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HYMENOPTERA, Sierolomorphidae (Vespoidea) -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

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

Sierolomorphidae = Link 1

Description & Statistics

In this family the dorsal rim of the torulus is simple, but the frons is swollen above it (Brothers & Finnamore 1993) The eyes have a straight inner margin. This cosmopolitan family has about 12 identified species found in Tropical Northern Hemisphere America and Asia. Little is known about their biology, except that most are ectoparasitic as larvae. The adults are black or brown, and all known species are solitary ectoparasitoids of other insects

The coxa of the hind and middle legs are close to each other and the hind wing does not have claval or jugal lobes. The first metasomal segment does not have a true node but nevertheless appears like that of the Formicidae. The metasomal sternum of the first segment is separated from the second by a constriction. Sexual dimorphism varies among species from slight to noticeable with both males and females having wings but females are sometimes apterous.

The larvae are believed to be ectoparasitoids of other insects. Six of the known American species range from the Yukon to Panama and Hawaii (Brothers & Finnamore 1993).

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

Goulet H & J. T. Huber. 1993. Hymenoptera of the world: An identification guide to families. Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research, Ottawa 1993, ISBN 0-660-14933-8

Quicke, D. L. J. 2003. In: Encyclopaedia of Insects. Resh, Vincent H. & Carde, Ring T. (Eds.) Academic Press.