The Masoninae (type genus Masona van Achterberg) is a widespread but seldom collected group of morphologically aberrant tiny (body length 2 mm or less) wasps that have always been considered as a subfamily of Braconidae, albeit on little supporting evidence. Discovery of a fully winged female of Masona from remote Australia has enabled a reassessment of its relationships. This specimen yielded sequence data for the nuclear 28S and 18S rDNA genes, the barcoding fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 and the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene. These were analysed separately and together, along with representatives of Braconidae and Ichneumonidae. Maximum likelihood analyses of all four genes separately and combined concur that Masona is nested within the Ichneumonidae and, therefore, is not a member of Braconidae. This is also supported by the position of the sternaulus low on mesopleuron, absence of fore wing vein (RS + M)a (though the great reduction in wing venation makes further interpretation problematic) and the articulated junction of metasomal tergites 2 and 3. On balance, molecular analyses place Masona basally among the ophioniformes lineage of Ichneumonidae. Formal description of the Australian species as Masona timpaynei Quicke sp. n. and a revised diagnosis of Masoninae are provided in S1 together with illustration of the holotype.

中文翻译：

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分子系统发育将神秘的 Masoninae 亚科置于 Ichneumonidae 中，而不是 Braconidae

Masoninae（Masoninae 型属 Masona van Achterberg）是一种分布广泛但很少收集的形态异常的微小（体长 2 毫米或更短）黄蜂，尽管几乎没有支持证据，但它们一直被认为是 Braconidae 的一个亚科。在澳大利亚偏远地区发现了一只长着翅膀的梅索纳雌性，重新评估了它们之间的关系。该样本产生了核 28S 和 18S rDNA 基因、线粒体细胞色素氧化酶亚基 1 的条形码片段和线粒体 16S rDNA 基因的序列数据。这些被分别和一起分析，连同臂甲科和蝉科的代表。对所有四个基因分别和组合的最大似然分析一致认为 Masona 嵌套在 Ichneumonidae 中，因此不是 Braconidae 的成员。胸骨在中胸膜上的位置较低，没有前翼静脉 (RS + M)a（尽管翼脉的大幅减少使进一步的解释存在问题）以及后体 tergites 2 和 3 的铰接连接点也支持了这一点。平衡，分子分析将 Masona 置于 Ichneumonidae 的 ophioniformes 谱系中。澳大利亚物种的正式描述为 Masona timpaynei Quicke sp。n. S1 中提供了 Masoninae 的修订诊断以及正模标本的说明。分子分析将 Masona 置于 Ichneumonidae 的 ophioniformes 谱系中。澳大利亚物种的正式描述为 Masona timpaynei Quicke sp。n. S1 中提供了 Masoninae 的修订诊断以及正模标本的说明。分子分析将 Masona 置于 Ichneumonidae 的 ophioniformes 谱系中。澳大利亚物种的正式描述为 Masona timpaynei Quicke sp。n. S1 中提供了 Masoninae 的修订诊断以及正模标本的说明。