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.
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
Notes
References
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.