What major finding challenges the traditional view regarding the origin of sociality within the Vespidae family, based on modern phylogenomic data?
Answer
Eusociality originated twice independently within Vespidae
Sophisticated phylogenomic studies using extensive genetic data have refined the understanding of social evolution within the Vespidae family, overturning previous assumptions. A key result demonstrates that eusociality did not arise only once in a single event as previously supposed. Instead, modern data strongly suggest that the evolution toward social behavior, characterized by overlapping generations and cooperative brood care, occurred independently on two separate occasions within Vespidae. This finding separates the social evolution seen in the *Stenogastrinae* (hover wasps) from that found in the *Polistinae* and *Vespinae*.
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