Gasteruptiidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gasteruptiidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gasteruption jaculator | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Suborder: | Apocrita |
| Superfamily: | Evanioidea |
| Family: | Gasteruptiidae |
| Genera and species | |
|
see text | |
An Australian species in flight
The Gasteruptiidae are one of the more distinctive families among the apocritan wasps, with surprisingly little variation in appearance for a group that contains around 500 species in 9 genera worldwide. The propleura form an elongated "neck", the petiole attaches very high on the propodeum, and the hind tibiae are swollen and club-like. The females commonly have long ovipositors, and lay eggs in the nests of solitary bees and wasps, where their larvae prey upon the host larvae and provisions.
The absence of "teeth" on the crown of the head and the somewhat thickened antennae readily separate these wasps from those in the unrelated family Stephanidae, which also contains very slender wasps with long necks.
External links
- Gasteruption sp. Diagnostic photos of male and female imagines.
- Gasteruptiinae Tree of Life, extensive article.
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