Lyciscidae Explained

Lyciscidae is a family of chalcid wasps.^[1] The genera comprising this family were previously placed in the Cleonyminae subfamily of a paraphyletic Pteromalidae.^[2]

Description and biology

Many species have metallic green, blue and bronze colours, and stout hind legs and fore legs. The females of most species have a tapered abdomen and a long ovipositor suited to accessing hosts concealed in wood; they are often encountered on trunks or branches of trees. Many are parasitoids of wood-boring beetles of the families Buprestidae (jewel beetles), Cerambycidae (longhorn beetles), and Curculionidae (weevils). However, some Agamerion species are parasitoids of cockroach egg masses, Epistenia species parasitize twig-nesting aculate wasps and bees, and Marxiana grandiosa is a hyperparasite of braconid wasps (which are, in turn, parasitoids of wood-boring beetles).^[3]

Subfamilies and genera^[1]

Lyciscinae

• Agamerion
• Amazonisca
• Chadwickia
• Epistenia
• Eupelmophotismus
• Hadroepistenia
• Hedqvistia
• Lycisca
• Marxiana
• Mesamotura
• Neboissia
• Neoepistenia
• Nepistenia
• Paralycisca
• Parepistenia
• Proglochin
• Proshizonotus
• Protoepistenia
• Riekisura
• Romanisca
• Scaphepistenia
• Shedoepistenia
• Striatacanthus
• Thaumasura
• Urolycisca
• Westwoodiana

Solenurinae

• Grooca
• Solenura

Notes and References

1. Roger A.. Burks . Mircea-Dan . Mitroiu . Lucian . Fusu . etal . 10.3897/JHR.94.94263 . free . Wikidata Q115923766 . 1070-9428 . Journal of Hymenoptera Research . en . 13-88 . 20 December 2022 . From hell's heart I stab at thee! A determined approach towards a monophyletic Pteromalidae and reclassification of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) . 94.
2. Web site: Noyes . J. S. . March 2019. Universal Chalcidoidea Database . The Natural History Museum . 5 April 2023.
3. Book: Gibson, Gary A. P.. June 30, 2003. Phylogenetics and classification of Cleonyminae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae). Associated Publishers. 16. Memoirs on Entomology, International.