Scolebythidae

The Scolebythidae are a small family of aculeate wasps in the superfamily Chrysidoidea. These chrysidoid wasp have only been found from tropical habitats in Africa, Australia, and the New World.

Scolebythidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Infraorder: Aculeata
Superfamily: Chrysidoidea
Family: Scolebythidae
Genera
  • †Boreobythus
  • Clystopsenella
  • †Eobythus
  • †Libanobythus
  • Pristapenia
  • Scolebythus
  • †Uliobythus
  • Ycaploca
  • †Zapenesia

Overview

Scolebythidae wasps are gregarious ectoparasitoids of wood-boring beetle larvae. Females dig tunnels through the frass of wood-boring beetles using their mandibles. After reaching the host chamber of the beetle larva, frass is pulled into the chamber before stinging the larva. The female wasp feeds on the hemolymph after biting the integument. This behaviour is probably necessary for egg laying.[1]

References
  1. Engel MS, Grimaldi DA (2006). "The First Cretaceous Sclerogibbid Wasp (Hymenoptera: Sclerogibbidae)". American Museum Novitates. 3515 (3515): 1–7. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2006)3515[1:TFCSWH]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5792.


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