The Thynnidae (also known as thynnid wasps, flower wasps, or thynnid flower wasps) are a family of large, solitary wasps whose larvae are almost universally parasitoids of various beetle larvae, especially those in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Until recently, the constituents of this family were classified in the family Tiphiidae, but multiple studies have independently confirmed that thynnids are a separate lineage.

Description Most species are small, but they can be up to 30 mm long. The females of some subfamilies (Diamminae, Methochinae, and most Thynninae) are wingless and hunt ground-dwelling (fossorial) beetle larvae, or (in one species) mole crickets. 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. In species where both sexes are winged, males are similar in size to the females, but are much more slender. The males of species with wingless females, however, are often much larger than the females and have wings; the adults mate in the air, with the female carried by the male's genitalia. Adults feed on nectar and are minor pollinators. As some of the ground-dwelling scarab species attacked by thynnids are pests, some of these wasps are considered beneficial as biological control agents.

Taxonomy The family has five extant subfamilies, which were previously placed in Tiphiidae before it was found to be non-monophyletic. Thynnidae genera are classified as follows:

Extant genera

Subfamily: Anthoboscinae Turner, 1912 Anthobosca Guérin-Ménéville, 1838 Anthosila Genise, 1985 Calchaquila Genise, 1985 Cosila Guérin-Méneville, 1838 Lalapa Pate, 1947 Odontothynnus Cameron, 1904 Paramyzine Berg, 1898

Subfamily: Diamminae Turner, 1907 Diamma Westwood, 1835

Subfamily: Methochinae Rohwer, 1916 Methocha Latreille, 1804 Pterombrus Smith, 1869

Subfamily: Myzininae Borner, 1919 Tribe: Austromyzinini Austromyzinum Brown, 1985 Cleftomyzinum Brown, 1985

Tribe: Myzinini Myzinum Latreille, 1803

Tribe: Mesini Argaman, 1994 Mesa Saussure, 1892 Hylomesa Krombein, 1968

Tribe: Meriini Costa, 1858 Afromeria Boni Bartalucci, 2007 Allomeria Boni Bartalucci, 2007 Braunsomeria Turner, 1912 Iswara Westwood, 1851 Komarowia Radoszkowski, 1886 Lamprowara Boni Bartalucci, 2004 Macromeria Westwood, 1835 Meria Illiger, 1807 Meriodes Boni Bartalucci, 2007 Myzinella Guiglia, 1959 Notomeria Boni Bartalucci, 2011 Parameria Guérin-Méneville, 1837 Poecilotiphia Cameron, 1902 Tamerlanella Boni Bartalucci, 2004 Weerpaga Argaman, 1994 Zezelda Argaman, 1994

Subfamily: Thynninae Ashmead, 1903 Tribe: Agriomyini Brown, 2025 Aeolothynnus Ashmead, 1903 Agriomyia Guérin-Ménéville, 1838 Aulacothynnus Turner, 1910 Chilothynnus Brown, 1996 Dythynnus Kimsey, 2001 Gyrothynnus Brown, 2005 Leiothynnus Turner, 1910 Neozeleboria Rohwer, 1910 Nitidothynnus Brown, 2001 Pentazeleboria Brown, 1983 Procerothynnus Brown, 2001 Psammothynnus Ashmead, 1903 Sinothynnus Brown, 2025 Zeleboria Saussure, 1867

Tribe: Elaphropterini Kimsey, 1992 Ammodromus Guérin-Méneville, 1838 Argenthynnus Genise, 1991 Atopothynnus Kimsey, 1991 Brethynnus Genise, 1991 Chrysothynnus Turner, 1910 Dolichothynnus Turner, 1910 Elaphroptera Guérin-Ménéville, 1838 Eucyrtothynnus Turner, 1910 Merithynnus Kimsey, 1991 Mesothynnus Kimsey, 1991 Spilothynnus Ashmead, 1903 Telephorornyia Guérin-Ménéville, 1838 Upa Kimsey, 1991 Zeena Kimsey, 1991

