CLADISTIC ANALYSIS BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL DATA OF PARASITOID TACHINID FLIES (TACHINIDAE, DIPTERA)

The parasitoid family Tachinidae are very diverse group of insects and with importantrole in biological control, nevertheless the phylogenetic studies are few andstill weakly known for higher groups. Here, we present cladistic analysis of the family based on morphological data.Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using 121 morphological characters from 40species belonging to 30 tachinid genera, including the four currently recognizedsubfamilies (Dexiinae, Exoristinae, Phasiinae, Tachininae) and 20 tribes. Our analysis generally supports the subfamily groupingDexiinae+ Phasiinae,whileTachininae+ Exoristinae is not supported as one group, and with only the Exoristinae and the Phasiinae reconstructed as monophyletic assemblages. The Dexiinae, which were previously considered a well-established monophyletic assemblage (except in few studies), are reconstructed as being poly-paraphyletic with respect to the Phasiinae. The Tachininae are reconstructed as a paraphyletic grade, while monophyly of Exoristinaewere recovered except genus Admontia Brauer&Bergenstammwhich arose within subfamily Tachininae.