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HYMENOPTERA, Megaspilidae (Ceraphronoidea) -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

Please refer also to the following links for details on this group:

Megaspilidae = Link 1

Description & Statistics

The antennae in both male and female Megaspilidae have an equal number of segments (Alekseev 1978/1987). There is a receded area above the antennal sockets. The subcostal vein in front of the pterostigma is usually thickened and forms the prostigma. Mesonotum in anterior part along sides sometimes with two parallel grooves extending from median groove. Abdominal petiole masked by "neck" and not visible unless abdomen removed. The abdomen is compressed dorsoventrally. The male genitalia have volsellar plates prominently separated from parameres." There were 9 species reported in Europe as of 2000.

These small insects are only 2-3.2 mm long and they are are black or yellow; macropterous, brachypterous or entirely wingless. The forewing has a large stigma (except in males of Lagynodinae). The antennae have 9 flagellar segments in both sexes. The metasoma has a constricted, collar .

Very little has been reported on their hosts and habits, but some species are known to be primary parasitoids of Coccoidea (Homoptera), Neuroptera, and puparia of Diptera, and some are hyperparasitoids of Aphididae (Homoptera) through Aphidiinae (Braconidae). One species in California parasitizes Mecoptera (Boreidae). There are two subfamilies: Megaspilinae and Lagynodinae. The former subfamily is cosmopolitan and has more than 11 genera; the latter has two genera with dimorphic sexes. There are more than 456 species described species worldwide as of 2010.

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

Alekseev, V. N. 1978/1987. Family Megaspilidae (Megaspilids). In: G. S. Medvedev (ed.) 1987, Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR. Vol. 3 Hymenoptera, Pt. 2. Akad. Nauk., Zool. Inst., Leningrad, SSSR. (trans. fr. Russian, Amerind. Publ. Co., Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi). 1341 p.

Johnson, N.F. & Musetti, L. 2004. Catalog of systematic literature of the superfamily Ceraphronoidea (Hymenoptera). Contributions of the American Entomological Institute 33: 1-149

Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003--. British insects: the families of Hymenoptera. Version: 1st December 2