Study of the male genitalia shows that Dolichovespula albida (Sladen) is not conspecific with D. norwegica (Fabricius).

A new species of the paper wasp genus Metapolybia Ducke is described from South America.

New synonymies are: Polybia diguetana du Buysson, 1905,  = Polybia plebeja de Saussure, 1867; Polybia laboriosa de Saussure, 1854, and Protopolybia rugulosa Ducke, 1907,  = Polistes minutissima Spinola, 1851; Mischocyttarus immarginatus Richards, 1940,  = Mischocyttarus rufidens (de Saussure, 1854). Revised synonymies are: Polybia minutissima de Saussure, 1854, and Polybia binominata Schulz, 1906,  = Polistes minutissima Spinola, 1851; Protopolybia rugulosa Ducke, 1907,  = Polybia laboriosa de Saussure, 1854. A new combination is: Parancistrocerus fasciculatus (de Saussure).

As molecular clock methods become more widely used it has become apparent that careful consideration of fossil minimum calibrations is essential. Not only is it necessary to be certain of the taxonomic identity of the fossils and correct placement within the phylogenetic tree, recent studies have suggested that when multiple fossils are available consideration of conflict among fossils must also be taken into account. In this study we investigate whether any of the 43 fossils used by Moreau, et al. (2006) are “inconsistent” and how this affects the results of molecular clock dating analyses and inferred diversification patterns. After considering each of the 43 fossils in turn, following the methods of Near and colleagues (Near & Sanderson, 2004; Near et al., 2005), we found that five fossils are considered to be “inconsistent.” After removing these fossils and reanalyzing the data, we found that excluding these minimum age fossil calibration points did not have a considerable effect on the results. Comparing lineages-through-time plots demonstrate that not only are similar ages recovered, but also that the previously inferred significant shift in diversification rates within the ant phylogeny is not an artifact of the “inconsistent” fossils. These findings suggest that all available fossil information should be included in molecular clock analyses.

The Nearctic genus Coquillettia Uhler is revised and moved to the tribe Phylini; 14 new species are described for a total of 29 valid species. The following six new synonyms are proposed (senior synonym first): Coquillettia albiclava Knight  =  C. aquila Bliven and C. saxetana Bliven, C. foxi Van Duzee  =  C. terrosa Bliven, C. insignis Uhler  =  C. numata Bliven and C. uhleri Van Duzee, and C. mimetica Osborn  =  C. mimetica floridana Knight. Coquillettia amoenus (Uhler) is treated as a nomen dubium. A lectotype is designated for C. mimetica Osborn. The 14 new species described within Coquillettia are: concava, gigantea, impluviata, lactea, obscura, pergrandis, perplexabilis, polhemorum, pseudoattica, schuhi, schwartzi, thomasi, venusta, and vicina.

Two new genera, Leutiola and Ticua, are described within the Phylini to accommodate species previously placed in Coquillettia. Coquillettia ajo Knight is transferred to Leutiola where C. virescens Knight is proposed as a junior synonym of L. ajo. Two new species are described within Leutiola: L. mapa and L. mexicana. Coquillettia granulata Knight is transferred to Ticua. Coquillettia laticeps is proposed as stat. nov.

Diagnoses, descriptions, color digital habitus photographs, and illustrations of male genitalia are provided for all species. Female genitalic illustrations are included for selected species of each genus. Scanning micrographs of selected structures are presented to document diagnostic characters of the genera. Maps and label data are integrated to portray the distributions of all included species. Keys are presented for the genera and males of all species.