A. A. Forbes

Speciation in kleptoparasites of oak gall wasps often correlates with shifts into new tree habitats, tree organs, and gall morphospace

The paper investigates whether host shifts to new trees, organs, or gall morphologies drive diversification in oak gall wasp kleptoparasites, finding that most divergence events correlate with shifts to non-ancestral galls.

Host-enemy interactions provide limited biotic resistance for a range-expanding species via reduced apparent competition

The paper examines how a range-expanding oak gall wasp interacts with parasitoid wasps in its native and expanded ranges, finding reduced apparent competition due to phenological divergence of enemy assemblages.

Stronger sexual dimorphism in fruit flies may be favored when congeners are present and females actively search for mates

The paper investigates why some fruit fly species show strong sexual dimorphism, finding that shared host plants and female mate-searching behavior may favor the evolution of dimorphic wing patterns.

The arthropod associates of 155 North American cynipid oak galls

The paper reports rearing records of arthropods from over 527,000 oak galls, identifying 151,075 animals and providing ecological and phylogenetic insights into gall-associated taxa.

Speciation in Nearctic oak gall wasps is frequently correlated with changes in host plant, host organ, or both.

This study investigates host shifts in Nearctic oak gall wasps and finds frequent shifts between host plants and organs, suggesting host shifts drive speciation in this group.

Delimiting the cryptic diversity and host preferences of Sycophila parasitoid wasps associated with oak galls using phylogenomic data

Ormyrus labotus Walker (Hymenoptera: Ormyridae): another generalist that should not be a generalist is not a generalist

The study reveals that the parasitic wasp Ormyrus labotus, considered a generalist, is actually a complex of multiple specialized species, highlighting the limitations of morphological classification.

Genome evolution in a putatively asexual wasp

This paper studies genome evolution in a putatively asexual wasp, finding relaxed selection and increased mutation rates, but also evidence of rare sex and genomic recombination.

DNA, Morphology, and Ecology Resurrect Previously Synonymized Species of North American Stereum and Suggest Extensive Undescribed Global Diversity

The paper uses integrative taxonomy to identify cryptic species within the Stereum ostrea complex and reveals widespread taxonomic inconsistency in global Stereum ITS sequences.

Diversity, host ranges, and potential drivers of speciation among the inquiline enemies of oak gall wasps.

The paper examines host range and diversification in Synergus wasps using DNA barcodes, morphology, and ecology to identify species and assess host associations.

Host shifting and host sharing in a genus of specialist flies diversifying alongside their sunflower hosts

The paper investigates host sharing among sunflower maggot flies by analyzing genomic data, finding that host shifts may result from hybridization events in sunflower plants rather than traditional host shifts.

Invertebrate Community Associated with the Asexual Generation of Bassettia pallida Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

The paper documents the invertebrate community associated with the asexual generation of Bassettia pallida and compares it to two other cynipid gall wasps.

A keeper of many crypts: the parasitoid Euderus set manipulates the behavior of a taxonomically diverse array of oak gall wasp species

The paper investigates whether the parasitoid Euderus set manipulates behavior in multiple gall wasp species beyond its known host, finding it affects at least six taxonomically diverse species.

Quantifying the unquantifiable: why Hymenoptera -- not Coleoptera -- is the most speciose animal order

The paper challenges the claim that beetles are the most speciose animal order, arguing that Hymenoptera, particularly parasitoid wasps, are more diverse based on ecological and statistical modeling.