Pemphredonidae is a family of aphid wasps formerly treated as the subfamily Pemphredoninae. There are 19 genera and 556 described species in the family.[1][2][3]

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Genera ...
Pemphredonidae
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Apoidea
Family: Pemphredonidae
Genera

19 (see text)

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Description and identification

The primary morphological distinction between the Pemphredondae and the Psenidae is that Pemphredondae never have more than two submarginal cells in their forewing while Psenidae have three submarginal cells.[4]

Biology

The subfamily consists of solitary wasps, each genus having its own distinct and consistent prey preferences. The adult females dig tunnels in the ground, or plant material, for nesting.[5] As with all other apoid wasps, the larvae are carnivorous; females hunt for prey on which to lay their eggs, mass provisioning the nest cells with paralyzed, living prey that the larvae feed upon after hatching from the egg.[citation needed]

Taxonomy and phylogeny

As Pemphredoninae, this taxon was previously divided into four tribes: Entomosericini, Odontosphecini, Psenini, and Pemphredonini. The Pemphredonini were considered to have by far the largest number of species. Phylogenetic analyses to resolve the paraphyly of Crabronidae through erecting additional families also found the Pemphredoninae to be polyphyletic. As a result, more recent classifications treat Psenidae (comprising the former tribes Psenini and Odontosphecini) as a separate family, and sister to the newly-erected family Ammoplanidae. Ammoplanidae is also rendered as the most sister family to the bees (Anthophila). The Pemphredonidae (Pemphredonini excluding Ammoplanina) is instead sister taxon to the Philanthidae.[2] In continued revision, Entomosericini has also been elevated to family status as Entomosericidae.[3]

Genera

The Pemphredonidae are restricted to the former subtribes Pemphredonina, Spilomenina, and Stigmina.[2][3]

Pemphredonina Dahlbom, 1835

Spilomenina Menke, 1989

Stigmina R. Bohart & Menke, 1976

  • Allostigmus Melo & Naumann, 1999
  • Araucastigmus Finnamore, 1995
  • Aykhustigmus Finnamore, 1995
  • Carinostigmus Tsuneki, 1954
  • Ceratostigmus Melo & Naumann, 1999
  • Incastigmus Finnamore, 1995
  • Llaqhastigmus Finnamore, 1995
  • Paracrabro Turner, 1907
  • Parastigmus Antropov, 1992
  • Stigmus Panzer, 1802
  • Tzustigmus Finnamore, 1995

Transferred to Ammoplaninidae

10 genera of Ammoplanina now comprise the family Ammoplaninidae.[2] This transfer includes 137 species.[1]

  • Ammoplanellus Gussakovskij, 1931
  • Ammoplanops Gussakovskij, 1931
  • Ammoplanus Giraud, 1869
  • Ammostigmus Antropov, 2010
  • Mohavena Pate, 1939
  • Parammoplanus Pate, 1939
  • Protostigmus Turner, 1918
  • Pulverro Pate, 1937
  • Riparena Pate, 1939
  • Timberlakena Pate, 1939

Transferred to Entomosericidae

A single genus of Entomosericini now comprises the Entomosericidae.[3] This transfer includes 3 species.[1]

  • Entomosericus Dahlbom, 1845

Transferred to Psenidae

1 genus of Odontosphecini (Odontosphex) and 11 genera of Psenini now comprise the family Psenidae.[2] This transfer includes 485 species.[1]

  • Ammopsen Krombein, 1959
  • Deinomimesa Perkins, 1899
  • Lithium Finnamore, 1987
  • Mimesa Shuckard, 1937
  • Mimumesa Malloch, 1933
  • Nesomimesa Malloch, 1933
  • Odontopsen Tsuneki, 1964
  • Odontosphex Arnold, 1951
  • Pluto Pate, 1937
  • Psen Latreille, 1796
  • Pseneo Malloch, 1933
  • Psenulus Kohl, 1897

Transferred to Angarosphecidae

Two fossil wasp genera from the Weald Clay were originally considered to possibly be in the Pemphredoninae.[6] They are currently classified among the 15 genera of the extinct family, Angarosphecidae.[7]

  • Archisphex Evans, 1969
  • Angarosphex Rasnitsyn, 1975

References

Further reading

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