Tribe: Iswaroidini Brown, 2025 Acanthothynnus Turner, 1910 Arthrothynnus Brown, 1996 Aspidothynnus Turner, 1910 Beithynnus Kimsey, 2002 Caetrathynnus Brown, 2001 Doratithynnus Turner, 1910 Encopothynnus Turner, 1915 Epactiothynnus Turner, 1910 Eurysothynnus Brown, 2025 Flatrothynnus Brown, 2025 Gymnothynnus Turner, 1910 Iswaroides Ashmead, 1899 Jocothynnus Brown, 2025 Mulctothynnus Brown, 2025 Pappothynnus Brown, 2025 Quirithynnus Brown, 2025 Rostrothynnus Brown, 2025 Thynnoturneria Rohwer, 1910 Tmesothynnus Turner, 1910 Ypsilothynnus Brown, 2025

Tribe: Rhagigasterini Ashmead, 1903 Curvothynnus Brown, 2010 Dimorphothynnus Turner, 1910 Eirone Westwood, 1844 Rhagigaster Guérin-Ménéville, 1838 Rugosothynnus Brown, 2015 Rhytidothynnus Brown, 2008 Umbothynnus Brown, 2008 Zonothynnus Brown, 2025

Tribe: Scotaenini Kimsey, 1992 Anodontyra Westwood 1835 Glottynnus Genise, 1991 Glottynoides Kimsey, 1991 Kaysara Carnimeo & Noll, 2018 Ornepetes Guérin, 1838 Pampathynnus Carnimeo & Noll, 2018 Parelaphroptera Turner, 1910 Pseudelaphroptera Ashmead, 1903 Pseudoscotaena Carnimeo & Noll, 2018 Rostrynnus Genise, 1991 Scotaena Klug, 1810

Tribe: Tachynomyini Brown, 2025 Ariphron Kimsey, 2007 Deuterothynnus Brown, 2005 Heligmothynnus Brown, 2005 Phymatothynnus Turner, 1908 Tachynoides Kimsey, 1996 Tachynomyia Guérin-Ménéville, 1842 Tachyphron Brown, 1995 Wrangathynnus Brown, 2025

Tribe: Thynnini Ashmead, 1903 Amblysoma Westwood, 1841 Anpogothynnus Brown, 2025 Belothynnus Turner, 1910 Bifidothynnus Brown, 1992 Campylothynnus Turner, 1910 Catocheilus Guérin-Ménéville, 1842 Elidothynnus Turner, 1910 Guerinius Ashmead, 1903 Hathynnus Kimsey, 2003 Hemithynnus Ashmead, 1903 Insolitothynnus Brown, 2025 Keteiothynnus Brown, 2025 Leptothynnus Turner, 1910 Lestricothynnus Turner, 1910 Levothynnus Brown, 2025 Lophocheilus Guérin-Ménéville, 1842 Macrothynnus Turner, 1908 Megalothynnus Turner, 1910 Oncorhinothynnus Salter, 1954 Ozaspothynnus Brown, 2025 Pogonothynnus Turner, 1910 Thynnoides Guérin-Ménéville, 1838 Thynnus Fabricius, 1775 Vehemenothynnus Brown, 2025 Zaspilothynnus Ashmead, 1903 Zythynnus Kimsey, 2001

Extinct genera The following 4 genera are extinct members of Thynnidae:

Subfamily: Anthoboscinae Turner, 1912 †Architiphia Darling, 1990

Subfamily: Methochinae Rohwer, 1916 †Brachymethoca Zhang, 1989

Subfamily: Myzininae Borner, 1919 †Geotiphia Cockerell, 1906 †Lithotiphia Cockerell, 1906

References

External links

Myzinum maculata Fabricius, a thynnid wasp on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site