The phylogenetic relationships of the Andean swamp rat genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neotomys</Emphasis> (Rodentia,Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers

The aim of this study was to assess the phylogenetic position of the South American cricetid genus Neotomys using two molecular markers: one nuclear (Irbp) and one mitochondrial (mt-cyb). This genus is currently considered as incertae sedis in the Sigmodontinae radiation. The phylogenetic relationships were estimated using three approaches: Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood and parsimony. We found the genus Neotomys closely related to the genera Euneomys and Irenomys, which are also considered incertae sedis. Our results suggest a common origin for this group of genera; this fact should be reflected in the taxonomy as a supra generic group with a tribal level. However, further and deeper analysis of both molecular and morphological data are needed to diagnose and formalize the proposed tribe. The relationships of this clade to the other members of Sigmodontinae were not clear as assessed by these data sets. The three genera are distributed around the Central and Southern Andes in South America evidencing that the Andes have played an important role in the diversification of several tribes of sigmodontine rodents.     

Phylogeny and historical biogeography of leafhopper subfamily Iassinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with a revised tribal classification based on morphological and molecular data

Phylogenetic relationships among major lineages of the leafhopper subfamily Iassinae were explored by analysing a dataset of 91 discrete morphological characters and DNA sequence data from nuclear 28S rDNA and histone H3 genes and mitochondrial 12S rDNA. Bayesian, maximum‐likelihood and maximum parsimony analyses yielded similar tree topologies that were well resolved with strong branch support except at the base of the tree, resulting in equivocal support for inclusion of Bythoniini as a tribe of Iassinae but strong support for the monophyly of Iassinae (excluding Bythoniini) and most previously recognized iassine tribes. Divergence times for recovered nodes were estimated using a Bayesian relaxed clock method with two fossil calibration points. The results suggest that the deepest divergences coincided with Gondwanan vicariant events but that more recent divergences resulted from long‐range dispersal and colonization. Biogeographical analyses suggest that the group most likely has a Neotropical origin. The following changes to the taxonomic classification are proposed: establishment of three new tribes, Batracomorphini trib.n. (based on type genus Batracomorphus Lewis), Hoplojassini trib.n. (based on type genus Hoplojassus Dietrich and including one other South American genus), Lipokrisnini trib.n. (based on type genus Lipokrisna Freytag and including two other endemic Caribbean genera); Krisnini is redefined to include only the Old World genera Krisna and Gessius; Iassini is redefined to include only the type genus and four endemic Afrotropical genera; Bascarrhinus Fowler and Platyhynna Berg, recently treated as genera incertae sedis, are placed in Hyalojassini; Thalattoscopus Kirkaldy is added to the previously monobasic tribe Trocnadini. Iassinae now includes 12 tribes, all of which appear to be monophyletic. Revised morphological diagnoses of the subfamily and each of the included tribes are provided and a key to tribes is also given. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:41295B68‐2DAB‐4C4F‐B260‐F7C054922173 .     

Phylogenetic classification of the Drosophilidae Rondani (Diptera): the role of morphology in the postgenomic era

