Subfamily Xiphydriinae Ashmead, 1898

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Introduction

The subfamily Xiphydriinae is worldwide in its distribution, except Africa, and comprises a number of genera, including Brachyxiphus, Cingalixiphia, Dryxiphia, Eoxiphia, Euxiphydria, Genaxiphia, Gryponeura, Hyperxiphia, Indoxiphia, Konowia, Moaxiphia, Nasoxiphia, Palpixiphia, Paraxiphia, Platyxiphydria, Rhysacephala, Xiphidiaphora, Xiphydria and Xiphydriola (see Smith 1978).

Of these genera, Rhysacephala is Australasian in distribution, with eleven species from Australia, R. testacea (Mocsáry) from Papua New Guinea and R. rufipes (Smith) from the Aru Islands, Indonesia (Smith 1978). Jennings et al. (2021) reviewed the Australian members of the Xiphydriinae and identified an additional monotypic Australian genus Austroxiphyda. The only other xiphydriid wasps occurring in the Australasian Region are Moaxiphia deceptus (Smith) and M. duniana (Gourlay), both endemic to New Zealand (Valentine & Walker 1991), although an undescribed species is known from New Caledonia (Jennings, unpublished).

General References

Jennings, J.T., Macdonald, J.A., Schiff, N.M. & Parslow, B.A. 2021. Revision of Xiphydriinae (Hymenoptera: Xiphydriidae) of Australia. Austral Entomology 60: 631-658

Smith, D.R. 1978. Suborder Symphyta. Hymenopterorum Catalogus 14: 1-193

Valentine, E.W. & Walker, A.K. 1991. Annotated Catalogue of New Zealand Hymenoptera. NZ : DSIR Plant Protection Report Vol. 4.

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