Family CHRYSIDIDAE

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Family CHRYSIDIDAE

Compiler and date details

6 July 2012 - Danielle N. Stringer, John T. Jennings & Andrew D. Austin, Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide SA 5005

1 January 2003 - N.B. Stevens, A.D. Austin & J.T. Jennings, Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Introduction

Although worldwide the family Chrysididae comprises about 3,000 species, it is depauperate in the Australian region. The family has four subfamilies, among which the Cleptinae is restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, while the Chrysidinae is the most speciose and contains about 80% of all species. The family is biologically diverse. Chrysidinae are parasites or cleptoparasites in the nests of Sphecidae and solitary Vespidae, while the Amiseginae and Loboscelidiinae parasitise the eggs of Phasmatodea. Members of the Chrysidinae have the posterior abdominal tergites developed into a telescopic tube that, at rest, is hidden under the anterior segments. Chrysidinae are characterised by having a heavily sculptured metallic blue or green body and are easily identified by these traits. Lobosclidiinae are restricted to the Oriental-Australian region and have an unusual shaped, highly polished body. Amiseginae have wingless females that are associated with leaf litter amongst which they search for their phasmatid host eggs.