Argidae, commonly known as the argid sawflies, is a large family of

sawflies Sawflies are wasp-like insects that are in the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plant ...

, containing some 800 species worldwide, primarily in tropical regions. The larvae are

phytophagous A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet (nutrition), diet. These more broadly also encompass an ...

, and commonly can be found feeding (and often pupating) in groups, though very few attain pest status.

Description

The family is distinguished from all other

Symphyta Sawflies are wasp-like insects that are in the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants ...

by the reduction of the antenna to three segments, flagellomeres; the last one is elongated often shaped like a

tuning fork A tuning fork is an acoustic resonator in the form of a two-pronged fork with the prongs ( ''tines'') formed from a U-shaped bar of elastic metal (usually steel). It resonates at a specific constant pitch when set vibrating by striking it ag ...

in males.

Distribution

Species of this family are mainly found in the Neotropical region and in

sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...

; however, this family is globally distributed.

Genera

Argidae contains the following genera, split between its two subfamilies: * Arginae ** '' Antargidium'' ** '' Arge'' ** '' Asiarge'' ** '' Brevisceniana'' ** '' Kokujewia'' ** '' Mioarge'' ** '' Pseudarge'' ** '' Scobina'' ** '' Sjoestedtia'' ** '' Spinarge'' ** '' Triarge'' ** '' Zhuhongfuna'' * Sterictiphorinae ** '' Acrogymnia'' ** '' Acrogymnidea'' ** '' Adurgoa'' ** '' Aproceros'' ** '' Aprosthema'' ** '' Brachyphatnus'' ** '' Didymia'' ** '' Duckeana'' ** '' Durgoa'' ** '' Manaos'' ** '' Neoptilia'' ** '' Ortasiceros'' ** '' Pseudaprosthema'' ** '' Ptenus'' ** '' Ptilia'' ** '' Schizocerella'' ** '' Sphacophilus'' ** '' Sterictiphora'' ** '' Styphelarge'' ** '' Tanymeles'' ** '' Trailia'' ** '' Trichorhachus'' ** '' Triptenus'' ** '' Trochophora'' ** '' Yasumatsua'' ** '' Zynzus'' * ''

incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...

'' ** '' Atomacera''

References

External links

* * Sawfly families Taxa named by Friedrich Wilhelm Konow {{sawfly-stub