Molecular sequences now overwhelm morphology in phylogenetic inference. Nonetheless, most molecular studies are conducted on a limited number of taxa, as DNA rarely can be analysed from old museum types or fossils. During the last 20 years, more than 150 molecular studies have challenged the current phylogenetic classification of the family Drosophilidae Rondani based on morphological characters. Most studies concerned a single genus, Drosophila Fallén, and included only few representative species from 17 out of the 78 genera of the family. Therefore, these molecular studies were unable to provide an alternative classification scheme. A supermatrix analysis of seven nuclear and one mitochondrial genes (8248 bp) for 33 genera was conducted using outgroups from one calyptrate and four ephydroid families. The Bayesian phylogeny was consistent with previous molecular studies including whole genome sequences and divided the Drosophilidae into four monophyletic clades. Morphological characters, mostly male genitalia, then were compared thoroughly between the four clades and homologous character states were identified. These states were then checked for 70 genera and a revised phylogenetic, family‐group classification for the Drosophilidae is proposed. Two genera –Cladochaeta Coquillett and Diathoneura Duda – of the tribe Cladochaetini Grimaldi are transferred to the family Ephydridae. The Drosophilidae is divided into two subfamilies: Steganinae Hendel (30 genera) and Drosophilinae Rondani (43 genera). A further two genera, Apacrochaeta Duda and Sphyrnoceps de Meijere, are incertae sedis, and Palmophila Grimaldi, is synonymized with Drosophila syn.n. The Drosophilinae is subdivided into two tribes: the re‐elevated Colocasiomyini Okada (nine genera) and Drosophilini Okada. The paraphyly of the genus Drosophila was not resolved to avoid affecting the binomina of important laboratory model species; however, its subgeneric classification was revised in light of molecular and morphological data. Three subgenera, namely Chusqueophila Brncic, Phloridosa Sturtevant and Psilodorha Okada, were synonymized with the subgenus Drosophila (Drosophila) Fallén syns.n. Among the 45 species groups and 5 species complexes of Drosophila (Drosophila), 22 groups and 1 complex were transferred to the subgenus Drosophila (Siphlodora) Patterson & Mainland and 6 groups, 2 species subgroups and 3 complexes are considered incertae sedis within the genus Drosophila. Different morphological characters provide different signals at different phylogenetic scales: thoracic characters (wing venation and presternal shape) discriminate families; grasping and erection‐related characters discriminate subfamilies to tribes; whereas phallic paraphyses, i.e. auxiliary intromittent organs, discriminate genera and Drosophila subgenera. The study shows the necessity of analysing morphological characters within a molecular phylogenetic framework to translate molecular phylogenies into taxonomically‐comprehensive classifications.     

An updated classification of Orchidaceae

Since the last classification of Orchidaceae in 2003, there has been major progress in the determination of relationships, and we present here a revised classification including a list of all 736 currently recognized genera. A number of generic changes have occurred in Orchideae (Orchidoideae), but the majority of changes have occurred in Epidendroideae. In the latter, almost all of the problematic placements recognized in the previous classification 11 years ago have now been resolved. In Epidendroideae, we have recognized three new tribes (relative to the last classification): Thaieae (monogeneric) for Thaia, which was previously considered to be the only taxon incertae sedis; Xerorchideae (monogeneric) for Xerorchis; and Wullschlaegelieae for achlorophyllous Wullschlaegelia, which had tentatively been placed in Calypsoeae. Another genus, Devogelia, takes the place of Thaia as incertae sedis in Epidendroideae. Gastrodieae are clearly placed among the tribes in the neottioid grade, with Neottieae sister to the remainder of Epidendroideae. Arethuseae are sister to the rest of the higher Epidendroideae, which is unsurprising given their mostly soft pollinia. Tribal relationships within Epidendroideae have been much clarified by analyses of multiple plastid DNA regions and the low‐copy nuclear gene Xdh. Four major clades within the remainder of Epidendroideae are recognized: Vandeae/Podochileae/Collabieae, Cymbidieae, Malaxideae and Epidendreae, the last now including Calypsoinae (previously recognized as a tribe on its own) and Agrostophyllinae s.s. Agrostophyllinae and Collabiinae were unplaced subtribes in the 2003 classification. The former are now split between two subtribes, Agrostophyllinae s.s. and Adrorhizinae, the first now included in Epidendreae and the second in Vandeae. Collabiinae, also probably related to Vandeae, are now elevated to a tribe along with Podochileae. Malaxis and relatives are placed in Malaxidinae and included with Dendrobiinae in Malaxideae. The increased resolution and content of larger clades, recognized here as tribes, do not support the ‘phylads’ in Epidendroideae proposed 22 years ago by Dressler. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 177 , 151–174.     

Phylogenetic Relationships and the Radiation of Sigmodontine Rodents in South America: Evidence from Cytochrome b

Phylogenetic relationships among South American sigmodontine rodents were examined based on the complete sequence for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene [1140 base pairs (bp)] for 66 species and between 759 and 1140 bp for an additional 19 species. Thirty-eight South American genera were represented, coming from eight of nine tribes. Outgroups included the North American murid rodents Peromyscus, Reithrodontomys, Scotinomys, and Neotoma, the Old World murine rodents Mus and Rattus, and the geomyoid genera Thomomys, Geomys, Dipodomys, and Perognathus as the most distant outgroup. The South American sigmodontines were supported as a monophyletic lineage. Within this radiation several clear-cut suprageneric groupings were identified. Many of the currently recognized tribal groupings of genera were found fairly consistently, although not always with high levels of bootstrap support. The various tribes could not be linked hierarchically with any confidence. In addition, several genera stand out as unique entities, without any apparent close relatives. The overall pattern suggests a rapid radiation of the sigmodontines in South America, followed by differentiation at the tribal and generic levels.     

