OVIPOSITOR INTERNAL MICROSCULPTURE IN THE BRACONIDAE (INSECTA, HYMENOPTERA)

Variation in the microsculpture of the ovipositor egg canal, the morph ology of the tip of the upper valve, the structure of the valvillus an d the apex of the lower valve seals, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy is described for members of 52 genera representing 30 subfa milies of Braconidae. Braconidae. The possible phylogenetic implicatio ns of this variation are discussed. Characters supporting monophyly of the cyclostome clade, and of the non-cyclostome subfamilies Agathidin ae, Pselaphaninae and Sigalphinae are reported. Functional and phyloge netic implications are discussed and possible convergent evolution of some features associated with endoparasitism are considered in the lig ht of recent molecular systematics findings. (C) 1998 The Norwegian Ac ademy of Science and Letters.