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SERPHOIDEA (= Proctotrupoidea)

Serphoidea (or Proctotrupoidea) is probably the most consistent of the superfamilies in Hymenoptera, both in host preferences and relationships. All serphoids are parasitic on immature stages of other insects. The most frequently encountered families are the Platygasteridae, parasitic internally in cecidomyiid larvae and homopterous nymphs, and the Scelionidae, exclusively parasitic in insect eggs. The hyperparasitic habit is found only in Calliceratidae. The endophagous habit of development is general, with the exception of several genera of the latter family (Clausen 1940/1962).

This superfamily is a confusing assemblage of taxa, with new families being added (or removed) with periodically, and very little to unify them all into a single natural group. It appears that the superfamily, as presently understood, is polyphyletic, consisting of at least two groups of unrelated wasps that have been combined because of external similarities and historical classification. At least the following families do appear to be good groups: Austroniidae, Diapriidae, Maamingidae and Monomachidae in one group, and Heloridae, Pelecinidae, Peradeniidae, Proctotrupidae, and Vanhorniidae in another. The affinities of Proctorenyxidae and Roproniidae (which are closely related to one another) are still uncertain.

Only two of these families, Diapriidae and Proctotrupidae, have a large number of species. Together they contain around 2008 species. The other families are all tiny, often relic groups..

References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references may be found at: MELVYL Library]

Clausen, C. P. 1940/1962. Entomophagous Insects. McGraw-Hill, NY. 688 p. [reprinted 1962, Hafner Publ., NY.].