Phylogeny of the leafhopper subfamily Evacanthinae with a review of Neotropical species and notes on related groups (Hemiptera: Membracoidea: Cicadellidae)

Abstract. The phylogenetic analysis of ninety‐two adult morphological characters supports the treatment of Nirvaninae as a junior synonym of Evacanthinae and the redefinition of Evacanthinae to include the tribes Nirvanini, Balbillini, Evacanthini and Pagaroniini. The analysis indicates that Nirvaninae, as previously defined, is polyphyletic. A key to tribes and Neotropical genera is provided and diagnostic features for these taxa are reviewed. Jassoqualus Kramer, Neonirvana Oman, Synogonia Melichar (=Jassopronus Nielson & Godoy, syn.n.) and Tahura Melichar are retained within Nirvanini and two new Neotropical genera of this tribe are described and illustrated: Antillonirvana, gen.n., based on two new species from the Dominican Republic and one from Cuba; and Chibchanirvana, gen.n., based on two new species from Colombia. Pentoffia Kramer and Evanirvana Hill are treated as incertae sedis within Evacanthinae. Six new species of Pentoffia, a new species of Synogonia, a new species of Jassoqualus, two new species of Neonirvana and eleven new species of Tahura, all from South America, are also described and illustrated. The following taxa included previously in Nirvaninae are excluded from Evacanthinae, sensu lato: Tungurahuala Kramer to Cicadellinae; Columbonirvana Linnavuori to Typhlocybinae; Macroceratogoniini to Coelidiinae; Occinirvanini Evans to Deltocephalinae. Omaranus Distant, placed previously in Occinirvanini, is transferred to Doraturini (Deltocephalinae).     

Phylogenetic relationships of New Zealand Asteraceae inferred from ITS sequences

Forty-five sequences from members of all genera of Asteraceae indigenous to New Zealand and 50 published sequences representing the tribal diversity in the family were analyzed to assess the utility of ITS sequences to resolve phylogenetic relationships. Previous studies using chloroplast DNA sequences and morphology provided support for several clades in the Asteraceae, yet the relationships among some of these were uncertain. The results from ITS analysis were largely consistent with these earlier studies. The New Zealand species are included in at least six clades, most of these corresponding to recognized tribes. Our results have also clarified the tribal affinities of a few anomalous genera. Haastia, previously aligned with the Gnaphalieae or the Astereae, is nested in the Senecioneae. Centipeda, previously included in the Astereae or Anthemideae, emerges near the Heliantheae. The relationships of Abrotanella remain unresolved. Received August 8, 2001 Accepted November 6, 2001     

Improved tribal delimitation of the subfamily Dictyopharinae and description of new genera and new species (Homoptera,Fulgoroidea, Dictyopharidae)

Ten new genera, five new subgenera, and five new species are described in the family Dictyopharidae. Three generic names are synonymized. A new name is proposed for the generic homonym. Dictyophara kazeruna Dlabola is transferred to the genus Callodictya Melichar. The genus Sinodictya Matsumura, with the type species Sinodictya tukana Matsumura, is redescribed. A new key to the tribes of the subfamily Dictyopharinae is given. The composition and characters of the tribes Taosini and Lappidini are revised. All the genera of the subfamily Dictyopharinae are listed according to their tribal position. New records are given for some interesting species.     

