Megastigmidae is a family of chalcidoid wasps in the order Hymenoptera. There are about 12 genera and more than 170 described species in Megastigmidae. Megastigmidae was formerly considered a subfamily of the family Torymidae.
Morphology Most megastigmids range in colour from yellow to brown. However, some may feature patches of metallic green.
Megastigmids can generally be recognized among other Chalcidoidea by the presence of an enlarged stigma on the wing, often with an infuscate area around the stigma. They can be confused for Torymidae, within which they were formerly nested, due to their similar range in body sizes, and the long excised ovipositor in females. However, the presence of this enlarged stigma and the presence of 6 flagellomeres between the pedicel and clava (instead of 8 in Torymidae) separate the megastigmids.
Ecology Larval megastigmids show a wide variety of life history strategies. Some species are phytophagous, while others are parasitoids. Many species oviposit in galls, in which some species are parasitoids of the gall host, while others are inquilines.
Genera
Bootanelleus Girault, 1915 Bootania Dalla Torre, 1897 Bootanomyia Girault, 1915 Bortesia Pagliano & Scaramozzino, 1990 Ianistigmus Bouček, 1988 Macrodasyceras Kamijo, 1962 Malostigmus Bouček, 1988 Mangostigmus Bouček, 1986 Megastigmus Dalman, 1820 Neomegastigmus Girault, 1915 Paramegastigmus Girault, 1915 Striastigmus Böhmová & Janšta, 2022 Vitreostigmus Böhmová & Janšta, 2022 Westralianus Bouček, 1988
References