Argidae
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Argidae is a large family of
sawflies Sawflies are the insects of the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay ...
, containing some 800 species worldwide, primarily in tropical regions. The larvae are
phytophagous A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpar ...
, and commonly can be found feeding (and often pupating) in groups, though very few attain pest status. The family is distinguished from all other Symphyta by the reduction of the antenna to three segments,
flagellomere Antennae ( antenna), sometimes referred to as "feelers", are paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. Antennae are connected to the first one or two segments of the arthropod head. They vary widely in form but are always made of one o ...
s; the last one is elongated often shaped like a
tuning fork A tuning fork is an acoustic resonator in the form of a two-pronged fork with the prongs ( tines) formed from a U-shaped bar of elastic metal (usually steel). It resonates at a specific constant pitch when set vibrating by striking it agains ...
in males.


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* * Sawfly families Taxa named by Friedrich Wilhelm Konow {{sawfly-stub