Morphology-based phylogeny of the treehopper family Membracidae (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Membracoidea)

A parsimony‐based phylogenetic analysis of eighty‐three morphological characters of adults and immatures of seventy representatives of the tribes and subfamilies of Membracidae and two outgroup taxa was conducted to evaluate the status and relationships of these taxa. Centrotinae apparently gave rise to Nessorhinini and Oxyrhachini (both formerly treated as subfamilies, now syn.n. and syn.reinst., respectively, of Centrotinae). In contrast to previous analyses, a clade comprising Nicomiinae, Centronodinae, Centrodontinae, and the unplaced genera Holdgatiella Evans, Euwalkeria Goding and Antillotolania Ramos was recovered, but relationships within this clade were not well resolved. Nodonica bispinigera, gen.n. and sp.n., is described and placed in Centrodontini based on its sister‐group relationship to a clade comprising previously described genera of this tribe. Membracinae and Heteronotinae were consistently monophyletic. Neither Darninae nor Smiliinae, as previously defined, was monophyletic on the maximally parsimonious cladograms, but constraining both as monophyletic groups required only one additional step. The monophyly of Stegaspidinae, including Deiroderes Ramos (unplaced in Membracidae), was supported on some but not all equally parsimonious cladograms. More detailed analyses of individual subfamilies, as well as morphological data on the undescribed immatures of several membracid tribes and genera, will be needed to elucidate relationships among tribes and genera. A key to the subfamilies and tribes is provided.     

Phylogeny of the bee family Megachilidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) based on adult morphology

Phylogenetic relationships within the bee family Megachilidae are poorly understood. The monophyly of the subfamily Fideliinae is questionable, the relationships among the tribes and subtribes in the subfamily Megachilinae are unknown, and some extant genera cannot be placed with certainty at the tribal level. Using a cladistic analysis of adult external morphological characters, we explore the relationships of the eight tribes and two subtribes currently recognised in Megachilidae. Our dataset included 80% of the extant generic‐level diversity, representatives of all fossil taxa, and was analysed using parsimony. We employed 200 characters and selected 7 outgroups and 72 ingroup species of 60 genera, plus 7 species of 4 extinct genera from Baltic amber. Our analysis shows that Fideliinae and the tribes Anthidiini and Osmiini of Megachilinae are paraphyletic; it supports the monophyly of Megachilinae, including the extinct taxa, and the sister group relationship of Lithurgini to the remaining megachilines. The Sub‐Saharan genus Aspidosmia, a rare group with a mixture of osmiine and anthidiine features, is herein removed from Anthidiini and placed in its own tribe, Aspidosmiini, new tribe . Protolithurgini is the sister of Lithurgini, both placed herein in the subfamily Lithurginae; the other extinct taxa, Glyptapina and Ctenoplectrellina, are more basally related among Megachilinae than Osmiini, near Aspidosmia, and are herein treated at the tribal level. Noteriades, a genus presently in the Osmiini, is herein transferred to the Megachilini. Thus, we recognise four subfamilies (Fideliinae, Pararhophitinae, Lithurginae and Megachilinae) and nine tribes in Megachilidae. We briefly discuss the evolutionary history and biogeography of the family, present alternative classifications, and provide a revised key to the extant tribes of Megachilinae.     

Implications of morphological phylogenetics for the placement of the generaAdenocaulon andEriachaenium (Asteraceae)

Adenocaulon andEriachaenium are two problematic genera because their tribal and subfamilial placement in Asteraceae is uncertain. Previous cladistic analyses based on molecular data undertaken to analyze the relationships within Asteraceae, placeAdenocaulon in the tribe Mutisieae (Cichorioideae). This paper investigates cladistic relationships amongAdenocaulon andEriachaenium and tribes of subfamilies Cichorioideae and Asteroideae using morphological data. Thirty-eight characters were scored across 52 genera selected as exemplar taxa to represent the current classification system. In the analysis (one tree, length = 86, c.i. = 0.55, r.i. = 0.64)Adenocaulon andEriachaenium are sister taxa and appear as an isolated clade nested in Cichorioideae. A new, tentative position among the tribes of the paraphyletic Cichorioideae is proposed for these two isolated genera.     

Pollen morphology and systematics of Burseraceae

The Burseraceae are a medium‐sized family in which 18 genera are currently recognised. They are the subject of a long‐term project to describe the pollen morphology from light, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. The pollen morphology of tribe Protieae has been published, as well as an account of the pollen of the African taxa in the family. Pollen data for the other two tribes, Bursereae and Canarieae, are more or less complete. The pollen of all the genera have been examined, with the exception of the recently described Pseudodacryodes Pierlot for which, currently, there is no pollen material available. This paper summarises the results.

