Rhopalosomatidae
| Rhopalosomatidae | ||||||||||||
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Rhopalosoma spec. |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Rhopalosomatidae | ||||||||||||
| Ashmead , 1896 | ||||||||||||
| Genera | ||||||||||||
The species of the family Rhopalosomatidae belong to the insect order of the hymenoptera (Hymenoptera). Within this they are in the superfamily Vespoidea , the fold wasps, in the subordination of the waist wasps (Apocrita).
The family name was originally introduced as Rhopalosomidae by Ashmead in 1896, but changed to Rhopalosomatidae by Brues in 1922 according to the nomenclature rules. The 72 so far known recent species of the family live primarily in the tropics and subtropics of North America , South America , Africa , Southeast Asia and Australia , but not in Europe . The family is currently divided into one fossil and four recent genera :
- † Eorhopalosoma , Engel 2008 (2 fossil species from Burmese amber)
- Liosphex , Townes 1977 (14 species from South and North America and Southeast Asia)
- Olixon , Cameron 1887 (28 species from Africa, South and North America as well as Australia)
- Paniscomima , Enderlein 1904 (13 species from Africa and Southeast Asia)
- Rhopalosoma , Cresson 1865 (17 species from the Caribbean and from South and North America as well as 1 fossil species from Dominican amber)
Males and females are similar in all species. Either they are equipped with fully developed wings in both sexes or, like the representatives of the genus Olixon , they are consistently wingless (apter) or have only greatly reduced wings (brachypter), which are shorter than the mesosoma . Whether the genus Olixon actually belongs to the Rhopalosomatidae or is a sister group to these is still controversial. There are just as many arguments for and against.
It is assumed that the larvae of all species live ectoparasitic on crickets (Gryllidae, probably genera Hapithus , Orocharis , Nemobius and Cycloptilum ) and reside in a closed, sack-like structure on the outside of their host . However, there is only real evidence of this from representatives of the genera Rhopalosoma and Olixon . Most species are probably nocturnal. This assumption is only supported by an observation of R. nearcticum flying at dusk and some other evidence (e.g. large eyes, activity times of the hosts).
literature
- Goulet H & Huber JT: Hymenoptera of the world: An identification guide to families. Center for Land and Biological Resources Research, Ottawa 1993, ISBN 0-660-14933-8
- Guidotti AE: Systematics of little known parasitic wasp of the family Rhopalosomatidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) . MSc Thesis, University of Toronto 1999, ( PDF; 5.5 MB )
