The Ceraphronidae are a small hymenopteran family with 14 genera and some 360 known species, though a great many species are still undescribed. It is a poorly known group as a whole, though most are believed to be parasitoids (especially of flies), and a few hyperparasitoids. Many are found in the soil, and of these, a number are wingless.
| Ceraphronidae | |
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| Ceraphronidae. Lateral view. | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Superfamily: | Ceraphronoidea |
| Family: | Ceraphronidae Haliday, 1833 |
The family is distinguished from the closely related Megaspilidae by having a very small stigma in the wing, a very broad metasomal petiole, and a single median groove in the mesoscutum.
The taxon was erected by Alexander Henry Haliday in 1833.
References
edit- Dessart, P., 1965 Contribution à l'étudendes Hyménoptères Proctotrupoidea.(VI)Les Ceraphroninae et quelques Megaspilinae(Ceraphronidae)du Musée Civique d'Histoire Naturelles de Gênes. Bulletin et Annales de la Société Royale Entomologique de Belgique:101:105-192.
- Watson, L., and Dallwitz M.J., 2003. British insects: the families of Hymenoptera.Version: 16 July 2011 [1]
External links
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Wikispecies has information related to Ceraphronidae.
- Cedar Creek Images of pinned specimens.
- Waspweb
- Images at Bug Guide
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