There is considerable variation in exine and aperture features between, and occasionally within, the genera and 14 major pollen types are defined, including two previously undescribed types: ‘Canarium oleiferum’ and ‘Canarium gracile’. The distribution of pollen characteristics throughout the family is compared with previously published tribal and subtribal groupings, as well as with current ideas of generic relationships from molecular analyses. Comparisons show notable congruence of pollen data with molecular data. To some extent pollen morphology is different for each of the subtribes. Nevertheless, there are some notable exceptions, for example, the pollen of Garuga and Boswellia are remarkably similar, although Garuga has been included, somewhat tenuously, in tribe Protieae, and Boswellia is included in tribe Bursereae, subtribe Boswelliinae. In a recent molecular tree Garuga and Boswellia appear to be closely related, and this supports the conclusion, based on several macromorphological characters as well as pollen, that Garuga should be transferred to tribe Bursereae.     

Phylogenetic relationships of subfamilies and circumscription of tribes in the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea)

A comprehensive tribal‐level classification for the world’s subfamilies of Hesperiidae, the skipper butterflies, is proposed for the first time. Phylogenetic relationships between tribes and subfamilies are inferred using DNA sequence data from three gene regions (cytochrome oxidase subunit I‐subunit II, elongation factor‐1α and wingless). Monophyly of the family is strongly supported, as are some of the traditionally recognized subfamilies, with the following relationships: (Coeliadinae + (“Pyrginae” + (Heteropterinae + (Trapezitinae + Hesperiinae)))). The subfamily Pyrginae of contemporary authors was recovered as a paraphyletic grade of taxa. The formerly recognized subfamily Pyrrhopyginae, although monophyletic, is downgraded to a tribe of the “Pyrginae”. The former subfamily Megathyminae is an infra‐tribal group of the Hesperiinae. The Australian endemic Euschemon rafflesia is a hesperiid, possibly related to “Pyrginae” (Eudamini). Most of the traditionally recognized groups and subgroups of genera currently employed to partition the subfamilies of the Hesperiidae are not monophyletic. We recognize eight pyrgine and six hesperiine tribes, including the new tribe Moncini. © The Willi Hennig Society 2008.     

Generic revision of Cypricercinae McKenzie, 1971 (Crustacea,Ostracoda), with the description of three new genera and one new species and a phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily

The Cypricercinae are one of the most speciose subfamilies of non-marine ostracods, with more than 170 described species, mostly from the tropics. Although the identity of the subfamily as such is clear, because of the presence of unifying characters such as the Triebel’s loop in the attachment of the caudal ramus, the supra-specific taxonomy of this group has long been confused because of lack of good generic and tribal characters. Here, the generic characters of the Cypricercinae are revised. Eleven genera are retained in this subfamily, including three new genera: Bradleytriebella n. gen., Nealecypris n. gen. and Pseudostrandesia n. gen. Tanycypris siamensis n. sp. is described from Thailand. In addition, five species [Bradleystrandesia fuscata (Jurine, 1820), Bradleytriebella tuberculata (Hartmann, 1964), Nealecypris obtusa (Klie, 1933), Pseudostrandesia striatoreticulata (Klie, 1932), Spirocypris horrida (Sars, 1926)] are redescribed. A key to the genera is given. We propose three tribes: the nominal tribe Cypricercini McKenzie, 1971, as well as two new tribes, Bradleystrandesiini n. trib. and Nealecypridini n. trib. To evaluate the systematic relationships within this subfamily, phylogenetic analyses, based on morphological characters of valves and soft parts, were conducted. The Neighbour Joining (NJ) tree strongly supports the classification into three independent tribes, whereas the Maximum Parsimony (MP) tree shows that Bradleystrandesiini n. trib is actually a subgroup of the Cypricercini. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Handling editor: Luigi Naselli-Flores     

A molecular phylogeny of the Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), with an evaluation of the utility of their male genitalia for higher level classification

