not standardized and has not been fully aligned with the rest of Hymenoptera. In the current contribution, we review the terms used to describe the skeletal features of the male genitalia in Hymenoptera, and provide a list of authors associated with previously used terminology. We propose a unified terminology for the male genitalia that can be utilized across the order and a list of recommended terms. Further, we review and discuss the genital musculature for the superfamily Ichneumonoidea based on previous literature and novel observations and align the terms used for muscles across the literature. 

Abstract The Ichneumonoidea (Ichneumonidae and Braconidae) is an incredibly diverse superfamily of parasitoid wasps that includes species that produce virus-like entities in their reproductive tracts to promote successful parasitism of host insects. Research on these entities has traditionally focused upon two viral genera Bracovirus (in Braconidae) and Ichnovirus (in Ichneumonidae). These viruses are produced using genes known collectively as endogenous viral elements (EVEs) that represent historical, now heritable viral integration events in wasp genomes. Here, new genome sequence assemblies for 11 species and 6 publicly available genomes from the Ichneumonoidea were screened with the goal of identifying novel EVEs and characterizing the breadth of species in lineages with known EVEs. Exhaustive similarity searches combined with the identification of ancient core genes revealed sequences from both known and novel EVEs. One species harbored a novel, independently derived EVE related to a divergent large double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus that manipulates behavior in other hymenopteran species. Although bracovirus or ichnovirus EVEs were identified as expected in three species, the absence of ichnoviruses in several species suggests that they are independently derived and present in two younger, less widespread lineages than previously thought. Overall, this study presents a novel bioinformatic approach for EVE discovery in genomes and shows that three divergent virus families (nudiviruses, the ancestors of ichnoviruses, and Leptopilina boulardi Filamentous Virus-like viruses) are recurrently acquired as EVEs in parasitoid wasps. Virus acquisition in the parasitoid wasps is a common process that has occurred in many more than two lineages from a diverse range of arthropod-infecting dsDNA viruses.