Tiphiidae Explained

The Tiphiidae (also known as tiphiid wasps, flower wasps, or tiphiid flower wasps) are a family of large, solitary wasps whose larvae are parasitoids of various beetle larvae, especially those in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Until recently, this family contained several additional subfamilies, but multiple studies have independently confirmed that these comprise a separate lineage, and are now classified in the family Thynnidae.

The females of some Brachycistidinae are wingless, and hunt ground-dwelling (fossorial) beetle larvae. The prey is paralysed with the female's sting, and an egg is laid on it so the wasp larva has a ready supply of food. As some of the ground-dwelling scarab species attacked by tiphiids are pests, some of these wasps are considered beneficial as biological control agents.^[1]

Taxonomy

Tiphiid genera are classified as follows:

Subfamily Brachycistidinae Kimsey, 1991

• Acanthetropis Wasbauer, 1958
• Brachycistellus Baker, 1907
• Brachycistina Malloch, 1926
• Brachycistis Fox, 1893
• Brachymaya Kimsey & Wasbauer 1999
• Colocistis Krombein, 1942
• Dolichetropis Wasbauer, 1968
• Glyptacros Mickel & Krombein, 1942
• Hadrocistis Wasbauer, 1968
• Paraquemaya Kimsey & Wasbauer, 1999
• Sedomaya Kimsey & Wasbauer, 1999
• Stilbopogon Mickel & Krombein, 1942

Subfamily Tiphiinae Leach, 1815

• Cabaraxa Nagy, 1974
• Cyanotiphia Cameron, 1907
• Epomidiopteron Romand, 1835
• Icronatha Nagy, 1967
• Krombeinia Pate, 1947
• Ludita Nagy, 1967
• Mallochessa Allen, 1972
• Megatiphia Kimsey, 1993
• Neotiphia Malloch, 1918
• Paratiphia Sichel, 1864
• † Philoponites Cockerell, 1915
• Pseudotiphia Ashmead 1903
• Tiphia Fabricius, 1775

Examples

• Tiphia femorata Linden 1827
• Tiphia minuta Fabricius, 1775

Further reading

• Arnett, R. H. Jr. (2000) Segunda edición. American insects. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Londres,New York, Washington, D. C.
• Borror, D. J., DeLong, D. M., Triplehorn, C. A.(1976) cuarta edición. An introduction to the study of insects. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. New York, Chicago.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Morais . Ryan . The Spring Tiphia: a natural enemy of the Japanese beetle . IPM & Entomology Lab . 2020-07-28 . 2024-06-06.