Leptofoenus is a genus of wasp in the family Pelecinellidae found in South America, Central America, and southern North America.[1][2] The genus contains five living species and one extinct species known from early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.[1] With body sizes ranging from 11–27 millimetres (0.43–1.06 in) Leptofoenus species are larger than nearly all other species in Chalcidoidea.[1] The genus bears a notable resemblance to the wasp families Pelecinidae, Gasteruptiidae, and Stephanidae.[1]

Leptofoenus
Leptofoenus rufus (female)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Pelecinellidae
Genus: Leptofoenus
Smith, 1862
Species

Species

edit

All six known species are restricted to the western Hemisphere, most being found in South America and only one reaching North America.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Engel, M.S. (2005). "The first fossil leptofoenine wasp (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae): A new species of Leptofoenus in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic". ZooKeys (13): 57–66. doi:10.3897/zookeys.13.159. hdl:1808/5595.
  2. ^ Iturralde-Vinent, M.A.; MacPhee, R.D.E. (1996). "Age and Paleogeographical Origin of Dominican Amber". Science. 273 (5283): 1850–1852. Bibcode:1996Sci...273.1850I. doi:10.1126/science.273.5283.1850. S2CID 129754021.