Cerocephalidae is a small family of
chalcid wasp
Chalcid wasps (, , for their metallic colour) are insects within the superfamily Chalcidoidea, part of the order Hymenoptera. The superfamily contains some 22,500 known species, and an estimated total diversity of more than 500,000 species, m ...
s, previously classified as subfamily Cerocephalinae, in the
polyphyletic
A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as Homoplasy, homoplasies ...
family
Pteromalidae
The Pteromalidae are a large family of wasps, the majority being parasitoids of other insects. They are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats, and many are important as biological control agents. The oldest known fossil is known fr ...
.
Most species are
parasitoids
In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...
of small wood-boring beetles.
Genera
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Acerocephala''
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Cerocephala''
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Choetospilisca''
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Gahanisca''
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Gnathophorisca''
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Laesthiola''
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Muesebeckisia''
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Neocalosoter''
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Neosciatheras''
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Paracerocephala''
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Paralaesthia''
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Sciatherellus''
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Theocolax''
Fossil genera: ''
Dominocephala'', ''
Pteropilosa'', ''
Tenuicornis''.
Description
The antennae have up to 10
flagellomeres (up to 3 clavomeres). There is a prominence between the toruli (bases of the antennae). Eyes are not ventrally divergent, and mandibles have two or more teeth. All legs have five tarsomeres and the protibial spur is stout and curved. The metasoma has a syntergum.
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]
Gallery
Acerocephala atroviolacea CCDB-34079-G05.jpg, ''Acerocephala atroviolacea''
Cerocephala eccoptogastri CCDB-34079-G08.jpg, ''Cerocephala eccoptogastri''
Neocalosoter scolytivora CNCHYM 10603.jpg, ''Neocalosoter scolytivora''
Theocolax elegans CNCHYM 10606.jpg, ''Theocolax elegans''
References
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q116039375, from2=Q63262
Chalcidoidea
Apocrita families