Kingdom Animalia Order Hymenoptera Scientific name Vespoidea Rank Superfamily | Phylum Arthropoda Infraorder Aculeata Higher classification Apocrita | |
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Speed Asian giant hornet: 40 km/h Lifespan Pharaoh ant: 4 – 12 years, Black garden ant: 15 years Length European hornet: 1.8 – 2.4 cm, Asian giant hornet: 5 cm Lower classifications Ant, Hornet, Vespidae, True wasps, Spider wasp | ||
Vespoidea is a superfamily of order Hymenoptera of class Insecta, although older taxonomic schemes may vary in this categorization, particularly in their recognition of a now-obsolete superfamily Scolioidea. The members of this group are known as wasps and ants.
Contents
Vespoid families
Phylogenetics
Newer research based on four nuclear genes (elongation factor-1α F2 copy, long-wavelength rhodopsin, wingless and the D2–D3 regions of 28S ribosomal RNA—2700 bp in total) suggests the higher-level relationships need to be changed, with Rhopalosomatidae as a sister group of the Vespidae and the clade Rhopalosomatidae + Vespidae as sister to all other vespoids and apoids. Additionally, superfamily Apoidea is found to be within the Vespoidea, suggesting the dismantling of Vespoidea (sensu lato) into many smaller superfamilies; Formicoidea, Scolioidea, Tiphioidea, Thynnoidea, and Pompiloidea in addition to a much more narrowly defined Vespoidea. Finally, families Mutillidae, Tiphiidae, and Bradynobaenidae were found to be paraphyletic. Another recent study confirms the need for revision of high-level relationships, although the pattern of sister-group relationships within the putative Vespoidea matches the same basic pattern as the 2008 study, including a paraphyletic Bradynobaenidae and Tiphiidae.
