''Sirex'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

sawfly 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 ...

in the family

Siricidae Horntails or wood wasps are any of the 150 non-social species of the hymenopteran family Siricidae, a type of wood-eating sawfly. The common name "horntail" derives from the stout, spine-like structure at the end of the adult's abdomen which is ...

, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal

endosymbiont An endosymbiont or endobiont is an organism that lives within the body or cells of another organism. Typically the two organisms are in a mutualism (biology), mutualistic relationship. Examples are nitrogen-fixing bacteria (called rhizobia), whi ...

s into wood. The larvae of ''Sirex'' are unable to digest the wood on their own and rely on the fungus for nutrition, either eating the fungus or wood partially digested by the fungus. Female ''Sirex'' have a

mycangium The term mycangium (pl., mycangia) is used in biology for special structures on the body of an animal that are adapted for the transport of symbiotic fungi (usually in spore form). This is seen in many xylophagous insects (e.g. horntails and bark ...

which is used to carry arthrospores of the fungus. The genus includes economically important pests; ''S. noctilio'', known simply as the 'Sirex woodwasp' is an

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

, having spread widely across the world from its original range.Hurley, B. P., et al. (2007)
A comparison of control results for the alien invasive woodwasp, ''Sirex noctilio'', in the southern hemisphere.
''Agricultural and Forest Entomology'' 9(3), 159–71.

Species

* '' Sirex abietinus'' Goulet, 2012 * '' Sirex areolatus'' (Cresson, 1868) * ''

Sirex atricornis ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbion ...

'' Kjellander, 1945 * '' Sirex behrensii'' (Cresson, 1880) * '' Sirex californicus'' (Ashmead, 1904) * '' Sirex carinthiacus'' Konow, 1892 * '' Sirex cinctus'' Drury, 1773 * '' Sirex cyaneus'' Fabricius, 1781 * ''

Sirex ermak ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' (Semenov, 1921) * '' Sirex hispaniola'' Goulet, 2012 * ''

Sirex imperialis ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbion ...

'' W.F.Kirby, 1882 * '' Sirex juvencus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * ''

Sirex longicauda ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Middlekauff, 1948 * ''

Sirex melanopoda ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Benson, 1965 * ''

Sirex mexicanus ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Smith, 2012 * ''

Sirex mongolorum ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' (Semenov) * ''

Sirex nigricornis ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Fabricius, 1781 * ''

Sirex nitidus ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' (Harris, 1841) * ''

Sirex nitobei ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Matsumura * ''

Sirex noctilio ''Sirex noctilio'', known as the Midnight woodwasp, European woodwasp, European horntail woodwasp, or sirex woodwasp, is a species of horntail, woodwasp, native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa.New York State Department of Environmental Cons ...

'' Fabricius, 1793 * ''

Sirex obesus ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Bradley, 1913 * ''

Sirex piceus ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' G.Xiao & Wu, 1983 * ''

Sirex pygmaeus ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Linnaeus, 1767 * '' Sirex sinicus'' Maa * '' Sirex tianshanicus'' (Semenov) * '' Sirex torvus'' Harris, 1779 * ''

Sirex varipes ''Sirex'' is a genus of sawfly in the family Siricidae, the horntails or wood wasps. Their bodies are black with a dark blue or green metallic reflection with some species having reddish-brown portions. They inject eggs with fungal endosymbio ...

'' Walker, 1866 * '' Sirex vates'' Mocsáry * '' Sirex xerophilus'' Schiff, 2012

References

Siricidae {{Sawfly-stub