''Kikiki'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
fairyfly wasps containing a single species, ''Kikiki huna'', known from Hawaii, Costa Rica, Nagarcoil and Trinidad. At (150 μm), it is the smallest flying insect known . It is a close relative of wasps in the genus ''
Tinkerbella
''Tinkerbella'' is a genus of fairy wasps, containing the single species ''Tinkerbella nana'' from Costa Rica. It is one of the smallest known flying arthropods and belongs to the family Mymaridae. The smallest flying arthropod known was '' M ...
''.
It was discovered in the Hawaiian Islands by John T. Huber and John W. Beardsley, and published in 2000. The name ''Kikiki huna'' consists of two
Hawaiian words that both carry the meaning 'tiny bit'.
See also
* ''
Dicopomorpha echmepterygis
''Dicopomorpha echmepterygis'' is the smallest known insect and a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Mymaridae, which exhibits strong sexual dimorphism. The males are blind, apterous, and their body length is only 40% that of females. Wit ...
'' - The smallest known insect.
* ''
Tinkerbella
''Tinkerbella'' is a genus of fairy wasps, containing the single species ''Tinkerbella nana'' from Costa Rica. It is one of the smallest known flying arthropods and belongs to the family Mymaridae. The smallest flying arthropod known was '' M ...
''
References
Mymaridae
Monotypic Hymenoptera genera
{{hymenoptera-stub