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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » "Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps » Chalcidoid Wasps (Chalcidoidea) » Fairy Wasps (Mymaridae)

Family Mymaridae - Fairy Wasps

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Size · Identification · Food · Internet References · Works Cited

Hymenoptera, Mymaridae - Polynema - female

Mymaridae, ventral - Acmopolynema - female

egg case on grass, cover removed - Anagrus

Fairyfly, dorsal-lateral - Litus - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon ("Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps)

Superfamily Chalcidoidea (Chalcidoid Wasps)

Family Mymaridae (Fairy Wasps)

Other Common Names

Fairyflies

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

No generally accepted subfamily classification has been proposed(1)

Numbers

>200 spp. in 32 genera in our area, >1400 spp. in ~100 genera worldwide(2)(1)

Size

0.2-1 mm (among the smallest of insects)(3)

Identification

Fairly characteristic in habitus and do not closely resemble any other chalcidoids. The most easily observable characters are(2):

stalked, narrowly elongate hindwing

long clubbed female antennae (filiform in males)

greatly reduced venation which terminates within the first third of the wing (except in Arescon and Krokella)

no discernible stigmal or postmarginal vein

tarsi may be 4- or 5-segmented

antennal toruli widely separated

vertex surrounded by thickened bands of cuticle and separated from the face by a suture

Key to New World genera(4)

Food

insects egg parasitoids(3)

Internet References

Boln. Asoc. esp. Ent.. Contributions to the Knowledge of the family Mymaridae.

Arthropod Fauna. Order Hymenoptera, family Mymaridae. John T. Huber, Gennaro Viggiani and Ricardo Jesu

"These Insects Are Smaller than a Single Cell...How?!" (SciShow) - delightful six and a half minute video clip loaded with info about this intriguing family.

Wikipedia

Works Cited

1.	Universal Chalcidoidea Database

2.	A handbook of the families of Nearctic Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). 2nd Edition Grissell E.E., Schauff M. E. 1997. Ent. Soc. Wash. 87pp.

3.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

4.	Review of the genera of New World Mymaridae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) Carl M. Yoshimoto. 1990. Flora and Fauna Handbook (Book 7), CRC Press.

Contributed by Hannah Nendick-Mason on 6 July, 2006 - 8:59am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Kevin Hall, v belov, Edward Ruden, PaleoJon
Last updated 2 June, 2021 - 11:17pm

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