Leptofoenus Explained

Leptofoenus is a genus of wasp in the family Pelecinellidae found in South America, Central America, and southern North America.^{[1] [2]} The genus contains five living species and one extinct species known from early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.^[1] With body sizes ranging from 11mm27mm Leptofoenus species are larger than nearly all other species in Chalcidoidea.^[1] The genus bears a notable resemblance to the wasp families Pelecinidae, Gasteruptiidae, and Stephanidae.^[1]

Species

All six known species are restricted to the western Hemisphere, most being found in South America and only one reaching North America.

• Leptofoenus howardi (Ashmead) Paraguay, Brazil, Surinam
• Leptofoenus peleciniformis Smith Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Costa Rica
• †Leptofoenus pittfieldae Engel Dominican Republic (Early Miocene)
• Leptofoenus rufus LaSalle & Stage Mexico, southwestern USA
• Leptofoenus stephanoides (Roman) Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, French Guiana, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, southern Mexico
• Leptofoenus westwoodi (Ashmead) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Guyana, Trinidad, Panama

Notes and References

1. Engel . M.S. . 2005 . The first fossil leptofoenine wasp (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae): A new species of Leptofoenus in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic . ZooKeys . 13 . 57–66. 10.3897/zookeys.13.159. free . 1808/5595 . free .
2. Iturralde-Vinent . M.A. . MacPhee, R.D.E. . 1996 . Age and Paleogeographical Origin of Dominican Amber . Science . 273. 1850–1852 . 10.1126/science.273.5283.1850 . 5283. 1996Sci...273.1850I . 129754021 .