Scolebythidae

The Scolebythidae are a small family of aculeate wasps in the superfamily Chrysidoidea. These chrysidoid wasps are found in Africa, Australia, the Neotropics, north China, Thailand and Fiji. They are parasites on larvae of Cerambycidae and Ptinidae.

Overview

Scolebythidae wasps are gregarious ectoparasitoids of wood-boring beetle larvae. Females dig tunnels through the frass of wood-boring beetles using their mandibles. After reaching the host chamber of the beetle larva, frass is pulled into the chamber before stinging the larva. The female wasp feeds on the hemolymph after biting the integument. This behaviour is probably necessary for egg laying.

Taxonomy

* Subfamily Pristapenesiinae Engel et al. 2013
** †'' Boreobythus'' Engel and Grimaldi 2007 New Jersey amber, Turonian
** †'' Ectenobythus'' Engel et al. 2013 Spanish amber, Albian
** †'' Eobythus'' Lacau et al. 2000 Oise amber, France, Ypresian
** †'' Libanobythus'' Prentice and Poinar 1996 Lebanese amber, Barremian
** †'' Mirabythus'' Cai et al. 2012 Yixian Formation, China, Aptian
** †'' Nadezhdabythus'' Zhang, Rasnitsyn, Olmi, Martynova & Perkovsky, 2020 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian
** †'' Necrobythus'' Engel et al. 2013 Canadian amber, Campanian
** '' Pristapenesia'' Brues 1933 South America and Asia
** †'' Sphakelobythus'' Engel et al. 2013 Canadian amber, Campanian
** †'' Uliobythus'' Engel and Grimaldi 2007 Lebanese amber, Barremian
** †'' Zapenesia'' Engel and Grimaldi 2007 Lebanese amber, Barremian
** †'' Cursoribythus'' and †'' Siccibythus'' from the Burmese amber were originally assigned to this family, but have subsequently been assigned to the Falsiformicidae.
* Subfamily Scolebythinae Evans 1963
** '' Clystopsenella'' Kieffer 1911
** '' Scolebythus'' Evans 1963
* '' Ycaploca'' Nagy, 1975, South Africa, Australia

References

Chrysidoidea
Apocrita families

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