© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010 DOI 10.1163/139956009X12550095535756 Insect Systematics & Evolution 41 (2010) 3–27 brill.nl/ise Ophrynon (Hymenoptera: Orussidae) in California: diversity, distribution and phylogeny Stephan M. Blank a, *, Lars Vilhelmsen b and David R. Smith c a Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Eberswalder Strasse 90, D-15374 Müncheberg, Germany b Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark c Systematic Entomology Laboratory, PSI, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, c/o National Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 168, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA *Corresponding author, e-mail: sblank@senckenberg.de Abstract hree new species of Ophrynon Middlekauff, 1983, O. dominiqueae, O. martini and O. patricki, are added to the only species known previously, O. levigatus Middlekauff, 1983. All species are described, illustrated and keyed. Cladistic analyses under different weighting conditions retrieved Ophrynon as monophyletic, but the topologies produced for the higher ophrynopine taxa are quite variable. he possible closest rela- tives of Ophrynon are Argentophrynopus Vilhelmsen & D.R. Smith, 2002 and Kulcania Benson, 1935. he internal phylogeny of Ophrynon is O. martini + ( O. levigatus + ( O. dominiqueae + O. patricki)). he distri- bution of Ophrynon is restricted to central and southern California. Supposedly, the species belong to the californo-eremial distribution type and are the result of a comparatively recent speciation process. Keywords New species, western Nearctic, biogeography Introduction Ophrynon Middlekauff, 1983 is a small but distinct taxon among the Orussidae, a fam- ily of parasitic wasps. he only species known previously was O. levigatus Middlekauff, 1983, which was reported from three specimens collected in southern California (Middlekauff 1983, 1985; Vilhelmsen & Smith 2002). he hosts of this species are probably jewel beetles (Buprestidae; see Middlekauff 1985). Recently, seven additional specimens from California have come to our attention. In spite of not significantly expanding the distribution range of Ophrynon, the new specimens display variation that cannot be accommodated within a single species. Here, we describe three new