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.[1][2][3]
Description
Most species are small, but they can be up to 30 mm long.[citation needed] 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.[4] 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.[citation needed] Adults feed on nectar and are minor pollinators.[5] As some of the ground-dwelling scarab species attacked by thynnids are pests, some of these wasps are considered beneficial as biological control agents. [citation needed]
Cosila chilensis (subfamily Anthoboscinae) photographed in ChileDiamma bicolor female (subfamily Diamminae) photographed in AustraliaMyzinum quinquecinctum males (subfamily Myzininae) photographed in Oklahoma.A pair of Zaspilothynnus sp. mating (subfamily Thynninae), photographed in Australia: The male is larger and has wings.
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Pilgrim, E.; von Dohlen, C.; Pitts, J. (2008). "Molecular phylogenetics of Vespoidea indicate paraphyly of the superfamily and novel relationships of its component families and subfamilies". Zoologica Scripta. 37 (5): 539–560. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00340.x. S2CID85905070.
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Brothers, Denis J. (1993). "Key to subfamilies of Tiphiidae". In Goulet, Henri; Huber, John T. (eds.). Hymenoptera of the World, an Identification Guide to Families. Ottawa, Ontario: Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research. p. 178-185. ISBN0-660-14933-8.
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Brown, G. (2001). "Status of the Ariphron generic group (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae): A critical review". Australian Journal of Entomology. 40 (1): 23–40. doi:10.1046/j.1440-6055.2001.00207.x.
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Brown, Graham R. (2015). "Rugosothynnus gen. nov. (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Thynninae: Rhagigasterini), a newly recognised Australian genus". Zootaxa. 3925 (3): 361–386. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3925.3.3. PMID25781749.
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Carnimeo, Fernando Henrique; Noll, Fernando Barbosa (2018). "On the dumping ground genus Scotaena Klug, 1810 (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Thynninae): Phylogeny, taxonomy and geographic distribution". Zootaxa. 4399 (4): 451–490. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4399.4.1. hdl:11449/150542. PMID29690290.
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Kimsey, Lynn S. (1992). "Phylogenetic relations among the South American thynnine tiphiid wasps (Hymenoptera)". Systematic Entomology. 17 (2): 133–144. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.1992.tb00326.x. S2CID84978103.
^"Thynnidae". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
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