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HYMENOPTERA, Austroniidae (Proctotrupoidea) -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

Description

Austroniidae. -- Little is known about the biology of these proctotrupids, but they are thought to be parasitoids of other insects. There is only one described genus with 3 species, all from Australia

The hosts and biology are little known (Masner 1993). They are about 5 mm long, smooth, and somewhat tough (Masner 1993). The metasoma is scalpel-like, condensed laterally, especially in females. The ovipositor is long but retracted into the metasoma and curved dorsad apically. The pronotum has a transverse ridge down the middle that partly covers the anterior part of the mesoscutum. The metacoxa is near to the propodeal opening, and the petiole is less elongated in females than in males.

Other key references are Kozlov (1970) and Riek (1955)

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