Abstract A molecular phylogeny of the Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) is presented. This group of minute egg parasitoids is known from a broad range of host insects. The phylogeny produced, the first of any kind for the family, utilizes 121 taxa in fifty‐two of the eighty‐four recognized genera. Results were inferred from the ribosomal RNA regions 18S, 28S‐D2 and 28S‐D3, all aligned according to secondary structure models. Parsimony analysis was performed on both a complete and reduced dataset, in which ambiguous regions as defined by secondary structure were eliminated. The reduced dataset produced a much less resolved phylogenetic hypothesis. Only the complete dataset was utilized for Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses. A robust‐choice Bayesian hypothesis stemmed from the concatenation of five distinct character set parameters. The results are compared with the current classification based primarily on male genitalia. Although our conclusions are partially congruent with the accepted hypothesis of trichogrammatid relationships, none of the currently adopted assemblages was recovered as monophyletic. Nevertheless, the structure of the male genitalia does correspond with relative taxon position in the molecular hypotheses. In general, the greatest genitalic simplification and fusion characterizes taxa treated as the most derived in the molecular hypotheses. Several groups are consistently recovered, but relationships between these groups and other genera vary with the analytical method. A new classification of the Trichogrammatidae is proposed. It includes one tribe, Trichogrammatini, within the subfamily Trichogrammatinae, and three tribes, Paracentrobiini, Chaetostrichini and Oligositini, within the Oligositinae. All tribes are more narrowly defined than previously and many genera are treated as incertae sedis within each subfamily. The results are interpreted in the light of morphological evidence, and the placement of genera not represented in molecular analysis is inferred by morphology alone. Host associations throughout the family are varied, although the molecular results suggest that Trichogrammatidae primitively parasitized Coleoptera, with more recent radiations onto other insect orders, such as Lepidoptera and Hemiptera.     

Molecular phylogeny and systematics of the Pieridae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea): higher classification and biogeography

The systematic relationships of the butterfly family Pieridae are poorly understood. Much of our current understanding is based primarily on detailed morphological observations made 50–70 years ago. However, the family and its putative four subfamilies and two tribes, have rarely been subjected to rigorous phylogenetic analysis. Here we present results based on an analysis of molecular characters used to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Pieridae in order to infer higher‐level classification above the generic level and patterns of historical biogeography. Our sample contained 90 taxa representing 74 genera and six subgenera, or 89% of all genera recognized in the family. Three complementary approaches were employed: (1) a combined analysis of a 30 taxon subset for sequences from four gene regions, including elongation factor‐1 alpha (EF‐1α), wingless, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), and 28S (3675 bp, 1031 parsimony‐informative characters), mainly to establish higher‐level relationships, (2) a single‐gene analysis of the 90 taxon data set for sequences from EF‐1α (1066 bp, 364 parsimony‐informative characters), mainly to establish lower‐level relationships, and (3) an all available data analysis of the entire data set for sequences from the four genes, to recover both deep and shallow nodes. Analyses using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference provided similar results. All supported monophyly for the four subfamilies but not for the two tribes, with the Anthocharidini polyphyletic and the Pierini paraphyletic. The combined and all available data analyses support the following relationships among the subfamilies: ((Pseudopontiinae + Dismorphiinae) + (Coliadinae + Pierinae)), corroborating Ehrlich’s 1958 phenetic hypothesis. On the basis of these analyses, and additional morphological and life history evidence, we propose a reclassification of the subfamily Pierinae into two tribes (Anthocharidini s.s., Pierini s.s.) and two informal groups (Colotis group, Leptosia), with the tribe Pierini s.s. subdivided into three subtribes (Appiadina, Pierina, Aporiina) and three genera (Elodina, Dixeia, Belenois) of uncertain status (incertae sedis). The combined and all available data analyses support the following relationships among the Pierinae: (Colotis group + Anthocharidini s.s. + Leptosia + (Elodina + ((Dixeia + Belenois) + Appiadina + Pierina + Aporiina))). Application of a molecular clock calibrated using fossil evidence and semiparametric rate smoothing suggests that divergence between the Pierina and Aporiina occurred no later than the Palaeocene (> 60 Myr). The minimum estimate for the age of the crown‐group of the Pieridae was 112–82 Myr, with a mean of 95 Myr. A historical biogeographical hypothesis is proposed to explain the present‐day distribution of the clade Pseudopontiinae + Dismorphiinae, which argues for an origin of the two subfamilies in western Gondwana (Africa + South America) during the Late Cretaceous. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 147 , 239–275.