Epichrysomallidae is a family of gall-forming wasps associated with fig trees (genus ''
Ficus
''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family (biology), family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few spe ...
'') - they make galls in figs, or on leaves or twigs. Once considered a subfamily of
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 ...
(Epichrysomallinae), this group of genera has been elevated to family rank; they are now known to be more closely related to other gall-forming
chalcid wasps than to pteromalids.
Description
Antenna with 10–12
flagellomeres
An antenna (plural: antennae) is one of a pair of appendages used for sensing in arthropods. Antennae are sometimes referred to as ''feelers''.
Antennae are connected to the first one or two segments of the arthropod head. They vary widely in ...
, including a small fourth clavomere. The
labrum is flexible, and hidden behind the
clypeus
The clypeus is one of the sclerites that make up the face of an arthropod. In insects, the clypeus delimits the lower margin of the face, with the labrum articulated along the ventral margin of the clypeus. The mandibles bracket the labrum, but ...
.
Mandibles
In jawed vertebrates, the mandible (from the Latin ''mandibula'', 'for chewing'), lower jaw, or jawbone is a bone that makes up the lowerand typically more mobilecomponent of the mouth (the upper jaw being known as the maxilla).
The jawbone i ...
have three teeth. Notauli complete. In most genera, all legs have five
tarsomeres, except for ''Odontofroggatia'' and ''Josephiella'', which have four-segmented tarsi. The stigmal vein of the fore wing arises at a right angle and the postmarginal vein is shorter than the stigmal vein.
[
]
Genera
* '' Acophila''
* '' Asycobia''
* '' Camarothorax''
* '' Epichrysomalla''
* '' Eufroggattisca''
* '' Herodotia''
* '' Josephiella''
* '' Lachaisea''
* '' Leeuweniella''
* '' Meselatus''
* '' Neosycophila''
* '' Odontofroggatia''
* '' Parasycobia''
* '' Sycobia''
* '' Sycobiomorphella''
* '' Sycomacophila''
* '' Sycophilodes''
* '' Sycophilomorpha''
* '' Sycotetra''
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q115800902
Apocrita families